Page 61 of Lethal Alliance

“They will attack in the next few days,” he goes on. He has an uncanny ability to read my mind. “Until then, no matter what Orlov does, you have to obey him. I know it’s hard.”

Hard?

I almost laugh.

Hardis a small word for what these days are like.

For the daily visits from Vilnus, when he asks Alexei to use his knife and watches me with eyes that touch every inch of my flesh.

Harddoesn’t begin to cover the humiliation and rage I feel every time Vilnus makes his guards watch or the shame I feel when they openly stare at my most intimate parts.

“Orlov will tell you lies.”

Alexei’s voice is so low I have to strain to hear him.

“He will likely bring your mother back and use her to manipulate you. Vilnus wants you scared and disoriented when Roman comes for you. He wants you so scared that you will obey him, or me, instead of Roman. But when Roman comes, youmustdo as he says. If he attacks me, you let him, do you understand me? Nothing matters more than you and Masha getting out of here. Don’t hesitate, no matter what you see. And between now and then, no matter what Orlov does to you, don’t lose your sanity. Remember who you are. The end is close, Ofelia. It’s coming. You just have to hold on.”

No matter what Orlov does to you.

There’s something odd in his voice that sets my nerves on edge.

“Masha,” he says. “Don’t look at me. Just listen.”

Masha keeps her head down and keeps washing her hands.

“No matter what happens to your sister, you have to stay calm, okay? Vilnus will hurt you if you try to fight. I’m going to make sure you go home safely,myshka.But until then, I need you to do exactly what he says.”

“’Kay.” Masha’s one-syllable response is low, and her lips hardly move.

I hate how fast she’s learned the rules here.

My only comfort is that so far nobody has touched her.

A guard bangs on the door. “Hurry up, Petrovsky.”

I stand up and flush the toilet, keeping my head down. Alexei prods my back with his rifle. “That’s long enough,” he says, in full view of the camera.

We exit the bathroom, and the two guards standing there grin knowingly at Alexei. “You’re starting to like babysitting that tasty little piece a bit too much, Petrovsky,” one of them says. “Maybe it’s about time I took over. Wouldn’t mind taking a knife to her myself.” His eyes roam over me in a way that makes me pull the torn remains of my dress closer around my body. “Orlov is going to break her in, you know,” he goes on conversationally. “He might let you cut the bitch, but there’s no way he’ll let you pop her cherry.”

“Vilnus can fuck her bloody for all I care.” Alexei’s face doesn’t change at all. His eye remains dull, distant.

The guard’s lip curls. “You’re a twisted fuck, Petrovsky, you know that? I bet you’d slice her open from ass to pussy if he told you to.”

“You think I enjoy babysitting two spoiled fucking cunts?” Alexei’s face is flat and unemotional, and he uses the expletive as casually as if he’s ordering tea. “But you’re right about one thing: my knife belongs to Vilnus.” He stares at the guard with a blank, dead eye. “It has ever since he gave me this.” He holds up his fist, showing the men the sparrow tattooed there.

The guard shakes his head contemptuously. “If you think Orlov will ever trust you, you’re a fool. The day he opens that vault is the day you die. That sparrow won’t save you.”

Alexei shrugs. “That’s his choice. It’s not my place to question what he does.” His eye flashes suddenly, and he takes a step closer to the guard. “But it’s not your place either. I suggest you don’t joke about touching the Stevanovsky girls. We both know what Vilnus does to anyone who lays a hand on what is his.”

“You’re fucking pathetic, Petrovsky. A mad dog on a leash.” The guard twirls his finger close to his temple to indicate insanity, but I can’t help but notice he takes a step backward. “Maybe I should put you back on the table and give you a few more cuts, just for old time’s sake. Maybe make you fuck that pussy you seem to like cutting so much. Can you even get it up without a knife in your hand? I doubt it—”

In a sudden, terrifying movement, Alexei is up close to the guard, his knife at the man’s throat. “Vilnus commanded me to guard them,” he says in a low, chilling voice. “And like I said, my knife belongs to him. So if you come for those girls, Carlos, you better make sure I’m dead first. Because if you don’t, I’ll strip every last bit of flesh from your body.” His lips part in a smile so disturbing it makes me shiver. “You know what I can do with my knife. You’ve seen it yourself. I suggest you don’t test me.”

The two men back away, holding their hands up in a gesture of surrender, and even I can see the fear in their eyes.

What, exactly, have they seen Alexei do?

I shut my mind to that. I don’t want to know.

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