“I’m so proud of how well you’ve survived.”
“Mama…”
“Find your brother, Sachenka,” my father says faintly, almost as if he’s speaking from underground. “You need Anton and he needs you.”
“But I have no clue where he is. It’s like he completely disappeared off the face of the earth.”
“Find Anton!” he orders in a harsh tone and I flinch.
Mama smiles with tears in her eyes, but they soon turn to blood. A slit appears in Papa’s neck and then his head falls to the side, grotesquely dislocated from his body. My mother’s eyes shoot out a fountain of blood and then they both explode into a foam of red mist.
“Nooo!” I screech as I’m jerked down to the pool of blood.
My eyes shoot open and all the red disappears. I don’t relax, though. I still can’t move. At least, not like I usually can.
If it were any other time, I’d be able to jump to my feet and inspect the situation, but right now, I can barely turn my head to the side or lift my arm.
I’m lying on my stomach, and the fractured concrete beneath me freezes my limbs despite my layers of clothes.
Gray stone walls surround me, and the smell of urine reeks from the corners.
On the other side of the room sits an old rusty bed that’s covered with a yellow sheet that could also be the source of the pungent smell.
There’s a metal door with thick bars. If I can get to it, I should be able to pick the lock with my knife. Only, I don’t feel its holster strapped to my calf, which means I was searched for weapons before I was thrown into this fucking hole.
But even if I had my knife, I’m unable to move, let alone pick a lock.
The only explanation for this loss of strength is that I was also injected with something.
As my unfocused eyes move around the room, I’m shocked to find a woman lying next to me. Although her face is covered by her blonde mane of hair, I can tell by the familiar dress that it’s Rai. Damn it. This means both of us were kidnapped by our attackers—the Albanians.
A sense of terror grips hold of me and I find it hard to breathe properly. Did they possibly reach Kirill after they hit me?
I internally shake my head. There’s no way in hell he let them get him. It’s Kirill, after all, so he must’ve gotten out of it alive. No, not only alive, but also unscathed. They couldn’t have killed him.
He has to be safe.
Using all the strength I can muster, I push myself off the floor but soon sag into a sitting position against the wall.
Something burns in my arm and when I look down, I see a tear along the sleeves of my jacket and shirt. I must’ve been grazed by a bullet. But that’s not what has me panicking.
It’s that I only have access to ten percent of my energy, and most of that is being used to breathe and try not to swallow my tongue that feels too big for my mouth.
I tap my pockets and, as expected, don’t find my phone.
My chin trembles and I think I’ll turn into a crybaby again, as is usually the case whenever Kirill is involved.
What if he was shot during the attack today, and this time, I’m not there to help him?
It was only days ago that I promised to be by his side and protect him with my life, but I’m here, alive, and he’s not.
I stare at the door. I need to get out of here, but how will I do that when I can barely move?
Besides, why did they kidnap me? It makes sense for them to take Rai since she can be used to threaten the Pakhan, but what about me?
Did they do this to threaten Kirill with me?
That theory doesn’t make sense for two reasons. One, Kirill is known to have no weaknesses—except his alleged homosexuality that Rai is threatening him with. Two, he is not close with anyone in his family—except Karina—but they don’t know that.
It's not possible that they’d use me to threaten him when I’m just a guard. Unless they had someone watching and reporting his daily life to whoever is the leader of these guys?
That doesn’t make sense.
But still, that’s the theory I want to believe. I loathe the prospect of being used to twist Kirill’s arm, but if they kidnapped me to threaten him, then that means he’s alive and I should stop thinking about the worst-case scenario.
A moan of pain comes from Rai before she struggles to get up like I did earlier. Her hair that’s usually very well put together has several strands escaping on the sides. Her makeup is highly recommended, though, because it’s mostly stayed in place except for some smudges of black beneath her eyes.
“It’s useless,” I say in a quiet voice.
Rai startles before she looks up, weariness covering her expression.
“They injected us with something,” I continue. “I don’t know what it is, but it’s robbing me of energy.”
She attempts to stand up, only to fall back again with a resounding thud.
“Better save your energy, Miss.” I speak in my polite ‘male’ voice.
“Shit,” she heaves.
“Shit, indeed.”
She glimpses at me in that inquisitive way in which she watches everyone and everything. She’s known to be heartless, and while I don’t really like her due to the threat she poses to Kirill, I respect her no-bullshit personality.
She motions at my arm. “Did you lose a lot of blood?”
I look down to see what she’s talking about. In my overthinking about Kirill’s state, I actually forgot I was wounded. “No. This should be fine.”
“How did you end up here, too?”
“They took me in place of Boss.”
“Kirill?”
My lips start to tremble at the renewed thought of him getting hurt, but I clamp them shut. “Yes.”
“Why would they want to take Kirill?”
“I’m not sure. I just knew I had to protect him.”
She pauses, looking at me peculiarly for a second before a bright gleam covers her eyes. “We need to come up with a plan to escape.”
I nod. “Our best option is if one of us causes a diversion and the other escapes.”
“I will do it.”
“No. You’re the Pakhan’s grandniece. I’m disposable, so I’ll do it.”
“Even though you’re Kirill’s guard, you’re not disposable. None of our men are, even if you hate me.”
That catches me completely by surprise and I have to swallow a few times before I speak. “I don’t hate you.”
“Your boss does.”
“That’s because you’re threatening him, Miss.”
“Only to protect myself. I won’t cause any of you harm if you don’t cause me harm.”
“Does that mean you’re not…” I clear my throat. “You know, against his preferences?”
“Why would I be? They’re his preferences and no one’s opinion matters. As I said, I will only use his sexuality against him if he threatens me. I would rather not, but that’s the only thing I’ve got on him, considering how closed off he is. If you tell me something else…I can ditch it.”
“Nice try, Miss.” My lips twitch in a smile. This woman really deserves to be on the board and within the inner circle.
“Doesn’t hurt to try.” She mirrors my smile. “Let’s escape first, then we’ll talk.”