“I trusted you,malishka.I trusted you, and you betrayed me all over again.”
I could feel my bottom lip tremble as tears filled my eyes. “I just did what any woman would do after a one-night stand.The walk of shame.”
“Oh, I agree this was shameful behavior on your part. I think it’s time I showed you what happens to people who betray me.”
I gulped. “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand—”
“This was your chance to show that I could trust you, that you had accepted the truth of our relationship and your new life at my side, but you squandered it.” He shook his head in disappointment. “All you had to do was behave and trust me.”
“Are you insane?” I asked. I truly wanted to know.
“If you wanted to be treated like a prisoner, all you had to do was ask.” He then snapped out an order to his men.
I screamed as soon as two of them grabbed ahold of my arms. They lifted me up to carry me off, and I started kicking and screaming. It didn’t slow or deter them. They took me back upstairs, returned me to the room I had been in.
They tossed me on the bed, and with the skill of trained soldiers, pulled zip ties out from only God knows where and trussed me up. Worse than the agony of the hard material cutting into my skin, or the stretching of muscles and ligaments now bent in awkward positions, was the realization that my ability to breathe was now limited because they yanked a black cloth bag over my head. The fuckers then zip-tied it closed around my neck.
Apparently, they treated prisoners poorly in Russia.
My mind couldn’t take it—the darkness, the heavy fabric smothering my nose and mouth, the excruciating ache of my bondage. Something inside me broke, snapping in my brain like the final crack that gives way to the crumbling of a dam. I was drowning in my fear and anxiety, slipping further into the warm darkness that had little to do with the sack over my head and everything to do with me on the verge of passing out.
I’d probably wake up to him stealing a kidney. But I couldn’t find it in me to care.
If I died, no one would miss me, and the misery of this life would finally come to an end. That’s all that mattered.
ALEXIE
Alexie
I snatched the bag off her head and smacked her a few times across the face until she woke. “Time for your punishment,malishka.”
“Wha-?” Her sleepy gaze showed me that, despite passing out, there was no rest to be had.
I pulled my knife out and began cutting the tie straps. I left my shirt on her. I liked that shirt, but I had a feeling it was going to get ruined with the discipline I had planned, and that kind of excited me.
Once she was free, I pulled her off the bed and onto her feet. “Up you go.”
Of course, she couldn’t bear her own weight. She immediately crumbled. Then she started to sob. I imagined the pain of blood and sensation rushing back to her numb limbs was nearly unbearable.
Hard lessons. But how dare she try to run from me again. And she knew—KNEW—she belonged here now.
“I told you to get up.” I pulled her up onto her feet again, let go, and watched her fall back to her knees.
“I can’t, please,” she begged.
My level of anger at this morning’s escape attempt was still volcanic. One part of me wanted to just slit her throat and roll around in her blood as if it could wash away my rage, but that would defeat the purpose of what I needed her for.
“Fine. I need some relief. Beg to suck my cock.”
Sloane’s lips pursed and she said nothing. Just kept her head bowed and cried.
I tsk’d. “Your transgressions are just piling up,malishka.I said, beg me.”
She spat at my feet. “Make me, you motherfucker. I hate—”
I backhanded her.
The force had her tumble onto her side. She was so shocked by the consequence that she stopped weeping. She slowly lifted her head, cupping her injured cheek, and looked over her shoulder. As she glared up at me, I could see the utter defiance shining in her watery gaze.