Chapter 20
CHAPTER
TWENTY
SOFIYA
The car ride back to the estate is quiet. Nikolai doesn’t push me to talk. He offers me a painkiller, water, and his crumpled jacket, telling me to use it as a pillow.
I lean against the window, my eyes closed, inhaling the faint scent of his cologne, all the while wondering why I’m starting to feel safe with the man who could destroy me.
As soon as we get back to the estate, I tell Nikolai I’m going to lie down and dash to my bedroom, shutting the door behind me. I’m well aware that there are cameras in here, so I head into the bathroom instead and lock the door behind me.
Stepping into the shower, I huddle in the corner, trying to convince myself that even Nikolai wouldn’t stoop to putting security cameras in here.
I pull the phone out of my shorts and stare at it. It’s password-protected, but I’ll find a way to break in, even if it takes all night. Once Valeria realizes it’s gone, chances are she’ll cut off service to her phone.
I tilt the phone under the light, searching for clues. Smudges on the screen catch my eye, hinting at the most-used areas. Carefully, I try a few combinations, tracing the patterns left behind. I hold my breath with each attempt, but none work. On the third try, the screen freezes. “Too many failed attempts. Locked for one minute.”
“Shit,” I mutter under my breath, pacing the room.
When the timer resets, I try the next obvious thing—generic PINs. “0000.” Nothing. “1234.” Still locked. I press my palms to my temples, frustration building.
I need another plan. A memory sparks, something I’d seen in a movie: a glitch involving emergency calls. It’s a long shot, but at this point, I’ve got nothing to lose.
I tap the “Emergency Call” button and hold the power button, my pulse pounding in my ears. For a second, nothing happens. Then, the screen flickers, and the lock screen disappears.
My mouth falls open as the home screen loads.
I stare, breathless. “No way.”
Blood pounds in my ears as I dial Liza’s number. It hasn’t been that long since I last saw her, and yet it feels like the Earth has shifted on its axis. Everything in my world has changed.
“ Privet ,” she answers on the second ring, her voice cautious, maybe because of the unfamiliar number.
Hearing her voice stirs something inside me. “Liza, it’s me.”
“Sofiya!” A sob rips from her throat. “Oh my God, are you all right? Has he hurt you? The tattoo…” Her voice breaks.
Shit. Nikolai told them about the tattoo! A wave of heat rushes through me, chased by guilt because, if I’m honest, he didn’t force it on me. Not that I wanted his mark, but I willingly played his game. Still, that’s not a story she needs to hear.
“I'm okay. I promise it’s not that bad,” I assure her. I inhale, forcing the next words out. “And he hasn’t hurt me... physically, at least.”
What would Liza think if she saw me today, shopping with Nikolai? He insisted I buy half the store while promising to match every dollar in a donation to a charity of my choice. He’s not a good man, but he might not be the monster I once thought either. He’s lived through more than his fair share of pain and suffering, and there’s nothing more human than that.
I don’t know how to explain any of this to her because I can barely make sense of it myself. How would it sound if I defended Nikolai and told her he’s not what he seems? Nikolai has caused her so much pain, but he’s not the only one to blame. If I’d made different choices that night, maybe none of this would be happening.
“I’m so sorry,” Liza gasps. “We should’ve protected you better. We should’ve… It doesn’t matter now. The only thing that matters is getting you out of there. I need to get Roman. Please, don’t go anywhere.”
I press my back against the glass shower stall, gripping the phone tightly. Chaos erupts on the other end of the line. It sounds a lot like Roman shouting orders.
A second later, his husky voice comes through the phone. “Fuck, Sofiya. How are you holding up?”
He sounds as broken as my sister, and I hate that.
“I’m… I’m okay. I’m not locked up or anything. He doesn’t bother me as long as I stay within the property limits.”
“I’m going to get you out of there. My team is tracking your location through the signal from this call. Give it a few minutes, and we’ll have your exact position.”
“How are you calling us?” Liza asks, her voice tight with worry. “Is this safe?”
“I think so.” I hope so.
“Don’t worry. By tonight, I can have a team on-site to get you out of there.”
Alarm races through me. “No, that’s not a good idea! His estate is heavily guarded. It would be a suicide mission even to try.”
“And Sofiya could get hurt,” Liza insists. “We can’t take that chance.”
Roman releases a deep sigh. “We have to try something. Sofiya, have you been able to explore? Is there anywhere on the property that isn’t well monitored? Somewhere out of sight of the cameras and guards. I know it seems like a big deal, but we’ll extract you quickly and get the fuck out of there.”
“I—I don’t know. Maybe. I’d have to look around more to figure that out for sure.” I shake my head even though he can’t see me. “Also, I have an ankle monitor. If I step off the property, he’ll know immediately.”
Roman’s low curse is barely audible, but I can feel his frustration radiating through the line.
“It’s not just me,” I add quickly. “He’s watching my friends, Alex and Daria. If I try anything, he’ll go after them.”
I feel terrible that this phone call alone could be putting my friends at risk if Nikolai discovers what I’ve done, but it’s too late to dwell on that now.
“Don’t stress about that. I’ll keep your friends safe.”
His assurance does little to ease the knot in my stomach. I'm willing to take risks with my life, but Alex and Daria don’t deserve to be caught in the crossfire.
“Give me a minute,” Roman says. I can't make out what’s being said, but it sounds like there’s some sort of argument. It takes a little while, but Roman finally comes back on the line. “We can’t triangulate your location. He must have some kind of signal jammer.”
My heart should sink, but instead, I feel an odd sense of relief.
“We need more time to figure this out. Can you call us back?”
“I’m not sure, but I’ll try. Don’t call or text this number.” Liza doesn’t need to know I stole this phone or how risky it was. She has enough to worry about.
Roman cuts in. “Have you learned anything that might help us figure out where you are?”
I hesitate, but then share what I learned today. “Nikolai’s estate is about half an hour from Koporye Fortress. I don’t know in which direction. It used to belong to Catherine the Great’s niece. The whole property is surrounded by woods, and I haven’t seen any obvious landmarks.”
“That’s good. Leave it with us—we’ll dig into it. In the meantime, look for a spot without cameras or heavy guard activity.”
“Only if it’s safe,” Liza cuts in. “Don’t put yourself in danger by sneaking around, Sofiya. Swear you won’t.”
It’s a promise I can’t keep, but I try to sound convincing to put Liza’s mind at ease. “I won’t, I swear.” I swallow past a lump in my throat. “If I hadn’t ditched Samuil to go to that club, things might have ended differently.”
“You were trying to live a normal life. No one can hold that against you,” Liza says gently.
I clutch the phone tighter. “Promise me you’ll focus on your health and getting pregnant. Don’t let this destroy your dreams. I want a baby for you and Roman.”
Her tone carries a note of weariness. “I can’t focus on anything else until you’re safe and back with us.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and tip my head back against the wall, searching for the right words.
“Nikolai isn’t what you think. He hasn’t abused me. He hasn’t been cruel. I don’t want to be here, but I’m not being tortured or anything. There’s a music room with a fantastic old piano and a beautiful library. His housekeeper has been stuffing me with treats and?—”
I stop myself.
Liza and Roman are silent for a beat, and I wonder what’s happening on the other end of the line. They’re probably exchanging a look, worried I have Stockholm Syndrome and I’ve lost touch with reality, and honestly, maybe I have. Do I sound crazy coming to the defense of my kidnapper? But I’ve seen another side of Nikolai, and it’s confusing. He doesn’t fit into the neat villain box I had ready for him.
It’s Liza who finally speaks. “I’m glad to hear that. It does make me feel a little better.”
“Roman, what if you gave in to Nikolai’s demands? I'm sure if you negotiated with him, he’d let me go and grant me a divorce. Then we can all go back to living our normal life.”
“Fuck, Sofiya, I wish it were that simple. What he’s asking for is impossible. He wants access to our territory, and more than that, he wants the Zhukov Bratva to hold the same power and influence as the Syndicate. It would be like handing him a weapon to use against us.”
“Of course. I understand,” I murmur, and I do, but I feel a strange pull to defend Nikolai, even though I shouldn’t.
“Focus on surviving. Stay on his good side and leave the rest to us,” Roman assures me.
A sharp knock on my bedroom door freezes me in place. Oh shit!
“Someone is here,” I whisper hurriedly. “I-I have to go.”
“Be careful,” Liza begs. “Only call when it’s safe. We’re here for you. We won’t give up no matter what.”
“I know, and I love you,” I add, before hanging up.
Another hard knock has me scrambling to my feet. I shove the phone in the bathroom cabinet, hiding it behind a loofah scrub, before splashing water on my overheated face. “Give me a second,” I call out.
Steeling myself, I take a deep breath in front of my bedroom door. This is it. Nikolai probably knows what I've done. My nails make little half-moons in my palms as I prepare to be dragged kicking and screaming to the dungeon.