Chapter 4 - Katerina #2
Drink your tea. Think about how to get away. Don’t think about how good he smells or how sexy he is or how incredible he made you feel the other night.
“Yulian, I’m so lucky you were there. My family is going to be so grateful that I’m alright.
” I try to speak casually, to sound unbothered in mentioning my brother, but what I’m really trying to do is make it clear that I still don’t know that he’s an Andreev.
And he can’t know that I’m a Krolik. I keep sipping my tea, savoring the flavor.
He really does make a damn good cup of tea.
“We don’t need to worry about anything right now, Kat. Take a moment, take a few deep breaths. All that matters is that you’re safe,” he answers, brushing off my question.
I clench my jaw, annoyed, but needing to keep up the show of ignorance regarding what danger I might be in.
“I’m really tired,” I sigh, setting my empty teacup down. “And my muscles are aching. Would you mind if I had a hot bath to try and relax?”
He smiles, a gorgeous, wide smile that sets dimples in his cheeks.
“I’ll run you a bath. I can also order some takeout.
There’s a really good Asian place just around the corner here.
” He stands up, leaning over me, and softly touches my cheek.
I lean into his hand and smile. Butterflies dance in my stomach, and for a second, I can pretend that this is just a normal, tender moment.
I wish it were. “Relax until it’s ready. I’ll come get you.”
“Thank you, Yulian. I really appreciate it,” I smile sweetly.
But as soon as he’s out of the room and I hear him walking up the stairs to his bedroom, I’m on my feet and running for the door.
It’s locked, unsurprisingly. I bolt to the kitchen counter to grab his keys, run back to the door, and try each one in the lock, swearing and muttering under my breath because none of them are working.
“What the hell!” I huff, frustrated and nervous. What the hell are all of these keys for? I jam another into the lock, but it doesn’t fit.
Last time I snuck out of here, the door wasn’t even locked. In our feverish passion, I guess he didn’t bother with it. This time, I am not so lucky.
Is there any other way out of here? A back way? A secret elevator? I’d even settle for a freaking fireman’s pole at this point.
I just need to get away from him. And it’s not only because he kidnapped me.
It’s because he kidnapped me, and I’m still so turned on by him and his kindness and caring and soothing voice.
I’ve clearly lost my mind. The longer I stay here, the worse this Stockholm syndrome is going to get.
For the sake of my own sanity, I need to leave.
With anxiety building, I try the last key in the lock, jamming it in and trying to force it to turn with desperation bolting through me like lightning.
“It’s a coded lock. It doesn’t need a key, Katerina.”
I spin around and see him standing a few feet away from me. He looks furious. His eyes are narrowed and so dark they almost look black. His fists are clenching and unclenching at his sides, and his jaw is set like stone.
“If it only uses a code, then why is there a keyhole?” I blurt out, annoyed that I got caught.
“That lock is an override system that I only use in emergencies. You can’t get out of there without the pin.” He’s fighting his own anger, and I’m starting to realize the danger I’m in.
And he used my full name. I never told him my full name. Just Kat. And he’s only called me Kat until now. If he knows my name, does he know my full, full name?
“You know who I am, don’t you. You know my family name?” I stammer, my heart sinking to the pit of my stomach.
“I know who you are.” His words are devoid of that kindness I heard earlier.
His voice is like ice cutting into me. Of course he knows who I am.
“Please just let me leave, Yulian.” My throat is tight with emotion. I’m fighting tears and panic, shifting from one foot to the other like a wild horse, ready to bolt in any direction, but trapped against the wall.
“Like you left last time? After you saw my wallet and assumed you knew who I was just by looking at my name?”
He also knows that I saw his full name. Shit. This isn’t good. He tricked me.
“I won’t tell anyone…”
“You’re not safe out there, Katerina. I can’t let you go.”
Yulian steps forward and takes the keys from my hand. I stumble backwards to try and get away from him, unsure of what he’s going to do. I press my back against the door and hold my breath.
He stands over me for a moment, staring down at me, pushing me up against the door with his muscular body. He takes my jaw in his long fingers, forcing me to look at him. “You can’t leave any other way than through that door. And I’m not opening it. So make yourself comfortable and get some rest.”
His breath is warm against my face, his cologne flooding my nostrils. My body heats with desire as he pushes against me.
I bite down hard on my lower lip and glare at him with what I hope looks like fierceness, even though my heart is racing a million miles an hour.