Chapter 27
Sophie
Luka leaving is like a piece of me being ripped out. The fear is not fully back, because I know Ivan is his right-hand man, but any comfort I had while he was here is now gone.
I busy myself with breakfast and though it’s delicious, I barely eat any of it. I poke around the container with the fork as if I’m able to absorb it through air. Eventually, I let out a long exhale, dropping the fork on the table.
This should be heaven for my brain. There’s so much new information to analyze, it should be easy to keep anxiety at bay. But when mixed with confusing emotions coursing through me, processing any of it becomes impossible. My mind is utter chaos, years of my carefully built thought order long gone.
The chaos inside is interrupted by a knock at the door. I doubt it’s Luka, since not nearly enough time has passed. Is it another terrifying guard? Or their uncle? The hair on my neck rises as I steel myself for what’s to come.
It feels like an eternity, waiting for Ivan to get up and open the door, only to find a small blonde on the other side. Ivan’s face transforms into an expression I haven’t seen before and it’s obvious he cares about the girl that just entered my cage.
She gives him a quick peck on the lips before glancing at me. “You must be Sophie,” she says with a confidence I could only dream of possessing. Her stature is short, but curvy, her golden hair just reaching her shoulders.
She approaches me, and I take a step back, hesitant to meet new people.
“Who are you?” I ask, on a shaky breath.
“I’m Nina.” She reaches her hand out, but I simply stare at it. “Ivan is my boyfriend. And he called me to keep you company.” Again, she smiles, not retracting her hand.
I put my hand out, and she shakes it. Her skin is soft and warm and even though a part of me is anxious, the other part feels like it can trust her.
I realize she’s carrying a bag in her hand, and she places it on the table, taking out three coffee cups.
My eyes widen at the sight of coffee. I’m not a huge coffee drinker. The drink typically enhances my anxiety, but I’ve always loved the taste of it.
“This one is oat milk. I hope it’s something you drink,” she says, handing me a cup.
My lips turn up of their own accord. I take the cup from her hand, pressing it to my lips. It’s warm and creamy and just sweet enough to hide the natural bitterness of the coffee beans.
“Glad you like it,” the girl says, lifting her own cup and sitting down at the table. “I thought some girl time was just what you needed.”
I glance at Ivan, but he’s barely paying attention to us. “So, you know why I’m here?”
Nina chuckles. “Well, partially. I know you’re here… reluctantly.”
“That’s one way to put it.”
Once again, she chuckles and I glance at Ivan, checking his reaction. She follows my gaze and smacks her lips.
“Ivan, dear…” His head lifts. “Could you give us a few minutes? Maybe you could grab us some lunch?” I just finished breakfast, so it’s an obvious ploy to get him out of here, but I don’t mind the effort.
He stares at her, obviously not happy with the suggestion, but she stares right back, not showing a hint of hesitation. At that moment, I decide I like her.
Ultimately, he nods and exits the room.
“Don’t be afraid of Ivan. He might seem scary, but he’s really a teddy bear. Super protective, as well.” Her eyes widen with excitement, her love for him obvious.
“He’s been decent, actually. He’s one of the good ones.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard.” Nina winces, surprising me. Does she really know everything?
“Are you…” I weigh my words. “A part of the mafia?”
“Who? Me?” Soft laughter fills the room, and I’d guess it’s the first time it’s ever echoed with this particular sound. “No, of course not. But Ivan tells me things. He knows I’m his ride or die.”
“So, you know Luka?”
“He’s kind of hard not to notice, isn’t he?” The smirk she shoots me sends heat to my cheeks. Of course, she realized he’s hot. She’d be blind not to.
“I-I guess,” I try to play it off.
“I’m sorry. Here I am, joking about this, and you’re kidnapped by the guy.” Her expression turns solemn. “He didn’t hurt you, didn’t he?”
“No! No, of course not.”
She side-eyes me, as if gauging my reaction. “Good. But I’m still sorry someone did.”
“He…took care of it.”
“So I’ve heard. Beaten him to death in a fit of passionate rage.” She bites the inside of her bottom lip, staring at me like she’s checking for clues.
“He disobeyed him.”
“Hmm.” She agrees, though she’s still eyeing me warily.
I wait for her to speak, but she doesn’t. She lifts the cup to her mouth again and releases a loud sigh after taking a sip. My mind works overtime. Her assessing me is unnerving.
Finally, she breaks the silence. “Want to talk about it?”
My thoughts overflow, any filters I had long gone.
“We had sex, and I wanted it to hurt. And he makes me feel safe, which is ridiculous since he’s the reason I’m in this place.
When he left, I wanted to beg him to stay.
I don’t know why I’m thinking the way I am.
And I hyper focused on Stockholm Syndrome for like a week a few years back, reading every study on it, but this doesn’t feel like it.
Then, of course, that’s what every person with Stockholm syndrome would think, too. ”
She stares at me wide-eyed while waiting for my mental diarrhea to finish. She blinks a few times before saying, “I meant the assault. Do you want to talk about the assault?”
My mouth parts on an ‘oh’, my face turning crimson. “No, thank you,” I respond, swallowing.
I never had the chance to talk about my trauma with someone other than Alex.
Therapy would’ve likely been a gamechanger for me in my teens, but how to explain what happened without endangering myself more?
Without landing Dad in prison and myself in foster care?
Nope, I had to keep everything in. I had to learn how to be my own therapist, which I’m pretty sure is highly unethical.
“So, you and Luka? That explains the fit of passionate rage.”
“It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Look. I may not know Luka intimately,” she emphasizes the word, shooting me a pointed look, “but I know enough to know this wasn’t his typical behavior.
Luka is calculated. He’s a businessman first. This was…
emotional at best. Stupid at worst. They’re at war with the Russians.
And their uncle is trying to take over the throne to the empire.
Killing one of his men, whew. There’ll be some serious consequences.
” My gaze drops to the side, so she quickly backtracks.
“Not that it’s any of your fault. Honestly, I don’t know how you do it.
Being locked in here, never seeing the light of day. ”
I don’t tell her that my every outing before the kidnapping was heavily planned to fight my ever-growing anxiety. I don’t tell her Alex had to force me for drinks every time she came to the city because I never felt safe anywhere.
Rather, I clear my throat, focusing on another tidbit she shared. “Take over the throne?”
Nina winces, looking around. “I probably shouldn’t have said anything. But you won’t share, right? Girl code and all that?”
I nod in response. How freeing it must be to live life like that? To make a simple mistake and not have panic swallow you whole. “And the Uncle, have you ever met him?”
“No. He wasn’t around until recently. But from what I know, he’s a real pain in the ass.”
“And now he has the death of one of his men to blame on Luka,” I add, my voice somber. My chances of getting out of here are depleting day after day.
“I don’t know Luka well, but if that man killed for you, he’s likely willing to die for you.
And maybe it doesn’t seem like much, considering your situation” —she looks around the dungeon— “but I wouldn’t lose hope yet.
Far as I know, this isn’t your war to fight.
And Luka and Leon, they’re honorable men. That much I know.”
I down a sip of now-cold coffee, mulling over her words.
I don’t know about Leon, but I can believe that about Luka.
He’s the one who kidnapped me, but he’s also the one who made sure I had plant-based meals ever since he found out I’m vegan.
He’s the reason my sweats are washed and dried regularly, ensuring I have what little comfort I can in this place.
And he’s the one who killed a man with his bare hands for laying his hands on me.
I snap out of my thoughts, only to realize I’m holding the hoodie up to my nose. Luka’s hoodie. Nina looks me up and down but luckily doesn’t mention it.
The door opens and Ivan struts back inside. Nina rolls her eyes. “Look, babe, it was nice meeting you. But I need to head to work now.”
She approaches my side of the table, pulling me into a hug. I freeze for a second before awkwardly returning it. My hand pats her back, while the other wraps around her shoulder.
She places both her hands on my upper arms, looking me straight in the eyes. “I might not be able to get you out of here. But if you need anything, anything, to feel better, just let Ivan know, okay?”
I dip my head, moisture forming in my eyes. I’ve only met this girl, but she feels like a friend. Something that’s a rare commodity in my life.