“You can’t. We’re stuck.”
“Misha,” I whimper, my breaths coming faster and faster. “I can’t do this.”
He kicks at the panel, and when it falls to the floor, I scramble out of the tiny space and suck in desperate breaths of air.
Instead of being disappointed in me, Misha helps me to my feet. He smiles at me with pride shining in his eyes. “You lasted longer than I thought you would. You did good,moy malen'kiy olen'.”
I look at the crate, and even though Misha is proud of me, I worry about the next time.
“Get back into the crate,” Misha orders.
“What? I just got out. No,” I argue.
“Without the panel. Just sit down in it.”
I let out a huff, not happy about this at all, but still, I crawl back inside. When Misha joins me, I’m squashed against the panel again.
“If I have to sit here, you have to answer more questions,” I say to distract myself.
“Okay.”
“When we first met, you said you grew up in an orphanage.”
“Yeah?”
“How did you end up in the bratva?”
“Alek’s parents took us in,” he answers. “Mr. Aslanhov is one of the bosses in the bratva.”
“Us?”
“My sister and I.”
I turn my head to look at him. “You have a sister?”
The corner of his mouth lifts, and his expression instantly softens. “Yes. Her name is Tiana.”
A smile curves my lips. “Where is she?”
“She’s at home.”
I nudge my shoulder against his. “Tell me about her.”
He lets out a chuckle. “She’s around the same age as you. Drives me insane.” He grins at me. “Like you do.” I laugh, then his expression grows serious. “Up until I met you, Tiana was all that mattered. I worked my ass off to ensure a happy future for her.”
“Until me?”
His eyes lock on mine. “Now I have two women who mean the world to me.”
I swoon a little and grin at him.
Changing the subject, Misha says, “Try to move.”
I shift but stuck between his body and the panel, I can’t move much.
“How’s your anxiety?”
“I don’t have any right now.”