Successful.
As soon as I could get out of the restraints.
“You know, Baba Geneva didn’t appreciate being hustled and tied like a cow.” Maxim’s voice, coming from behind me. I turned my head as far as it could go, but barely caught a glimpse of him. His footsteps made me know he was moving, coming closer to me.
“And as punishment, you have decided to tie me to a chair?” I asked, my voice laced thickly with my disdain for him. “Very original, Maxim Triev. I am sure this trend you’ve started will catch on.”
“Is that humor, Katya? In your situation, I’d have thought you’d be a bit more….”
“Afraid?”
“Something like that.” He walked around to stand in front of me, arms crossed across his chest as he stared down. If my legs were not also tied to the legs of the chair, I would have crossed them. As things were, I lifted my chin defiantly and glared because that was all I could do.
For now.
“The only person who should be afraid here is you. When I get my hand on you, I promise to do things to you worse than death, so better make sure you kill me before I can.”
He tutted and leaned down so his face was level with mine.
“I’m flattered you want your hands on me, Katya, but please remember you’re a married woman. I am many things, but not an adulterer.”
Then he stood up and turned around. I thought he was going to walk away, but he whirled around and struck me across the face.
Hard.
My left cheek hurt, starting to sting very slowly. There would be a cut there, courtesy of the silver ring he wore on his right hand.
Then he rushed for me. Reaching behind my head to pull at my hair and force my head back so I was staring up at him.
“Your husband has refused my terms, apparently, to him, you are not worth as much as you had thought.”
I leaned closer, as close as the chair allowed me to get, and sneered. “Or you are shittier at your job than you had thought.”
Maxim laughed. “We’ll see about that, Mrs. Sorvino.”
Then he went out, leaving me alone in the bare room. It was hard to tell whether it was a space connected to his bedroom or somewhere else entirely in the mansion. Looking around was when I noticed the camera he’d set up, standing in the corner, pointed at me.
When the door opened again, Triev goons carried in a table, and laid out plenty of tools on it, with Maxim leaning against the door frame, watching with disinterest. When they’re done, he tells them in Russian to connect the video to the Sorvinos.
All the while, I watch with my head still up, a little bit of blood isn’t enough to make me afraid.
Not even when I’d been a kid.
“Are you ready, my beautiful starlet? We’re about to make a mind-blowing production. Although I suppose in this case I should say mind changing.”
Something came through on the earphone plugged into one of his ears and his smile widened. Then he winked at me and whirled theatrically.
“Welcome, Ales, to the fulfillment of my promise. Watch carefully because if you blink, you just might miss an important scene.” Maxim went to the table, humming, and brought back a sledgehammer.
He walked behind me and tutted. “You need to look at the camera honey, if you keep trying to look at me, you’ll break your neck. Which wouldn’t be great because I would prefer to do that myself.”
As he spoke, he caressed my cheek with the back of his hand. He tried to, at least because I moved my face away.
Then he paused, and for some seconds, nothing happened.
Then he backhanded me so hard my neck almost broke from the force. The inside of my cheek cut, and I spat out blood. Wincing when I licked over the place with my tongue.
“I said look at the camera you fucking cyka!” he was close to me when he shouted that, I felt the spittle.