Page 87 of Beautiful Enemy

“I know.” But he doesn’t exactly look happy. Before I can say anything more, he leaves the room.

But this time, he doesn’t lock the door.

Chapter Fifteen

Anya

“Ijust don’t understand,” I say as Erik and I lay in bed together. “You saw her look right at you. You saw her get into the car willingly with Dante. That doesn’t make any sense.”

“It’s what I saw. I didn’t see Dante or his other man grab her and toss her into the car.” Erik rubs the back of his neck and averts his gaze, almost like he doesn’t want to look at me as he says this. “It was almost like shewantedto go with Dante.”

“That’s bullshit. Dante kidnapped her. Nadia is terrified. She wants to be free of him.”

Erik sighs. “It could be a case of Stockholm Syndrome.”

“Don’t say that.” I rip the covers off me and get out of bed and begin to pace. What else can I do but pace around the room? I’m in capable of saving my baby sister.

“She might care for him, Anya. Maybe she didn’t want to see him die.”

“No. She only went with him to ensure that he wouldn’t kill her. He had a knife to her throat! She doesn’t care for him.”

“She’s been with him for weeks now. We don’t know what’s happening there. We don’t know what Nadia is feeling.”

“I know my sister,” I say hotly.

Erik raises his hands in surrender. “I’m not saying you don’t. I’m just saying that you don’t know how this has changed her. You saw her at the charity event. You saw how shespoke. She didn’t sound like the scared, shy Nadia I know. Remember, I know Nadia as well. She’s been living with us for the past four years now. I can see that she’s changed.”

“Then he’s tortured her. That’s the only explanation.”

“Ok.” He get outs out of bed and places his hands on my shoulders, forcing me to stop walking. “Anya, that could very well be the case. But as someone who was actually tortured people in the past, no one has ever liked me more because of it. So either Nadia has lost her mind -,”

“Don’t say that,” I hiss.

“- or maybe Dante isn’t torturing her like we think he is. He sent us someone else’s finger. Not hers. She looked healthy at the charity event. I didn’t see any bruises on her.”

“That you could see. She had a long dress on.”

“Maybe. But you know I’m a practical man. And from what I saw, Nadia didn’t look like she was in any actual danger. I’m not sure Dante has been torturing her.”

“He kidnapped her. He’s keeping her from me. That alone is torture.”

“True. But you know what I mean. And also… Nadia has always lived in your shadow. You’ve always protected her. Maybe what Nadia needs is to find her own way in life. Maybe she likes being on her own. Maybe she’s thriving and figuring herself out. You just don’t know.”

“I know my sister,” I repeat but this time it comes out much more… lame. Like there’s no fight left in me.

“I know,” Erik says softly. I can see the pity in his eyes and it makes me want to hit him despite how much I love him. That’s what Dante is doing to us. Tearing us apart. “But maybe Nadia has changed. I will fight to get her back. But don’t expect the same sister you had once. This situation will have changed her. That’s a fact.”

Before I can say anything to that, Erik’s phone rings. With a frown, he goes over to the nightstand and picks it up. “It’s Ivan.” He answers the call and puts it on speaker. “Yes?”

“Dante just showed up at my house and tried to kill me.”

My blood goes cold. “What?”

Erik shakes his head, silently telling me to be quiet. “Are you ok? Elena and Viktoriya?”

“They’re fine. Alive. Viktor showed up. I had called Sergei and he told me that Viktor was closer in the area. But Viktor didn’t succeed. Dante got away and all we have to show for it is another bullet to Viktor’s shoulder. He’s pissed. He wants blood.”

“As long as you and your family are ok, that’s all that matters right now.”

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