I hear the words and see his lips moving, but I can’t comprehend the meaning. No, I don’t want to because if I do, it’s game over and I will never see Ren again.
“Vitali thinks he is so untouchable. That no one would dare pull anything right under his nose.” He looks right at me, loving every minute watching me realise my hopes have been crushed. “Well, he is nothing but a little boy trying to play a big man’s game.”
I look down at my hands. Now they are shaking. He’s right, Ren never considered watching his own territory. How could he? Why would he?
But how could this happen? How did he pull this off?
Then it hits me. Hard and heavy, and it’s like I feel the shackles on my wrist snap into place, and my life slowly turning back to the one I desperately tried to escape.
One that I did.
And one that I walked straight back into.
“My Dad.” My voice quivers from sorrow and rage that is boiling in my veins. “This is how he is helping you?”
I’d never thought I could hate that man more, but he never fails to amaze me.
“You sound surprised?” He frowns, shocked at my utter stupidity.
I can’t help but laugh, a bitter, spiteful laugh. “You’re right. Why am I surprised?”
“No need to worry, love. After today, you won’t have to see him again.”
My laughter quickly morphs into tears, not for my father sentencing me to this, but for the life I just left. Or the family I could have had.
We come to a stop, my heart is racing, and I want to scream at the injustice of it all. Containing this all-consuming fury is making me lose my mind. All my tears are turning my blood into rage, bringing to surface the deep seeded anger I have for myself, Sergei, my father, damn the entire world.
“You have it all planned don’t you.” I crack and narrow my eyes at him. He was so confident, I should have known better, but I was a fool. “Of course, you do.”
He doesn’t look away. His eyes glaze over as he stares at me with something more dangerous than lust or desire.
Obsession.
“Don’t you know my love? I would burn down the entire world to get to you.” He runs the back of his finger along my cheek.
But I don’t want his touch, so I pull away. His anger is instant, his hands quick, he seizes my hair and yanks it backwards. My chin tilts up to face him and his fingers tighten their grip, and I whimper in pain.
He growls and moans before he plunges his mouth down on mine. His kiss is not sweet or seductive, but brutal and hard filled with passion and anger. But I don’t respond, and I won’t give in, not this time. His hand twists roughly in my hair and curls it around his fingers as he groans into me, my fight only adding to his pleasure. But he will not be satisfied until he gets what he wants. His teeth find my lips and he bites down hard. I cry out and he takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss, thrusting his tongue deep into my mouth, to claim it as his own. The more I fight and squirm, the faster his heart beats and the harder he kisses.
He doesn’t pull away until he is satisfied, and I am left breathless and shaking.
“Get out of the car. We have weeks before we hit the shores, and there’s a lot I have planned for you.”
My lips throb and my breath comes in short pants as the doors open. I can’t do this again. I’m so tired of fighting, I don’t think I have it in me anymore. He pulls me out of the car and locks his fingers with mine, and he walks me over to the bridge of the cargo ship.
There’s a man waiting with his back to us. He wears a fedora and when we get closer, he turns.
My father.
My enemy.
My eyes sting with fury, and he returns my glare with his own of contempt and disgust.
“Marcus.” Sergei greets him with a handshake. “Thank you again for the ride.”
“Of course. I’m just glad Lilliana is where she belongs.”
My eyes narrow not missing his sick message.