Page 37 of Unhinged

I started out hunting her down to punish her for her betrayal and drag her back to where she belonged. But now—the thought of anyone else near her makes me rage. I cut off a soldier’s fucking hand before killing him for touching her. The idea of anyone else touching her—god.

I don’t just want her.

I want to own her, every inch of her.

But I owe my allegiance to my Bratva, and I can’t let even the most beautiful, intriguing, captivating woman who’s seared herself into every cell of my being sway me from what’s right.

She’s in the back seat of my car, her wrists red and raw from the restraints. I check them, frowning. I didn’t mean to tie them that hard.

Her hair’s a tangled mess around her face. She isn’t drugged, not this time. She’s just asleep. When she sleeps, she looks fragile and almost childlike, but there’s nothing fragile about this woman.

When I undo her restraints, she wakes with a start. Blinking up at me, her baby-blue eyes meet mine. “Where are we?” she whispers. Her voice is sharp around the edges.

Fuck.

She’s not afraid. She’s planning.

“Home sweet home,” I murmur, more to myself than her.

The gates swing open to my property, then close behind us with a satisfying click.

She turns to me, her eyes calculating.

Beautiful.

I’m sure she doesn’t want to be here, but this is where I live. My home is outside of Moscow, not far from my parents.

“Lovely,” Anissa murmurs, taking in the large estate. Cold stone, high balconies, windows too high and narrow to escape. “A five-star hostage situation.”

I give her a shrug. “If you behave.”

The house seems to swallow her whole when we step inside. I’ve dismissed my guards for the day. After what happened in Paris, they seemed eager to comply.

I want her alone.

I don’t want anyone else coming anywhere near her. Eventually, I’ll have to bring her back to the Kopolovs, but I want to wait until she’s not as wild… after I’ve had time with her.

She doesn’t know she has a sister. I don’t know how she’ll react to that.

I catch her wrist before she pulls away, rubbing gently at the chaffed skin. I watch as she scans the room with those thief’s eyes, already clocking exits.

Clever little brat.

“Don’t forget, you run, and I’ll find you.” I kiss the damp hair at her temple. I can’t help myself. “Faster than last time.”

“Thought you had a primal kink,” she says, her voice low. “Really, you think this is the first cage I’ve been in?” Rolling her eyes, she goes all wistful, her voice soft. “There was this guy…”

I freeze. Blood pounds in my ears, and my vision blurs.

No.She watches me. Waiting. Testing.

I let her go. I like her roaming free, ready to run. I like being ready to pounce.

“You think catching you was the endgame?” I shake my head. “That was only the prelude.” I lean in, my voice against her ear. “You think fucking you was the endgame? We’ll get there, but that’s not the endgame either.”

She huffs out a laugh. “Then what is?”

I shake my head. “I’ve already told you.”

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