Chapter 15
Chapter
Fifteen
ANYA
I make it to the bottom floor before Erik catches me.
The party guests look at me with a mixture of curiosity, hate, and amusement as Erik holds me against him.
“Don’t do this,” I beg. “I saved Elena’s life. I don’t deserve to be punished. Tell Ivan he’s wrong.”
“I’m sorry, Anya. I need Ivan in this war against Dante. I can’t risk losing him. We’ll make it fast. And then, it’ll be done.”
“Do you not even care?” I ask in a low voice so only he can hear. “Do you not care about me? About what I did?”
His eyes soften as do his hands on my waist. “You saved Elena and Nadia’s lives from what I understand. I’m not punishing you for that. In fact, I don’t want to punish you at all. But this is the Bratva, Anya. You killed one of Ivan’s men, and that needs to be dealt with.”
“But if Alek had raped Elena, then Ivan surely wouldn’t have hesitated to kill him. And I doubt he’d be facing any punishment.”
“You’re right. And that’s why I’m sorry. It’s unfair. It’s sexist. But it’s the Bratva. You know this. Just let me do this, and then it can be done, and we can move on.”
I stare out at the crowd of people, hating their faces for even looking at me at this moment. “You know, for just a moment, when you brought Nadia here so I could see her, I thought things could be different between us. But now, I know I was wrong.”
I want my words to hurt, and they do. Erik’s eyes tighten.
But he doesn’t change anything.
He walks me over to the couch and gently pushes on my back until I’m leaning over it. I glance to my left and see my father and Ivan walking down the stairs, watching in satisfaction.
Nadia runs around them and toward me. “Don’t do this. Anya’s a hero. She deserves to be praised for saving me and Elena.”
“Shut up,” our father hisses, grabbing her arm and pulling her away. “Stay out of this.”
Erik turns to my father and says in a quiet, yet confident voice, “Let her go, Sergei. You will not hurt her.”
“Nadia isn’t your wife. You have no say in what happens to her.”
“Do you want to be seen as a man who beats on his daughters? Let her go.”
My father looks around the room with a sneer on his face before he slowly lets Nadia go. She rushes over to me, but Erik steps between us.
“Not right now.”
Nadia’s face crumples. “Don’t hurt her.”
“It’s ok,” I tell her. “Don’t get involved, Nadia. It’s my job to save you. Not the other way around.”
“You’re wrong, Anya. It’s my job to save you, too.”
“Isn’t this sweet?” Erik says. “But we don’t have time for this. Nadia, move away so I can do what I need to do. Your sister will be fine.”
“No, she won’t be. If you truly valued your relationship with her, you wouldn’t be putting a business partner over your wife, and you know it.”
I stare at my sister in shock. Never have I seen Nadia stand up for me like this before. So much bravery in her eyes. No matter what happens to me, that’s something I can be proud of.
For a short moment, Erik looks taken aback by Nadia’s words until Ivan speaks.
“Don’t listen to her, Erik. You need me. And I say this needs to happen if you want my forgiveness.”
“And here I thought you were the nice one,” I mutter.
Both Ivan and my father glare at me. Honestly, I’m used to it at this point.
Erik turns to me and rests his hands on my hips. I’m aware of the vulnerable position I’m in. Leaned over the couch, ass in the air, at the mercy of my husband.
All because I saved my sister and a young girl from a man who wanted to hurt us.
Erik doesn’t move for a long moment before he leans down to my ear and whispers, “Put on a show for them, Anya.”
I frown. What the hell does that mean?
And then, Erik spanks me. But it doesn’t hurt. It’s barely a spank at all.
The guests all look confused, too. What’s happening?
Erik gives me another soft tap, and it dawns on me. He’s not trying to hurt me, he just wants me to pretend I’m being hurt for Ivan’s benefit.
I let out a loud shout of pain. Erik increases his pace and keeps spanking me softly. I can feel his hand on my backside, but it doesn’t hurt at all compared to the last few times he did it. In fact, this time, it’s sort of enjoyable.
I keep gasping and crying out like I’m in serious pain. I clench my eyes shut and kick my legs. I put on a show for the ages.
When I peek over at Ivan, he seems satisfied with what he’s seeing.
Then Erik is done. He steps away from me and turns to Ivan. “Happy?”
“Fine. But you need to keep your wife under control.”
I stand back up, and before I can help myself, I slap Ivan across the face. That makes the room fall into a strained silence.
“Anya,” Erik growls.
“I saved your daughter’s life. You could show me a bit of respect.”
“Erik, it seems your wife isn’t under control yet. Do something about it. Clearly, spanking her isn’t enough.”
“I’m not going to beat my wife, Ivan.”
“Then, I will,” my father says, stepping forward and slapping me across the face before I can react.
Erik reacts, though. In one smooth motion, he punches my father in the face and sends him sprawling to the ground.
Nadia runs over to me, and we cling to each other.
“I told you not to touch her ever again,” Erik growls, standing over my father.
“Are you asking for war with us?” Ivan asks. “Because that will happen if you choose your wife over us. She’s just a woman, Erik. She’s not worth it.”
My father stands back up and pulls out his gun, making everyone in the room gasp. It’s common courtesy to leave guns behind when attending a Bratva party. Most people never listen, but that doesn’t mean you draw your weapon. My father has crossed a line.
“My daughter has gotten in your head, Erik. Fix it.”
“Or you’ll shoot me? Let’s see how well that works out for you, Sergei.”
“Come on,” I whisper to Nadia.
“What?” she whispers back.
“I can’t watch this. I need to get out of here. Let’s go. While everyone is distracted.”
“You’re trying to leave Erik again?”
It’s not that I want to leave Erik. It’s that I can’t stand here and watch whatever is about to happen. If my father shoots Erik, I’ll have no one to protect me.
And the truth is, I’m not sure I want Erik to die. I’ve softened toward him.
“Just come on.” I take her hand, and we walk to the door. Everyone’s attention is on my father and husband, so no one pays us any mind. Even James, who’s supposed to be guarding the door, isn’t focused on us.
We walk right outside.
“I have to leave,” I say. “I just need some space.”
“Where are you going to go?”
“Just to some café or something. I just need to think. Come with me.”
Nadia pulls away from me. “You know I can’t. If I go with you, it’ll only make things worse. Father will think you’re kidnapping me again. So, go. I’ll tell them you’ve just gone to get some space. Ok? I don’t want you to get into more trouble.”
At this moment, I realize Nadia is right. Trying to take her from my father is pointless. I need to fight from the inside to save her.
But right now, I just can’t be in that house a second longer after killing Alek and watching Erik fight with my father.
I drive down to the gate, where the guard is managing it. “Let me out, Jerry.”
“Sorry, Anya. Orders to not let anyone leave at this moment.”
“Just let me out. I’m not trying to run. Erik has a tracker on this car, I know it. So, I’m not escaping. I just need to get out and clear my thoughts. You understand?”
Jerry sighs deeply before he nods and opens the gate for me.
“Thank you.” I drive away before he can respond.
I make it to the closet café, which is about a thirty minutes away from the house, given how secluded Erik’s mansion is, and sit down at a table, still wearing my nice evening dress, and ignore the looks other customers give me.
What just happened tonight? I killed a man. I was punished for it but not really. Erik didn’t hurt me.
Because he didn’t want to hurt me, I realize. Maybe he’s starting to care more than I thought. He punched my father for hitting me. Erik believed me when it came to the Alek incident.
All these facts combined are impossible for me to ignore.
I’m starting to actually like my husband, and I don’t know what to do with it. He’s the boogeyman, but he’s not to me. How does one even process something like this?
I drop my head into my hands and let everything I’m feeling wash over me.
And that’s when I hear the bell above the door ding as someone walks in. A chill down my spine tells me to look up. When I do, I see two men standing by my table.
They’re young. Both in black suits. One has reddish, brown hair, and the other has black hair. Despite this difference, they both look similar, like they could be related.
They look down at me with smirks.
“Did you need something?” I ask.
“Yes,” the black-haired one speaks. “We need you to come with us.”
I glance around the café and find no one is looking at me anymore. I’m on my own. These two men are dangerous. I feel it in my bones. If I screamed for help, would anyone actually help me?
He leans on the table and lowers his voice. “If you don’t come with us, we won’t hesitate to kill everyone else in this room. So, if you’re a good person, you won’t make a scene, and you’ll come with us.”
I lick my dry lips. “Where?”
“To meet Dante. I’m sure you’ve heard of him by now, seeing as you’re Erik Koslov’s wife and all. He wants to meet you.”
“We’ve already met.” I’m trying for bravery, but my voice is too weak to pull it off.
“Then he wants to meet you properly. Come with us, and there won’t be any problems. Dante doesn’t want to hurt you. He just wants your husband. We’ve heard you hate him, so you’ll have no issue giving him up. Yes?”
Every instinct inside me wants to run for the door and drive back to Erik. But I don’t know these men. I don’t know how serious their threat is, and I can’t risk the death of other people. Nadia would be ashamed of me if I did that.
“I’ll go with you,” I whisper.
He stands back and flashes me a smile. “Great. Once you’re there with Dante, all you have to do is call your husband and have him come meet us. Once you’ve done that, we’ll let you go. No harm, no foul.”
Bullshit. Something tells me I won’t make it out of this alive. Not without Erik’s help.
I need my husband. It’s the first time I’ve ever truly wanted him with me. But now, it might be too late.
I follow the two men out of the café without any fuss. “What are your names, anyway?”
“Finn,” the black-haired one says. “And that’s my brother, Aiden.”
“How long have you worked with Dante?”
The two brothers share an amused glance. “Look at her. Asking us questions,” Finn mocks.
“We were hired by Dante to kill your husband,” Aiden says. “Or, at least, bring him to Dante so Dante could kill him.”
“We’re hitmen,” Finn adds, opening the back door of his car for me.
My legs suddenly stop moving. “You’re … you mean you …”
“Kill people for a living? Yes.”
“I don’t see why you’re so scared,” Aiden says. “You’re married to a mob boss.”
But that doesn’t mean Erik kills people for a living. He makes money in other ways, through businesses and … Well, I don’t know all the ways, but I do know it’s not just through murder. Not like it is for these men.
“How did you even find me?” I whisper.
“Dante has spies in practically every corner of the city. He’s figured out the general location of where Erik lives. So, we happened to be in the area when you were spotted, and we thought we’d come pay you a visit.” Finn nods toward the car. “So, get in.”
I know the moment I step foot into that car I’m done for.
Never have I felt this sort of fear in my life. When I married Erik, I was terrified, but this fear is crippling. It’s an icy cold hand on my back. It’s death itself.
With Erik, I’ve never felt as afraid as I probably should’ve with him. Even my father I got used to. But I don’t know these men. I don’t know what they’re capable of. But the fact that they kill people for money means they’re capable of the worst humanity has to offer.
“Do you know where Erik lives?” I ask.
Aiden leans against the car casually, like he has all the time in the world. “We were hoping you could tell us that. Dante will torture it out of you if you don’t give it up willingly.”
“I thought you just needed me to bring Erik to Dante.”
“Oh, sure. But that doesn’t mean you’re coming out of this unscathed.” Finn grabs my arms and tosses me into the backseat of the car.
“Wait!” I scramble up and try to open the door, but they lock me in. They quickly get inside and drive away from the café.
I don’t bother pleading with them during the drive. It would be pointless. They’re not going to change their minds because of a few female tears. So, I take the opportunity to watch where we’re going. Maybe I can remember so I can escape.
Aiden and Finn take me to a high-rise apartment in the city.
“No running,” Finn says as he drags me out of the car and presses a knife to my back. “Or I’ll paralyze you. Got it?”
“Yes.”
We walk past a doorman, who gives Aiden and Finn a nod, before heading into a large lobby. There are so many people who could help me, just mingling about, but I can’t scream. With one stab of his knife, Finn could easily hurt me.
I stay quiet, which is a feat I’m amazed I’m able to do, as we go up to the penthouse. Once inside, the beautiful views overlooking the city don’t quench my fear. They only heighten it.
In the middle of the room is a man I know. Handsome in a classic way. Fine suit. Smug grin.
Dante.
“You’re here. Good.”
Finn forces me to walk closer to Dante, who pushes a lock of hair behind my ear.
“You’re going to be of good use to me. You’ll bring Erik here so I can kill him. You got that?”
“What makes you think Erik would come for me? We don’t love each other.”
“Because you’re his wife. Won’t he come for his wife?”
“You clearly don’t know my husband. There’s no love between us. He would rather you kill me than give up his life for me.”
Dante pokes my nose, making me flinch back. “I think you’re lying.”
The truth is, I’m not sure if I’m lying or not. I think Erik will come for me, but he’s also practical. He might just let me die if it means winning against Dante. And the fact that I’m not sure worries me. I have to put all my faith in a man I’m not sure is really there for me.
“Call him.” Dante hands me a phone. “Call him and tell him I have you and that he should meet me at this address.” He rattles it off so fast that I can barely make sense of it. “And once you’ve done that, you can wait here until I’ve killed Erik.”
“And then, what? Once Erik is dead, you’ll kill me, too?”
“Why not? I prefer your sister.”
My body goes rigid. “Don’t touch Nadia.”
“I heard she’s still a minor, so no worries. I’ll wait to take her as my own once she turns eighteen.”
“You’re sick.”
“And you’re my prisoner, so I don’t think it matters what you think. Call him.”
“No.” Even now, my rebellious streak refuses to leave me.
Dante only looks more amused. “You refuse?” He nods at Finn, who hits me in the stomach, making me bend over. “Still want to refuse?”
There’s no way I’m getting out of this. Erik will just have to show me if he’ll protect me or if he’ll only do what serves his own interests.
I call him.
He picks up on the first ring. “Nadia told me you needed space. Come back home now, Anya. I want to talk.”
“I can’t come home.”
“Why not?”
“Dante.”
Erik goes eerily quiet on the other line before he speaks. “What happened?”
“I went to a café, and these hitmen found me and brought me to Dante. He wants you to go to this address, and … I’m not sure. But if you don’t, I think he might torture me.”
“Give me the address.” Erik doesn’t even hesitate to ask. The fact that he doesn’t makes the tension in my gut ease.
I tell him it, and he tells me he’ll be there. “I won’t let him hurt you, Anya.”
“You care?”
“I care. I’m on my way.” He hangs up, and I give the phone back to Dante.
“He’ll be there.”
“Good. Aiden will stay here and keep an eye on you while Finn and I go say hello to your husband. Be a good girl, why don’t you?” He and Finn leave without another look at me.
Aiden nods toward the couch. “Stay there.”
“You won’t hit me like your brother did?”
“No. Just sit there.” Aiden stands before me, his hands on his waist, his fingers close to his gun. With no other option, I sit down and wait for Erik to rescue me.
That is, if he doesn’t die first.
ERIK
Sergei and I are glaring at each other when I get the call from Anya about Dante. I send the rest of our guests home and run out to my car.
“It’s a trap,” Sergei says. “You were stupid enough to let Anya leave.”
“I trust her not to run anymore.” And it’s the truth. I’ve noticed how relaxed she’s become at home. That’s partly why I wanted to bring Nadia to her tonight. I wanted her to know I saw the effort she was putting in and that I could put in the same effort.
“But now, she’s been kidnapped by our enemy, and you’re just going to walk into his hands and let him kill you?”
“Of course not. I’m going to kill him. We were trying to find a place to get Dante alone so I could kill him. Now, we have that chance.”
“At least take backup,” James says. “Take me with you.”
“All right. But you have to stay hidden. Dante will know I brought someone. I can’t risk losing you.” I turn to Sergei and Ivan, the only men still left from the party. “Do I have both of your support?”
“You punched me in the face,” Sergei hisses.
“And your wife killed one of my men,” Ivan objects.
“But she also saved your daughter, and you know it. And Sergei, I repeatedly told you to not put your hands on my wife ever again. And then you did. It was your own fault. Be man enough to admit that. Rally your men. Be ready to attack when I say so. We’re going to end Dante.” When they both hesitate, I scoff. “If you don’t want power, then don’t help.” I get into my car and drive off. James follows behind in his own car.
The old me wouldn’t run into danger to save some woman. But Anya isn’t just any woman. She’s my wife, and I’ve found myself caring for her more and more. I don’t want to lose her, not just because I’m a possessive asshole, but because … I just don’t want to lose her.
I like her. She brings a strange sense of joy to my life I’ve never had.
I don’t want to lose that.
I arrive at the address Anya told me. It’s a large building under construction. Judging by the owner’s name on the side of the building—Vast Horizons Realty—this building is owned by Dante. I know the names of all his businesses, as I’m sure he knows mine.
No one will disturb us here, which is perfect for me. I want Dante dead, and he’s serving himself up on a platter.
I keep my gun ready in my pocket to pull out at any moment.
I step into lobby of the building. “Hello?”
Footsteps echo on the cement floors, and then, there he is. Dante. Finn is flanking his side. There’s no one else, but I’m sure Dante isn’t stupid. He has a backup plan just in case.
“You made it,” Dante says.
“I did. Let’s not waste any time talking.” I pull out my gun and start firing at him. He dives behind a wall while Finn fires back at me. I have no choice but to duck behind a pile of planks.
“I have your wife, Erik,” Dante calls out, “so you might not want to kill me just yet. If I die and don’t return within a few hours, Aiden is going to shoot your pretty wife’s brains right out of her head. So, you don’t want me dead.”
Damn it. I was so focused on killing Dante, I didn’t consider Anya. She’s still in danger, and I need to save her.
“And if I don’t kill you?”
His laugh sends a flash of anger through me. “Then your wife can live. But you have to give yourself up, Erik. Can you do that? You see, your wife doesn’t think you’re going to save her. Want to prove her wrong?”
To give myself up is against my nature. I’ve always done what’s best for me. I’ve always prioritized business over pleasure. Practicality over love. I could try to kill Dante. He’s only a man, after all.
If I die, Anya is fucked. But if I give myself over to Dante, there’s a chance Anya could be safe. A small chance, but a chance, nonetheless.
I asked her once what it would take to make her like me. I know now that being selfless and doing the right thing will be the only way to truly gain Anya’s trust.
And yet to do that, I have to give up everything I’ve ever worked for.
“I’m waiting, Erik,” Dante says.
My head is telling me one thing while my heart is telling me another. I didn’t even know I had a heart to begin with, and now, it won’t shut up.
Power or Anya.
I shut my eyes and envision the first thing that comes to me.
Red hair. A sharp grin. Large eyes.
It’s Anya.
I throw my gun to the ground. “I’ll give myself up.”