Page 55 of Bound By Revenge

I follow the sound, drawn toward a heavy metal door at the end of the corridor. With every step, her cries grow louder.

By the time I’m standing in front of it, my heart is pounding. I know that voice.

“A.J.?” I whisper, reaching for the handle.

Her sobs tear through me, each one sharper than the last. Panicking, I yank the door open, bracing myself for whatever’s waiting on the other side.

But there’s nothing.

Just darkness.

Her sobs grow louder, more desperate, and I step forward instinctively. My foot finds no ground.

I’m falling.

Air rushes past me as I scream, hands flailing until they catch a coarse rope. My hand burns as I cling to it, the fibers biting into my palms.

Above me, the doorway glows like a beacon. My muscles scream as I pull myself toward it, inch by agonizing inch. Sweatslicks my palms, making the rope slippery as I slide further down. It stings my eyes, dripping from my brow, but I don’t dare release my grip to wipe it away.

Then I see him.

Thestronzostands at the edge, his gold rings glinting under the harsh light. He sneers down at me, contempt and malice in his pale blue eyes.

I grit my teeth and push harder, ignoring the raw pain in my hands.

Just as I grip the edge, his polished Italian leather shoe comes down hard on my fingers, crushing them with ruthless force.

His cruel smirk widens as he kicks me in the face, sending me plummeting back into the void.

Cold water engulfs me. It’s so frigid, it knocks the air from my lungs.

I thrash wildly, desperate to find the surface, though in the suffocating darkness, I can’t tell which way is up. My lungs scream for air, the burn unbearable, until I finally break through. A desperate gasp fills my chest, but the reprieve is short-lived. The current grips me again, dragging me back under, merciless and unrelenting.

This is it. We’re going to die. The stronzo wins.

Then, through the chaos, I hear his voice.

“Shh,kiska. It’s just a dream.”

Warmth surrounds me, pulling me from the icy depths of my nightmare. My eyes flutter open and, disoriented, I find myself in Nik’s arms. His lips press softly to my forehead as his hands rub slow, soothing circles on my back. Burning hot strength radiates from him, wrapping around me like a shield.

“You’re safe,” he murmurs, his voice low and steady. “I'm here. It was just a dream.”

Tears stream down my cheeks, and I press my face into his chest. The clean scent of fresh linen and warm man grounds me, pulling me fully into the present.

“I was drowning,” I whisper, my voice cracking.

“You’re here now,” he says, holding me tighter. “I’ve got you. Nothing’s going to hurt you. I promise.”

“It was dark, and he pushed me. I was going to die. A.J... I couldn’t save her.”

“No one’s going to die,” he murmurs firmly. “You’re here with me, safe. I’ll always keep you safe—always.”

He rocks me gently, whispering soft, soothing words in Russian against my ear. Slowly, my sobs quiet.

“Sleep,kiska,” he says after a while, guiding us back down until I’m lying in his arms.

“No,” I protest, clinging to him. “I’ll just go back to the nightmare.”

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