Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
I let out a hopeless scream, and it morphs into uncontrollable sobs as grief drags me into a bottomless pit of despair.
Sitting between Viktor’s legs, his arms are wrapped around me, my back pressed to his solid chest.
“Shh…” he tries to soothe me, but the sound only sends icy shivers rushing over my feverish body.
The horrible events of the day flash through my mind. Uncle Ricco’s throat being sliced. My grandfather threatening and begging.
Viktor licking my tear and saying I'll become his whore.
Viktor strangling me.
I wish I didn’t have to face a second of this life without my family.
God, I wish they killed me first.
But they didn’t, and now I have to face the nightmarish fact I’ve been captured by the head of the bratva, and he can do whatever he wants to me.
My body slumps in his hold until the back of my head rests against his shoulder. Through blurry vision, I stare at the window, thinking the first chance I get, I’ll jump.
“You will be safe here,” Viktor says again.
I let out a burst of air filled with all the bitterness of what my life’s become. My voice is scratchy as I mutter, “Says the m-man who k-killed my family.”
Viktor loosens his hold on me, then I’m tugged to my feet. He turns me to face him, and our eyes lock. Where his are filled with the violence ingrained in his bones, mine must show the trauma and grief I’ve suffered at his hands.
His right hand moves from my shoulder to my cheek, where he captures a teardrop with the pad of his thumb. To my horror, I watch as he licks the drop from his skin.
With the full force of his intense black eyes on me, he murmurs, “So sweet.”
Dear God.
My gasps are so fast it sounds like I ran a marathon, and every muscle in my body aches from how tight they are.
As Viktor keeps staring at me, the expression on his face grows darker.
When it feels like my heart might burst from my chest, I whimper, “Please let me go.”
To my surprise, he chuckles, a flicker of amusement easing the brutal tension in his overly attractive features. “Where would you go, Little Rose? You have nothing.”
“M-my family is…” Intense pain squeezes my heart. “…was wealthy.”
“The key word being was. Everything your grandfather had belongs to Nikolas Stathoulis.” He takes a prowling step closer making my hands fist at my sides. “Everything but you.”
He keeps moving closer until I’m forced to tilt my head back to keep eye contact with him. It only lasts a couple of seconds before I lower my gaze to his chest.
My entire life has been ripped from beneath my feet.
All the dreams I had of traveling the world will never come true.
Unbearable hopelessness darkens everything inside me, causing despair to soak deep into my bones.
“Except for you.” Viktor’s words have my eyes flying to his. “I did you a favor by taking you, Little Rose. Nikolas would’ve killed you.”
I swallow hard, forcing my chin to lift higher. “Don’t expect me to thank you.”
He chuckles again, the smirk doing nothing to make him look any less ruthless.
A shuffling noise sounds up from the hallway drawing Viktor’s attention away from me.
I glance at the open window as Viktor turns his back to me, and when another man appears in the doorway, I don’t hesitate and run.
My hands grip the windowsill, and I throw my body out of the room. Just as I let go, fingers close around my right wrist. I’m yanked back into the room with so much force, the windowsill scrapes against my stomach and legs.
I’m thrown onto the floor and my body skids from the motion. Before I can push myself up, Viktor grabs hold of my shoulders, and I’m forced onto my back.
Within a second, I find myself in a familiar position with Viktor’s body braced over mine and his fingers around my throat. Luckily there’s no gun pressed to my head this time.
Viktor's breathing is steady, where I’m breathless from the failed attempt to escape. His eyes burn on mine as he leans closer.
Panic spins in my stomach and my hands grip his wrist when he’s way too close for comfort.
The words rumble from him like thunderclouds on a stormy night. “Do you want to die, Little Rose?”
Yes.
No.
I don’t want any of this.
I want my family and life back.
Viktor brings his left hand to my face and brushes a knuckle over my cheek. “Try something like that again, and I’ll cuff you to the fucking bed.”
Feeling lost and frustrated, I turn my head away and stare at the legs of the chair.
Viktor yanks me to my feet, then mutters, “Unpack and make yourself at home. Your stay here can be pleasant or hell. The choice is yours.”
Viktor looks at the other man. “That’s all for now, Sacha. Go get some rest for your flight back to Russia.”