Chapter 4

Amaya's POV. 

After coming over my momentary shock of seeing Nikolai, I reared my palm back and delivered a deafening slap to his cheek. 

“What the hell is going on here, Nikolai?” I demanded. 

He look at me in surprise, rubbing his with his fingets as rage took over his features. 

“You will not disrespect me in front of my men, Amaya,” he warned me. 

“Or what?” I shot back, “you'll lock me in the trunk? Toss me out onto the road? Both are better options, because I wouldn't have to share my air with an asshole like you!” 

He chuckled again at my words, “I didn't know you had fire in you, Amaya.”

“You know nothing about me,” I retorted. 

I didn't even notice that the car had moved, because as I looked out the window I was surprised to see us heading towards the outskirts of town. 

“Where are you taking me? What about my sister? She's all alone, oh my god…” I began to panic. 

“Calm down, Amaya. You're coming to my house with me, and your sister will be fine. I'll make sure of that.” He said to me, not looking up from his iPad. Silent tears rolled down my cheeks as I looked out the tinted window, watching the scenery change from industrialised city blocks to tree lined shrubbery. Anger, hurt and betrayal coursed through my blood in varying proportions. Anger at my whole situation. Hurt and guilt for leaving my sister alone, even though I couldn't control what had happened. Betrayal towards my father, for even putting me in this mess, and towards Nikolai for being this heartless. 

I guess I really didn't know him at all. 

The car turned down a side road and before us appeared a set of giant black iron gates, which opened to admit us down a long, winding driveway before rolling to a stop before the most gigantic house I had ever seen. Nikolai stepped out of the car, followed by the driver and the other man, and they moved a small distance away before bending their heads and discussing something. The two men nodded and went into the house, leaving Nikolai to come and get me from the car. I followed him silently, not having any strength left in me to fight as the pit of my despair sank lower the longer I took in my surroundings. 

High walls surrounded what part of the property I could see, with abundant hedges and stonework forming a kind of maze to trap whoever wasn't familiar with the layout. And if those weren't enough, the armored guards stationed almost everywhere were enough to stall any of my chances of escape. 

I was truly and thoroughly trapped here. 

“Nikolai, please. Who are you? How does my father owe you money? What is the meaning of all of this?” I asked, stopping before I walked through the giant wooden front doors. 

Nikolai stopped in his tracks, then came to stand directly in front of me, our height difference making it such that I had to look up to meet his gaze. 

“Your father was a gambling addict, honey. He owed me money, lots of it, and decided to use you as repayment. Now, don't think that I'd be nice to you, just because we have some sort of history, Amaya. I have a reputation to uphold here. And you? You were nothing more than a mistake.” He said coldly. 

My senses shut down at those words, leaving only the dull throbbing of extreme rage. I couldn't stop the tears from running down my cheek as I said to him, “A mistake? That's all I was to you, Nikolai? Thank you for making things clear between us. At least now I know where I stand.”

He smirked, a cruel lift of his lips, then gestured towards the house, “Someone will take you where you're supposed to go. I'll think of what to do with you later.”

I stood dumbfounded, watching as he walked into the house, so calm and collected like he hadn't shattered my heart and soul into pieces. 

Just as he said, a girl appeared beside me not too long after, looking at me up and down before frowning slightly. 

“You'll do,” she muttered to herself, before addressing me, “follow me.”

I followed her into the house, my sadness and anger not allowing me to fully appreciate the luxury. Black and white marble floors with inlaid gold accents, huge crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings at strategic points and eye catching pieces of art framed the walls. We went up a set of stairs leading to the second floor, then look a few turns before stopping in front of a white door. The girl opened the door, gesturing for me to follow her in. The room was spacious, not too large but exquisitely decorated, just like the rest of the house. A large bed with dark beddings and many pillows sat to the left, while a large armoire and a vanity stood opposite it, right next to a door I suspected led to the bathroom. 

“You'll take a shower and put this on, then wait in the room for Mr. Petrov. You aren't to leave, food will be brought to you soon. If you try to escape, you'll be shot on sight, got it?” The girl said and left me in the room. I walked towards the bed and looked at the dress she laid out. It was a skimpy black thing made of scraps of lace and silk, which honestly looked more like lingerie than a dress. 

I scoffed, sitting on the bed and crossing my arms across my chest. Take a shower and wait for Mr. Petrov, my ass. 

I guessed that Nikolai was an important person here, but he couldn't tell me what to do. I sat in that room for hours, interrupted only by a knock on the door, which turned out to be a girl bringing food. I ignored her and the food abd she just left it on the bedside table where it sat, untouched. 

I didn't know when I nodded off to sleep, exhausted by the events of the past couple of hours. I was woken up by the sound of the door slamming open, jostling me awake. 

“Comfortable already, princess?” Nikolai's teasing voice called from above me.

“Get out.” I said, not looking at him. 

“But it's my house. Besides, I own you now.” He continued. 

I scoffed. “You can't own me.”

“But I do. I did the moment your father used to repay his debt.”

My heart clenched at his words, and I scooted away from him, coming down from the bed and walking to the other side of the room. 

“Well? What do you want from me now? I can't pay you back.” I asked him, spreading my hands out. 

“But you can,” he said, stepping closer to me. For every step he took closer to me, I took one back. 

“H…How?” I stammered, my back making contact with the wall.

He smiled down at me, stepping closer to me until mere inches separated our bodies. 

“By becoming my wife.”