“Nothing.I want to know what is going on.”
“You were at the church, weren’t you, Princess?”
“Yes, I was, but there’s more, isn’t there?”
“Yes.” Casually, he sets the clothes on the wooden chair next to me, never breaking his gaze from mine.
“Okay, so tell me. Tell me why you’ve suddenly come on the scene like a damn wild card and how come you’ve existed all this time with no one knowing about you. What are you planning? What are you planning for me?”
Something darkens in his face as he studies mine. He leans closer, as if trying to intimidate me, and although my nerves spike and scatter like darkness being chased away by light, I stand my ground.
“None of those are things you have to concern yourself with.”
My blood heats at his lame-as-fuck answer. “If your plans involve my life, I need to know why you’re doing this to me.”
“Because I can.” The cool nonchalance in his voice is as cold and uncaring as his Arctic stare.
“You can’t just take me and think you’re going to get away with it.”
His sinful lips spread into a full smile that borders on psychotic. It makes me think he is.
“My dear Anastasia, I’ve already gotten away with everything I wanted.” His eyes bore into me. “What? Were you expecting someone like your precious Viktor to come and save you?”
“Viktor isn’t going to allow you to do this to me. I was going to be his wife.”
Desmier steps closer. This time, I try to put some space between us by backing away, but I come up against the wall feeling like a little mouse when I gaze up at him. Next to this hulking man my little heels barely add a few inches to my five feet and three inches. He barricades me in by resting his hands on either side of me, trapping me further. Then, like a predator, he inches even closer, hovering a breath away.
I try to appear calm, but my heart pounds frantically, hammering out of cadence.
Can he see it?
Hear it?
“Baby girl…” His voice lowers a notch and deepens, making the adrenaline hammer through my veins. Lifting a lock of my hair, he allows it to coil around his finger, all the while keeping his eyes on me. “You’ve been at my home now for over two hours, and no one has come to save you. When I walked into your wedding and took you, not even the Pakhan could stop me. Believe me when I say there’s not a damn thing Viktor can do to get you back. He’s as useless to you as your father.”
“My father?” At the mention of Dad—where I was only echoing his words—his face takes on a savage edge.
“Yes, baby girl.”
“This is crazy. You need to let me go. Whatever my father has done is nothing to do with me.”
“Maybe so, but you’re key to my plans.”
“How am I key?” My voice shakes.
“Because like it or not, you are your father’s heir and one of his assets. Since I’m taking everything he owns, that includes you.” His mocking grin returns with a vengeance. “Your father has nothing, Anastasia.”
My God in heaven. “Nothing?”
“Not a goddam thing. Not his home, his company, and not you. Everything he owns is mine.”
That’s completely different to what the marriage contract stipulates.
“You are mine now.”
Panic writhes through me as I realize how much danger I’m truly in, but I still can’t think past the terror. All I want to do is get out of here and away from him.
“I’m not yours.” I try to imbue my voice with the strength I summoned before, but it’s evident I’m scared.