Chapter 29
I eat my breakfast alone and in silence, trying not to feel sorry for myself.
It’s fine, I repeat. He needed to take care of business; I understand that. I really do. If anything, I should be sympathetic. He didn’t even get to eat before he left. I hope he gets something on the road.
I frown when I notice Dmitri and the rest of my guards” melancholic mood. They’ve always been serious about their duties, but there’s a heavy note in the atmosphere. For some reason, that makes my heart ache, and I begin to worry about Maksim.
What if the place they’re going is dangerous?
What am I saying? Of course, it will be dangerous. But he’ll be alright. Really, it’s the people he’s after who should be worried, not me.
Still, part of me is almost sick at the thought that something might happen to him. What if I never get a chance to see him again? Shit. I should have just spilled my guts before he left. Confessed my feelings. How I’m falling for him. Maybe then, my stomach wouldn’t be churning so much right now.
“Just make sure you tell him as soon as he gets back,” I whisper. With a small nod, I stand up from the dining chair and pack up what’s left of breakfast. Maksim clearly ordered enough to feed us both, and that’s way too much for me. So, I make sure he has something for when he returns.
Keeping busy is the only way to keep my nerves from flaring up. I try my best not to think about him, but that’s nearly impossible.
Even the kitchen reminds me of him now. I smile, remembering the helpless expression on his face when I walked in to see him burning the eggs. Who would have known he had such a sweet side to him?
With the leftovers packed into the fridge, I stretch and glance out the nearest window. It’s such a clear, beautiful morning. No. That won’t do. I walk over and draw the curtains.
I don’t need the sun taunting me. It’s not like I can go outside and enjoy it. Even if Dimitri would let me, I’m not taking that risk again. I’m done getting people in trouble. I’m over putting myself in danger.
All I want to do is wait here and be good. But that doesn’t leave much else. Maybe I can watch a movie or finally text Bree back.
Bree.
I swallow, rubbing my sweaty hand down my shirt as I go back to the bedroom. Apparently, her cousin is flying to Russia to watch over me personally. I guess Maksim must’ve called in a big favor because, from what I’ve overheard, Rian Kilpatrick is practically king of the entire American underworld. A fearsome lion who’s taken down empires with his bare hands. And it sounds like he might be bringing some of his powerful cousins with him.
And for what?
Are they really flying halfway across the world just to look after their uncle’s little plaything?
No. Surely, they wouldn’t come all the way here if I didn’t mean something more than that to Maksim, right?
But even then, why all the fuss? Is this situation really that dangerous?
Pacing around, I look for something to do, but nothing can pin down my racing mind. It’s not just my concern about Maksim’s safety that’s killing me, either. It’s the fact that soon, I’ll be coming face-to-face with his family.
What will they think about me?
As far as I can tell, they’re all very close. A tight-knit circle… that I’m not a part of. What if they don’t approve of me? What if they think I’m not good enough for their uncle?
Too young and Italian.
I shake the thoughts out of my head as I turn on the TV and get into bed. There’s no use fretting about it now. I’ll find out soon enough.
Taking a deep breath, I try to clear my mind while searching for something to watch. To my surprise, there’s already a movie saved and pre-downloaded for me.
We are the Millers.
I grin. Maksim must have done that.
A calming warmth washes over me, and I feel a little less lonely as I wonder if maybe, just maybe, Maksim likes me at least half as much as I like him.
Could he grow to love me?
The idea is enough to distract me from all my worries, and soon enough, I’m drifting off to my favorite movie.
I must have a nice, deep nap because when I open my eyes again, the TV screen is dark, and the room is quiet.
With a big stretch and a loud yawn I almost don’t hear the door opening.
My heart jumps—first in fear, then with excitement. None of the men would dare come in without at least knocking first. And that means it could only be one person…
“Maksim?” I croak, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
The figure, familiar yet unsettling, draws a smile to my lips. But as my vision focuses, an unexpected chill runs down my spine.
Something’s off.
Maksim stands in the doorway, his face twisted in anger, a coldness emanating from him. I squint, trying to see what’s wrong. My heart starts to pound as I scan his body for blood, for injury, for anything that would explain his strange entrance.
“Are you okay?” I ask, sitting up to get a better look.
He doesn’t answer.
Suddenly, my pounding heart stops. There’s no doubt that this person looks like Maksim; he has the same salt-and-pepper hair, the same ruggedly handsome facial structure, and breath-stealing eyes.
But something tells me this is not the same man who tried to cook me breakfast this morning.
What the hell happened to him?
“Maksim?”
At that, he finally gives me a crooked smile.
My heart starts pounding again. My brain screams. Something is horribly wrong.
“That’s right, little girl. It’s me,” the man says, his gravelly voice thick with a Russian accent.
Yeah, that’s definitely not Maksim.
“Wh-who are you?” I rasp, scurrying back as he approaches the bed.
“I am your Maksim.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Oh, yes I will be.”
When he reaches for me, something in me shatters. A high-pitched shriek rips from my throat, and I make a run for the door. But before I can get there, a frigid grip wraps around my wrist and pulls me back.
A sack is thrown over my head. Then I’m hoisted over the stranger’s shoulder.
“Stop! Let me go!” I scream, struggling against his hold.
“Shhh, little tsarina, or you’ll wake everyone.”
Before I can cry out again, I feel a needle pierce into my upper arm. Something is pumped into my system, draining any strength or resistance. I try to kick and punch and yell, but my body fails me.
“Maksim…”
His name dribbles out of my lips as I succumb to darkness.
“No, princess. You’re mine now. Finally.”
And just like that, the world disappears.