Page 80 of Of Murder and Matrimony

“I am not suffering from Stockholm syndrome,” I said evenly. “I was infatuated with Dante when I was a girl, and I love him now as a woman. If you try to take my husband from me, I will never forgive you.”

“Olesya.” Adrik held his hands up imploringly. “Please be reasonable.”

“Reasonable would have been talking to me before you snatched me from my home.” It took great effort to keep my voice level and tone professional, like when I talked to a patient who was reticent to listen. Men were cognitively very close to children. “Asking you to take me home is reasonable. Asking to speak to my husband is reasonable. Which one of you will give me your phone?”

Yuri glanced at Adrik for direction, his fingers tapping his phone. My heart sank when Adrik gave a subtle shake of his head.

“Yuri will show you to your room,” he said, tilting his head toward the opposite side of the penthouse. “You’ve had a long day. An overwhelming month or more. Get some rest, and we’ll discuss this later.”

“Wait!” I called out as he strode off. Adrik turned, lifting a brow as he waited for me to continue. “I need to know if Dante is okay. Please.”

He sighed and looked at Yuri. They seemed to communicate without words, and Yuri grunted, “He should be fine. Got a doctor.”

“How do you know?” I asked suspiciously. When Yuri refused to look me in the eye, I covered a gasp with my palm. “You have somebody inside.”

“Don’t act so surprised.” Adrik rolled his eyes. “They would do the same if they could get close enough. I make sure it’s not possible. The old man should have done the same, but he got lax. Cocky.”

“I see.” My face remained impassive while my mind whirred with the impulse to get to Dante and warn him. If they had inside information, they could do more than sneak in and snatch me. They could murder everybody in their beds. I shuddered, suddenly aware of how much worse the night could have gone. “Thanks for letting me know about Dante.”

“Of course,” Adrik said magnanimously. “We’ll get you some clothes later today. If there’s anything else you need, let us know.”

“Actually, I need feminine products.” My period was almost over, but I still needed something.

“What?” Yuri asked, horrified.

“Pads. Tampons. Pantyliners.” I ticked off the types on my fingers, smirking when my brothers looked at each other like lost little boys. “Unless you want me to bleed all over your expensive bedding and furniture.”

“I’ll have somebody get something,” Adrik muttered, pulling out his phone.

“It can’t be just anything,” I explained, holding my hand out for the phone. Adrik was reluctant to hand it over. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. You can watch me write the damn list.”

He did, looking over my shoulder as I typed out the brand and types of products I needed.

“If it grosses you out so much, maybe you shouldn’t kidnap women without doing your research first,” I said sarcastically.

Yuri scoffed. “There was plenty of recon work.”

“Exactly how long had you been planning this?” They didn’t bother to look away this time.

“We tried once at the restaurant,” Yuri explained. “Didn’t expect the chef to have an arsenal. The house was our contingency plan. More guards to deal with. Though it was surprisingly easy to get in and out.”

I didn’t point out that Angelo only had one weapon. And I doubted they’d ever make it on the Neretti property again, now that Dante knew there were security issues. He’d lock that place down tight.

Yuri, seemingly done talking, jerked his thumb over his shoulder and led me down a hall to a guest bedroom that looked like men had been in charge of the design because of the bare, white walls, white bedding, and white furniture. It seemed almost sterile and not at all welcoming.

“You might want to pull the curtains shut.”

That much was obvious. The stark white of the room would be blinding in full daylight. It was hard to tell what time it was, but I thought I could see a hint of light on the horizon. Maybe that was just wishful thinking. I was sure Dante would begin the search by daybreak.

“Somebody will bring the things you need soon,” he added.

I didn’t acknowledge that, either, and he left, closing the door quietly behind him. With nothing else to do, I climbed under the covers and nestled into the pillow. At least my brothers had gotten a quality mattress and what felt like down or down alternative pillows and bedding. It was like being cradled by a cloud, and I soon fell asleep.

Yuri woke me sometime later, tossing a bag of feminine products on the bed and telling me he and Adrik would be gone for the day. They must have been confident I couldn’t leave if they would trust me on my own. I took the bag to the bathroom and freshened up, finding soap, toothpaste, and a toothbrush.

Once I felt more human, I stripped down to my shirt and shorts and flopped back onto the bed, exhausted. I was out almost immediately, and then the dreams came. Visions of Dante bloodied on the kitchen floor. Dante laughing in the pool as he wrapped his arms around my waist. His body over mine in bed, moving inside me.

That’s what woke me up, the tingling sensation deep in my core, the overwhelming desire for my husband. The need to escape. My hand slid down my body, slipping under the waistband of my shorts and finding my clit swollen and firm. I circled it gently, sending tingles shooting through my body.

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