Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
“Please,” I shamelessly beg. “It’s on my ankle.” I reach down before he can and pull my anklet off and hand it to him. “The tracker. Don’t ruin that. It’s a family heirloom. It was my grandmother’s.” The necklace dangles in his hand. My parents insisted that my sister and I wear trackers. I used to think it was ridiculous but not so much anymore.
Sergei throws the anklet with the tracker in it onto the concrete and stomps on it. His boot shatters it.
“The rest of it” is his only response. Trying to keep an unruffled look on my face, I unhook my bra and let it drop to the ground. Then I hook my fingers into my panties.
“Those can stay. Kick the heels off.” I let out a small breath of relief that I don’t have to stand in front of him completely naked and hurry to do as I’m told before he changes his mind.
I cross my arm over my chest to try and cover my breasts. Not that it does much. My sister is the tall and slim one. She always catches male attention. I’m short and curvy like my mom. It’s hard for my arm to cover up much, but still I try.
Sergei keeps the necklace in his hand. With his other, he grabs his shirt and pulls it up and over his head, giving me a glimpse of what lies underneath. In a flash, he has the shirt over me. He reaches down and grabs my dress from the ground.
“Back in, princess,” he orders, wiping his nose with my dress. I do as I’m told. When he gets back in the car, I no longer see the necklace. I want to ask if he smashed it too, but I leave it for now. I’m dancing on the edge of a cliff, and I know what happens if I miss a step.
He fastens my seatbelt, then takes off. The car falls silent. When he turns off the highway again, it’s into an industrial area. He pulls up to a fenced warehouse. The gates slide open for him, and he pulls right in. We stop at the metal warehouse. A giant door opens, and we roll forward, the darkness enveloping us. I can hear the door closing behind us.
Sergei kills the engine. “Welcome home, princess.”
5
SERGEI
What the fuck am I doing? This isn’t the plan. My instructions are clear–I’m to bring the girl straight to my father. That’s when her torture will begin, every moment of it filmed and sent to her family along with bits and pieces of her until there’s nothing left.
I get out of the car and slam my door. My body is on a hair trigger. Tension rolls inside of me, and I can’t seem to calm the fuck down.
With a swift movement, I pull my gun and fire three rounds into the warehouse wall. Something about the familiar smell of gunpowder and the jerk of the gun in my hand soothes me.
I holster it and roll my shoulders. Better. This is better. I should get back in the car and drive this spoiled little brat straight to my father. Dump her at his feet and walk away. Instead, I find myself walking around to the passenger door and yanking it open.
“What the hell was that?” She glances at the back wall where I fired the shots.
“Come on.” I grab her arm and help her out. Then I curse myself for being too gentle with her. She’s my prisoner, nothing more. I just need a minute to think. That’s all.
She swallows hard, her body trembling. She’s terrified. Good. She should be. I’m not here to coddle her.
“Could you …” She digs her heels in as I march her to the elevator, and that’s when I see her brave face fall away. There’s fear in her voice, the raw sort that eats you alive.
“What?” I snap.
“I-I just wanted to ask …” Even in the dim light of the bottom floor, I see the way her eyes are watering. It does something to me. Something I don’t want to acknowledge.
“Spit it out, princess.” I glare down at her.
“Could you do that to me?” She jerks her chin toward where my slugs hit the wall. “Just grant me that mercy? Please. I-I don’t think I’m strong enough to withstand your father, and I–”
“No.” I pull her into the freight elevator and slam my hand on the button. Why did everything inside me recoil at the thought of shooting her? I swipe my free hand across my brow. Fuck, just the thought of her bleeding on the floor makes my stomach turn.
“Please?” A tear slips from her eye. “I know I’m not strong enough. Please just end it now. You could do it. You’ve done it plenty of times before. Please.”