Page 58 of Scarlet Secrets

But Demyan sneers and steps back, the pillow and toy falling. “He doesn’t need those.”

“He’s two; he loves the goat and the pillow calms him. Please, Demyan?—”

“Sasha won’t be surrounded by flea-bitten rubbish. He’ll have new bedding, a room of his own, along with quality clothes and the best toys. And you? You won’t get to see him at all if you keep this up.”

He walks out.

“Fucking bastard!” I scream and fling myself at the door. “You heartless, fucking monster! You’re punishing and hurting a baby to get to me! You don’t love him, you can’t. You’re incapable. Let me out! Let me have my son! I hate you!”

I sob, sliding down the wall as the fight finally ebbs away again.

When I can move, I gather baby goat and his pillow and climb on the bed and hug them, crying into them, my resolve in tatters, the locks I tried to use on my emotions broken and twisted.

I don’t know if I pass out or enter some weird fugue state, but I don’t hear the door, just the voice. And when I sit up, my tears are dry.

It isn’t the woman from earlier. It’s the pretty one, whom I’m sure Demyan sleeps with.

She has a tray and I try to judge how much force I’d need to take it and beat her down with it. But it’s pointless because there are guards with guns on the other side and the door’s shut and locked behind her.

“You are Erin?”

I don’t move.

“Magda saw you earlier and I am here now. I’m Olga. Here.”

She sets down water and a plain-looking sandwich before dropping the tray to her side.

“Magda asked about you.”

She’s being friendly but not soft, yet I have to try. “Please let me out.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Sasha, you took him… is… is he okay, please? Have you seen him again?”

She nods. “Your boy is safe and well.”

I start to cry again, and she shoves a tissue at me. “I’m sorry…”

“Crying won’t help,” she says. “Obeying Demyan will.”

“No, me being with my son will help. I need him and he needs me. I heard him screaming for me. Please let me go,” I say.

But Olga shakes her head. “I can’t. I don’t wish to be on Demyan’s bad side. He’ll be angry just for this.” She gestures to the sandwich, then reaches in her pocket and puts a candy bar down. “I’m meant to just give you water, not food, but you must be hungry.”

I reach for her. “You can let me go. I can say I overpowered you.”

“Demyan’s a very powerful man. If he found out aboutthis, I’ll be punished. God only knows what he’d do if I helped you escape.”

“How can you work for such a horrible monster?”

Olga glances at the door, then at me and she takes my hand, squeezing it. “Stay strong, little Erin. Under the armor he wears, he’s a good man. And Demyan will calm down. Eventually.”

But I’m not sure I believe her.

Demyan isn’t good.

He’s a monster, and he wants not just to take Sasha, but he’s hell-bent on making sure I never see him again.

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