Chapter 4 - Nadia
I felt excited and scared at the same time. I was astounded that our plan had worked, and I was in. The fact that he brought me to a hotel showed his caution, but I would break his barriers soon enough.
Abram went out to make a call while I waited for room service. The doorbell rang, and I let them in. I poured some coffee and had a couple of bites from the cheese plate while he was still outside.
I watched him, it seemed like he was having a light conversation. He smiled, turned around, and back again. His movements were smooth. The way he conveyed himself made him look like a man of importance. In this world, I supposed he was.
I quickly texted my cousin to let him know I was in and then switched off my phone. I didn’t want my cousins to text or call while I wasn’t completely alone.
Once he came back in, he smiled, poured some coffee, and sat down. “You can rest if you want,” he said, blowing the steam hovering over his cup.
“What about you?” I asked softly.
“I’m good, thank you. I’m waiting to hear if everything is set so we can leave. It might take an hour or two, and I’m sure you’re tired,” he pushed.
Nodding, I got up and went to the room. I was relieved to be out of his penetrating gaze. I lay down on the soft bed and closed my eyes just for a minute.
Sitting up, I stretched out. I wondered how long I slept. It wasn’t quite daytime yet, but the light outside was starting to turn. Getting up, I grabbed my bag and went to the bathroom. I took a quick shower and changed into something more comfortable. I still felt a bit groggy, but less so than earlier.
I studied the slight red hue still left on my cheek and wondered if the man had intended to hit me so hard.
Exiting the bathroom, I heard a knock on the bedroom door, followed by Abram’s voice. “Are you up?”
“Yes,” I replied. “I’ll be right out.”
“Good, we have to get moving,” he added.
Opening the door, I found him still standing there. He spoke kindly as our eyes met.
“Let’s go home.” He smiled while taking my bag. He led the way out and down back to the car. The drive was quiet, which I preferred. I was getting myself ready for what lay ahead.
No amount of planning could have prepared me for the giant mansion he called home. As the building came into sight, I breathed in sharply. Stopping in front of the iron gates with the mansion sitting on the hill inside, I felt my heart stop for a second.
On top of the gate pillars were huge statues that looked like male angels looking at each other. One held a long sword, and the other looked like he had a lightning rod in his hand. Where the iron gates came together was a large crest, which I assumed was their family crest.
The gates opened, and Abram drove up the hill to the mansion. We drove around a fountain with another angel on top of it. This one held both the sword and the lightning rod. The road led up and around the fountain, returning to the gate. As we stopped by the half-moon stairs leading to the front door, his men were waiting.
Abram got out and collected my bag as his guard opened my door. I felt like Cinderella stepping into a fairytale. Looking up at the three-story white and gold mansion, I felt small. I expected extravagant, but this was breathtaking.
It looked like his mansion was built in the middle of a forest. Thick, lust green trees filled my view as far as I could see to both sides. Looking wide-eyed at Abram, he smiled at me.
“Let me show you your room, and we can take a tour once you’ve settled,” he said, taking my hand.
His touch was warm and soft but unexpected. Pulling my hand back quickly, I headed up the steps. I didn’t want him touching me as it made my stomach turn. There was electricity between us. But I had to stay focused.
Stopping by the door, I glanced back and nodded lightly. I looked forward to seeing the rest of the mansion. Heading in, I was stunned by its beauty. Inside the door to the left was a small table with a telephone and what looked like a basket for his mail. Ahead of us were two staircases.
There were four exits on the bottom floor, two left and two right. The stairs also led left and right. It appeared the place was a lot bigger than it looked from the outside. Abram led me up the left staircase and headed down the hall. There were a couple of doors down this side. Only two were open, though, towards the end.
We stopped in front of a plain white door. Abram turned to me as he opened the door. “This room will be yours during your stay here,” he said lightly.
I smiled weakly at him as I stepped into the room. The décor was very modern with a touch of elegance. It felt more like a fancy hotel room than one inside a home. Living alone and being Bratva, I felt sure he didn’t have many visitors. An interior decorator surely designed this room. And I was sure the rest of his home would be more of the same.
Walking over to the bed, Abram placed my single suitcase, which was more like a bag, on the edge of the bed. Smiling at me, he spoke softly.
“Through that door,” he said, pointing to the left. “Is the bathroom. This one,” he added, pointing to the back right-hand side. “Leads to a small study and entertainment room. You can use it as your own. Down the hall is a library, if you like reading and the kitchen is downstairs.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, turning back to him.
Abram was standing at the door.
“Let me show you downstairs,” he said, holding out his hand. He was overly friendly, which made me a bit skeptical. My cousins had warned me of the dangers that could lay ahead, and I was wary. “Come on,” he added. “I mean you no harm. You can stay here until you get back on your feet, no judgment.”
It was all so knight in shining armor that it made me uneasy. According to Vadik, the Dubows were pure evil.
Hesitantly, I took his hand and allowed him to lead me downstairs. As we passed the library he mentioned, he stopped, opened the door, and allowed me to peek inside. It was small but had a variety of books.
On the bottom floor, he led me to the right. There was another library much bigger than the other one. He showed me the indoor gym, swimming pool, and a door leading to the side of the house. There was a beautiful little flower garden with two tables and chairs. This was surrounded by a lush green lawn stretching to the side and back of the house.
Where the lawn stopped, a thick forest of trees started. We walked around to the back of the house. There was another garden with tables and chairs and a large outside pool. Looking at the soft lawn, I was sure it would be ideal for my morning yoga.
Abram walked to one of the tables and pulled out a chair. “Have a seat,” he said.
Sitting down, I noticed the maid coming closer. She was carrying a tray with coffee and some food. “I am sorry for all you’ve been through. I know this must be hard,” he added.
I looked at him, wondering if my cousins truly knew what they were talking about. I felt a glimmer of hope settling as I listened to Abram.
“I can’t fix your past, but I promise to help you as much as I can. I promise you this…” I found myself leaning forward as I hung on to his words. “I will help you get back on your feet. I promise nothing bad will happen to you as long as you are with me.”
Surprised at the sincerity in his tone, I couldn’t help but smile at him.
“Thank you,” I replied both to him and the maid as she placed a cup before me. She smiled, nodded, and headed back in.
We sat drinking our coffee in silence. I studied the backyard, needing to know all I could about the layout of the place. After my coffee, I got up as I spoke. “Do you mind if I lay down for a bit? I’m feeling a little tired.”
Abram stood up, nodding as he responded. “Sure thing, let me walk you back.”
We entered the house through a door to the opposite end. This door led to the kitchen. Two people were working there. The one I recognized was the woman who brought out the tray. The other appeared to be cooking something. The smell was divine. It made me think back to a meal I vaguely remembered my mother cooking. There was nothing like a whiff in the air to bring back memories. We walked out into a passage and back to the foyer.
“Are these paintings of your family?” I inquired, stopping at a portrait of a young woman with three boys.
“Yes,” Abram replie,d clearing his throat. “This is my mother and two of my brothers with me.” He smiled as he stared at it for a second. “I was the baby them.”
I could see he missed those times as a tear sparkled in the corner of his eye. “I’m sorry for your loss,” I stated softly.
Abram shook his head and returned my smile. “It was a long time ago. Come on, let’s get you to bed,” he added as he took my hand and led me upstairs.
Once in my room, I plopped down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The mattress was very soft, and the linen smooth. I felt like I had fallen onto a cloud. I couldn’t reconcile the warnings of my cousins with the man I had seen up to now. But I would stick to my mission. Maybe once I started searching, I would find what they had seen in him.
Pulling out my phone, I put it on. It vibrated instantly as the onslaught of texts my cousins sent came through. Sighing, I sent a message back. ‘Arrived at his house, will let you know when I find something.”
My eyes suddenly felt heavy. Closing them, I allowed myself to relax. I woke up with a loud knock at the door. Sitting up, I checked my watch. It was six in the evening already. I hadn’t realized I was so tired. “Mam,” I heard a woman’s voice through the door. “Dinner is ready.”
“Thank you,” I called back. “I’ll be down soon.”
I listened as the footsteps grew softer and disappeared. Before heading down, I quickly washed up in the bathroom. It was bigger than any bathroom I had ever seen. It held a big oval tub, shower, and two basins. I wondered if Abram also used it but saw no other door leading in. Maybe it was for couples, I thought, leaving my room.
Abram was waiting for me at the bottom as I descended the stairs. “Did you rest well?” he asked, holding out his hand.
“I did, thank you,” I replied placing my hand on his arm and allowing him to lead me to the dining room. It was also one of the bigger rooms in the house. The oval-shaped wooden table held space for about twelve people. I assumed this was the size of his family and wondered when I would meet them.
He pulled out a chair for me on one end of the table as he spoke. “Would you like to sit here or closer to me?”
Looking from one end of the table to the other, I considered the options. If I sat at one end and he was on the other, I couldn’t see how anyone could have a conversation. So, I opted for the closer chair. There were six places set. I wondered if we were having company.
“I wasn’t sure where you would want to sit, so I had multiple places set,” Abram whispered as I looked around. It felt like he could read my thoughts. Grinning, I walked to the chair closest to the head of the table. “I’ll sit here, thanks,” I said softly. Abram smiled at me as he pulled out the chair.
Instead of sitting at the head of the table as I had expected him to, he sat down opposite me. The same maid from this morning came through a door to the side. She placed a plate before each of us, gave a shallow bow, and left.
Abram poured a glass of wine and handed it to me. As I took it, I started to wonder if my cousins actually knew this family as well as they thought.
“What’s your family like?” Abram asked before taking a bite of his food.
Chewing quickly and swallowing the bite I took. I smiled at him.
“Well,” I started saying, then lowered my gaze, suddenly feeling overcome by emotion. “My parents died when I was young. I had no siblings, and the only family I had was my cousins.” Taking a deep breath, I tried to steady my tone before continuing.
“My cousins didn’t have much time for me as they had their own lives. But they took care of me as best they could, I guess. They provided for my basic needs but had no time for affection.” I could feel my emotions dancing around in my eyes as tears threatened to rush out. Swallowing the lump, I took a big sip of my wine. I had to get a grip on my emotions. I didn’t want to appear weak.
Abram reached across the table and stroked my fingers. “I’m so sorry. Was it your cousins who sold you?” His tone was soft and caring. Looking up, our eyes met. I could see the fury growing in them as I nodded.
He took a deep breath. Squeezing my arm lightly, he spoke softly. “I will do all I can to protect you.” For a moment, I wanted his help. I wanted to believe in his sincerity, and kindness as he pulled me in. He had a magnetic personality, and I saw a gentleness I couldn’t deny.
“You are aware that they sold you for life?” he asked, staring at me intently.
As his words hit me, I inhaled sharply. The agreement was for a couple of months. Only as long as it took for me to get the intel. I lowered my gaze and blinked a couple of times. I didn’t want him to see the shock in my eyes.
“It is probably better this way,” I breathed out, trying to steady my tone.
The rest of supper flew by in a daze. Heading up to my room after supper, I felt that tingling inside me again. He had a spark that appeared to draw me to him. As he whispered goodnight and lightly kissed my cheek, I snapped out of my daze.
Stepping back into my room, I closed the door on him without a word. I had to stay focused. I had a mission to do. I wasn’t here to fall in love or explore feelings. Shaking it off, I sat down on the bed. I would wait a little bit before exploring. I had to be sure he had gone to bed.
Pulling out my phone as I fell back, I remembered Abram’s words. ‘The sale was for life.’ I had to confirm with Vadik as this wasn’t what I had signed up for. Turning to my stomach, I stent the first text. ‘Vadik, did you sell me for life? It wasn’t what I signed up for.’
I waited impatiently for him to respond. ‘Evening, what have you found?’ he sent back.
Feeling my anger and stress taking over, I sent my question again. ‘Did you sell me to Abram for life? Vadik, what is going on?’ I felt relieved that we were texting only as I wouldn’t have been able to contain the concern from filling my voice.
‘Calm your horses,’ he replied. ‘It’s just until the job is done. Once we take them out, you will be back home. Now get us the intel! The quicker you do, the quicker you can come home.’
Frustrated, I chucked the phone to the top of the bed. How dare they? What if things go wrong? I felt a sudden flurry of tears and shoved my face into the pillow as they flowed. Once I felt calmer, I washed my face and decided it was time to get the job done.