WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS EXPLICITLY DESCRIBED SEXUAL ACTIVITIES. PLEASE, DO NOT PROCEED IF YOU ARE TRIGGERED BY SUCH. “Kneel.” Dimitri says in a cold tone as he shifts away from me, giving me the space to obey his orders. I grit my teeth and avert my eyes away from his, turning away from him and folding myself into a fetal position as my own form of defiance. All is quiet for a minute until I feel the cold hard unforgiving edge of the knife in his hand pressed deliberately against my lower back. I stiffen against my wishes, scared that any minute from now, the sharp edge of the blade will pierce through smooth skin, settling deeply in my lower back. “The human skin is extremely fragile, easy to cut through. The blood beneath the skin much more enthralling than any other liquid.” Dimitri says in a cold tone that has me shivering. “You can just go ahead and stab me, 'cause I will never obey you.” I say in a shaky tone through gritted teeth as he presses the blade a little har
“What the hell are you talking about, Lily? You know that name is a taboo on these streets. Don’t let anyone hear you.” Maria, a poor market vendor, whispers as she bends down and picks a piece of rotten tomatoes that had fallen out of her bag.Lily laughs scornfully, raising her perfectly arched eyebrows.“And what do you think will happen? Will he magically materialize out of thin air and slice our throats? Please be serious, Maria.” “I don't want to get into trouble, Lily. It seems like you are not from this side of the city, which is why you feel so comfortable mentioning his name so well.” Maria says, stacking her goods which she brought to the farmers market for sale, promptly ignoring Lily. “Why won't I be, I told you, he cannot do us anything.” Lily says, rolling her eyes. “When that boy was barely out of diapers, I heard he killed one of his nannies and even right now, rumour has it that he killed his parents to take over their fortune.” Maria whispers once more, not able
“Let go of me!” I struggle in the grasp of one of the hooded guys who was currently groping my breasts harshly. “Keep screaming, it turns me on.” The guy says, laughing harshly in my ears. I become jelly in his hands at his statement. I force my muscles to relax even when they fought to do the exact opposite.“Do you know who the hell I am? When I'm out of here, I will make sure you pay for this!” My father screams as the men manhandle him, pushing him onto the floor. “Papa, what do these men want?” I ask my father in a voice shaky with fear. “This is not the time to be asking stupid questions, Anya. Just do what you are told and keep your mouth shut.” My father says to me with a snarl on his lips. I squeeze my hands into a fist, preventing myself from making an angry retort. I still needed my father as much as he needed me. It was unheard of for a young unmarried lady in this part of the world to leave her father's house except for her husband's house. “Where is our money, Maks
Drip. Drip. Drip. The sound of blood hitting the cheap linoleum floor resounding throughout the empty room. I test the chains binding me to the single pole in the middle of the room and I find I can barely move a few feet away from the pole. I feel the wounds on my back reopening at the slightest movement. Always on my back. The pain of old scars mingled with the new ones until I couldn't tell one apart from the others. He never whipped me in any visible place. His aim was to inflict as much damage without actually damaging me so I was still presentable to any viable suitor. I sit upright, blacking out for a moment from the pain. The pressure in my bladder increases by the minute. I spot the black bucket sitting in the corner and I cringe at the embarrassing mental picture of having to urinate in that bucket. I look at the familiar walls of the basement. These walls were like my best friends, swallowing my painful screams and soaking in my blood. I had been whipped a hundred str
ANYA'S POV I listen quietly, trying to understand what had woken me up. I had been deep in the throes of a nightmare when suddenly a loud sound effectively woke me up from sleep. I get down from my bed and move quietly towards the door, placing my ear gently on the door, only proceeding when I hear nothing. I pull open the door and take the back stairs leading to the lounge area. When I get there, the sight in front of me has me clutching my mouth in fear. My father was lying on his face, very much dead, with a bullet hole in his head. The dark, thick blood spreading around him was like a memorabilia to his fate. I notice other things about his body. He was missing some fingers, and his knees seemed to be bent at an odd angle. Tears roll down my eyes at the sight. I wasn't crying for my father. No, he didn't deserve that. I was crying for the freedom that I could taste on my lips and feel with the tips of my fingers. Who killed him, though? Was it the masked man? I take a look
“Dostatochno! You will come with us quietly or get a bullet in your head like your father.” Dimitri interrupts my loud curses and wails. I look at him angrily but keep silent. I was strong-willed but not enough to die for it. “This isn't necessary, I won't fight you.” I say angrily to one of the men who cuffed my wrist and pulled me along with him. The man gave me a look that clearly said he knew better. I huff in annoyance as the man's stride becomes longer than mine. When I look at his face, I see him smirking. The fucker!. He was doing this on purpose!. “You can slow down. You don't have to prove to anyone how tough you are by belittling me.” I say angrily. The man clenches his jaw in silence but slows down a little. When we step outside my father's house, my legs involuntarily slow to a stop. The man understanding my need for my final goodbye, let's go of my hand and they all turn their backs on me. I turn towards my house, knowing deep in my bones that this was going to b
“Why should I have to pay for the sins of my father? I have suffered enough in his hands already.” I say in a voice thick with sorrow. “We all have, Malyshka. One way or the other. But that doesn't make you any less his child. As much as his wealth is yours, so are his sins.” Dimitri says in a voice tipped low with what I would have called pity under normal circumstances. “His wealth isn't mine. He made sure that in the event he died, all his money would either go to my husband or charity.” I say looking away while swiping the tears rolling down my eyes angrily. I don't know why I said that, the last thing I should be doing is fraternizing with the enemy. “I don't need your pity. If you indeed feel sorry for me, just let me go. Or is that too much to ask from your big ego?” I say taunting him, glaring at him from under my lashes. “I could let you go.” Dimitri says after some time, refusing to fall into my trap and take my bait. “But I won't, I have far better plans for you.” “W
DIMITRI'S POV: “What do you plan on doing with her?” Ivanov asks as I throw back the scotch, welcoming the harsh burning feeling in my throat. “What you've always wanted me to do, brat.” I respond while turning another finger of scotch into my empty glass from the tumbler. My brother immediately understanding what I mean, whistles under his breath. “Giana wouldn't like this.” He responds while chuckling low. I shrug my shoulders in a show of nonchalance. It wasn't just a show, I really didn't care what Giana thought. I know she deserves better than me, but alas, she is stuck with me for the rest of our miserable lives. “It's a good thing she wouldn't know about it.” I say in a calm voice. This wasn't me threatening him. There was no need for Giana to know about my plans. And he was going to see to it that none of my men would breathe a word about it. “Careful brother, you are beginning to sound soft.” Ivanov says in a teasing tone. “You and I both know that I could marry her