Chapter 51
Chapter fifty-one
Alisa
I leaned back against the wall, wishing I could move even further away from Roman.
“Really?” I said. “Then why are you dangling Gemma’s safety if you’re not worried?”
I kept my voice nonchalant, but internally my insides were turning over and twisting themselves into knots. The memories of the last time I was alone in a room with Roman threatened to overwhelm my rational mind.
I discreetly moved my hand out of his view to hide the growing tremor. I couldn’t appear weak to him. Roman was a predator and he’d pounce at the slightest opportunity.
Roman’s scowl deepened, and I bit down on the inside of my cheek to keep from showing how much he was affecting me.
“I’m not the one who should be worried, Alisa. Dmitri might be playing house with you now, but once he gets bored, he’ll throw you out.”
Sadistic light flashed in Roman’s eyes. My mind howled for me to walk right out that door, and separate myself from this nightmare. Instead, I stayed rooted to the spot as he slowly approached me.
“Once that happens, I’ll finish what I started that night.” His finger caressed down my jaw. I tried to flinch away, but I was trapped against the wall with nowhere to go to. “And this time, I’ll give you a reason to scream.”
Images overwhelmed my mind as the back of his hand slowly moved down my throat. Past and present merged as the nightmare of that night threatened to become reality now.
No.
I shoved him off me, and I hated the way he smirked at my trembling body. More than anything, I wished Dmitri was here with me.
The moment I thought of him, the shivers in my body subsided.
“Do you think threatening me is a good idea?” I said, warmth flooding through my body as the memories of the last few weeks swarmed me.
The reminder of Dmitri's dark aura soaked through my fear, and for the first time since I’d entered this room I felt calm.
“One time when a man hurt me, Dmitri chained him from the ceiling and smiled while torturing him,” I said. “What do you think he’ll do to you?”
Roman’s face turned deathly pale. This time it was his hand that was trembling. The implications swarmed across Roman’s face, and I treasured each and every string of discomfort and fear.
“Gemma-” he started.
“If you touch her,” I snarled. “I will track you down and kill you. You’ll always be looking over your shoulder, not knowing if that girl in a brown wig is the woman intent on poisoning you, or just another friendly face at the bar. Do not test me.”
“If you kill me, then the Pakhan will kill you too,” he said, his expression relaxing.
“So be it,” I said, taking a step forward. Shock skittered over his expression. “I will die for the ones I love. Don’t push me.”
Before he could reply, the front door swung open and Gemma waltzed back into the room.
“My landlord is awful,” Gemma groaned, swooning against the door for dramatic effect.
Her head tilted as she took in the heavy atmosphere in the room. “Everything okay?” she said, her expression melting into worry.
“Fine,” I said with a pointed smile at her ‘boyfriend’. “Roman was just leaving.”
“But… why?” Gemma said, her head jerking between the two of us like there was a puzzle she was missing a piece of.
Roman’s expression smoothed, and a warm smile spread across his face. His smile failed to reach his eyes, but Gemma lit up like a sunflower reaching towards its sun.
“I’ve got a busy day tomorrow, baby,” he said, squeezing her into a hug.
It took all of my self control not to throw one of my hidden knives at his fake face.
Roman pulled Gemma in closer while locking his eyes on me. “But I’ll see you soon.”
The evening’s conversations swirled through my mind as I gripped the cold metal subway railing.
After Roman had left, I’d hung out with Gemma, digging out the details on their relationship.
I watched her expression for hints that he’d hurt her in any manner, but whenever she spoke of Roman, her face melted into bliss.
It had made me want to vomit out every detail of how he’d hurt me until it erased that look.
The subway car rattled to a stop, and Natalya’s angry words that it’d been my fault scraped through my mind.
No, Gemma was my best friend… she wouldn’t react that way. Gemma would believe me, but it didn’t change the fact that once she cut ties with Roman, she’d be at risk.
The problem was that the moment Roman lost his leverage over me, he’d likely lash out at Gemma. So instead of spewing out the truth earlier, I’d kept my mouth shut and promised myself I’d solve this.
My body braced against the cold as I stepped onto the platform and walked up the dirty subway stairs into my neighborhood.
A glass bottle shattered to my left. My eyes darted around the dark street of my neighborhood, praying that I wouldn’t have to use the knife in my purse.
Thankfully, I reached my apartment without incident.
I nudged open my propped building door, relief beginning to loosen my tense body. Inside my apartment, I’d hidden cash to get my mother into a safe house in case I ever convinced her to leave my father.
Tomorrow, I’d tell Gemma the truth about Roman, and use that money to place her in hiding.
I reached into my purse and produced the key to my door. I shoved the key in, and groaned when it wouldn’t turn.
Could I have just a little luck today? For fuck’s sake. My friend had tried to kill me, my best friend had a predator toying with her, and now I couldn’t even get into my apartment.
Gritting my teeth, I pushed harder, jiggling the impervious door.
Nothing.
My eyebrows furrowed as I noticed the fresh coat of paint on the door. The landlord couldn’t be bothered to fix our heating issues, but he’d splurged for a new paint job.
Irritation wormed its way through my stomach as I stomped my way to my super’s door. Ignoring the late hour I knocked on the door, half expecting my fist to go through the cheap wood.
The door opened, and an unfamiliar face peered out. I glanced around, suddenly unsure if I’d knocked on the wrong door. But no, a crooked metal sign still read ‘super’.
“Can I help you?” the man asked, leaning casually against the door.
“Who are you?” I asked, blinking past my confusion. “Where’s-”
“We’re under new management,” he said, a bored expression crossing his face.
My slumlord sold the building, and I hadn’t even been alerted. Why was I even surprised? The man refused to pay for life-saving repairs. Of course he wouldn’t make the effort to update his tenants.
“Fine,” I said with a sigh. “Can you let me into my apartment? My key isn't working.”
All I wanted to do was grab the cash, and get back into the warmth of Dmitri’s embrace. A chill crept up my spine at the thought. I’d promised him I wouldn’t leave.
Dmitri was going to be pissed.
I led the new super down the hall. When I stopped in front of my apartment’s door, the super’s eyes widened comically large. My heart started racing before he even opened his mouth.
“This apartment is vacant,” he said.
“What are you talking about?” I forced out, my heart threatening to beat out of my chest and straight into my throat.
“The tenant was evicted. It’s completely empty.”