Page 38 of Hers to Control

A muscle in his cheek ticks and he runs his hand through his hair again, then he opens his mouth to speak again. “Please, Mia. Stay here.”

It’s only by sheer luck that my chin doesn’t drop in surprise. He is actually asking me nicely. Not that it makes a difference. My dad could be nice sometimes, too. It’s why I still talk to him despite everything he’s put me through. It’s the binding that can make your life hell. The love that burns you, eventually.

“I’ll stay safe and I’ll keep the baby safe.” I make the promise, intending to keep it. I will keep us safe from the Russians and from Eric.

He nods once. “You have enough food and drinks here. I should be back late tonight or early in the morning. The second I’m done in the city, I’ll drive straight back here.”

I don’t mention that him going back and forth between here and the city increases the chances of the Russians finding us here. Someone could follow him. It doesn’t matter, because I won’t be here by the time he gets back.

Eric gives me another hard look, then walks to the door and leaves, taking just enough time to lock the door from the outside. A moment later, I can hear his car driving down the long driveway.

I wait.

The door is locked and the windows only tilt open, rather than opening all the way. I’m locked in, though that’s not much of a deterrent.

Staying quiet, I listen for the sounds of his car moving away from the cabin.

He’ll probably stop somewhere to watch the house for a while, expecting me to make a move right away. It’s something I would expect from a guy like Eric. There is no trust in his world. I would know. I am conditioned like that myself.

After a while, I head into the bedroom to collect my stuff. Immediately, I know what he did back here. My backpack is nowhere to be found. My stuff is still there, but without my pack it’ll be difficult to bring all of my things.

Since he didn’t bring either my or his own bag with him, though, I’m sure they are somewhere in the house. It seems like a silly way for him to slow me down, but I calm my nerves. I have enough time to search for a little while. The only thing I need to keep in mind is that I’ll be on foot, so I need to leave early enough that I can get somewhere safe before it gets too dark out.

After half an hour, I finally find my pack. It’s stuffed onto the highest shelf in the hallway closet, and for a moment, I wonder if Eric actually tried to hide it. I didn’t hear him open the closet door while I was waiting for him in the living room, but then again, I’d been preoccupied with my racing thoughts. I alsocouldn’t really remember if my backpack had actually been in the bedroom earlier today.

It doesn’t matter. Quickly, I stuff all of my belongings into the backpack, thanking the stars that I haven’t been feeling nauseous since this morning. It was no doubt good I’d eaten the toast.

From the nightstand drawer, I grab my cell phone, pushing it into my back pocket. Unfortunately, I don’t have the kind of cash that would allow me to order a car here. I also have no one I can call for help, which is probably why Eric hasn’t bothered confiscating my cell.

In the kitchen, I add a couple of water bottles and the bag with the toast bread to my backpack. The water will weigh me down more, but the nurse emphasized staying hydrated, so I’ll make it work.

I pull the zipper shut, and turn to grab my coat, when a noise outside shatters the silence.

Chapter Fourteen

Mia

Irun to the window to see a van pulling up outside. Not Eric’s car.

Shit.

The van’s door opens, but I don’t wait to see who exits. I already know it’s the Russians.

They found me.

How? The voice in my head screams at me, but I shake it off. It doesn’t matter right now. The only thing that matters is that they found me and I need to get the fuck away from them.

The basement.

The second the idea pops into my head, I already move towards the fireplace where the lever to open the bookshelf dooris hidden under the mantle. I barely make it there before the Russians make it to the door.

My instincts scream at me to prepare to fight, maybe get over to the kitchen counter where a few knives wait to be used in a wooden block, but before I can react and reach for a weapon, the front door crashes open, slamming against the wall.

Three men, dressed in dark clothing and masks, rush into the cabin.

I drop lower into my knees to stay mobile, but three against one aren’t good odds. It’s not a fight I can win. The best I can do is protect my baby from being hurt, so I don’t go in for an attack. Instead, I push the backpack I’d slung over my shoulder away from me, clearing the space so I can move freely. My mind races as I calculate my options, knowing that I’m at a disadvantage.

One of the intruders lunges towards me, and I react instinctively, sidestepping his attack and delivering a swift kick to his knee. He stumbles, cursing under his breath, but I don’t hesitate, turning my attention to the next assailant. For now, I have the advantage that they don’t seem prepared that I can fight. I need to take advantage while I can.

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