8. Nikolai
NIKOLAI
M y eye twitches as the sound of her popping her bubble gum ricochets in the car. The gum has long since lost its sweet smell, and I know she's doing it on purpose to piss me off. My hands tighten on the steering wheel as another pop breaks the air.
She twirls her finger in her blonde hair, and I regret showing her any mercy today.
Not only did her clothes selection hit my card with six-figure-plus damage, but she swiped a packet of bubble gum from the counter and said to me with a sweet smile, “Surely, you wouldn’t force me to have bad breath as well as no heels? ”
I’d held my tongue on the fact that it's not the smell of her breath, but that scathing tongue of hers, that gets on my nerves.
Unfortunately for her, she's about to learn that the bratva is not an organization to play with. She’s becoming a little too comfortable with me.
I want her to know that she should fear me, that she shouldn’t push me so far.
But it doesn’t help that I enjoy her antagonizing sharp wit.
And it does nothing to lessen the fact that I have orders to follow, though.
The three cars, including my own, pull up to an estate and wait for the gates to open.
Pop .
My eye twitches again. Even though she has horrible music blaring from the radio, that pop of gum is all I can hear.
The gates swing wide, and we drive down the long driveway toward what appears to be an abandoned-looking mansion wrapped in wild vines. I can sense the moment Sienna becomes uneasy. That confidence she exuded while shopping leaks out of her, and I’m irked to watch it go.
She'll most likely hate me after this.
As she should.
I don’t gain satisfaction in scaring women, even though it’s part of my current job description, but it’s a necessity. And better that it’s me than one of the many men who take pleasure in being cruel to women such as herself.
“Stay in the car until I come to get you,” I tell her as I smooth my hand over my long-sleeve shirt and step out of the car. The two cars behind me come to a stop, and I'm quick to order both carloads to take their posts and guard the mansion.
Andrei comes to stand at my side. “Are you sure about this?” he asks.
I give him a withering look. I don't do well with my orders being questioned. Though, one might consider my behavior contradictory after offering Sienna breakfast and a shopping spree right before bringing her to one of the most traumatizing events that she’ll ever experience.
We both turn to the car, knowing Sienna is watching us from behind the darkly tinted window.
This may very well break her. But my boss was clear in his order that the little doll has to be rattled.
He wants footage for his own entertainment, and most likely to ensure I’m following his orders obediently.
It’s a delicate balance, protecting her from him so she can return to her life as it was before while also honoring his orders.
However, I much prefer to frame this as gauging whether the little doll is willing to step up to the challenge.
“Prepare everything. However, this time, we’ll use a cage. She's useless to us if she ends up dead.”
“Yes, Udav .”
I open the passenger door, and her blue eyes narrow as she blows another bubble with the gum.
Before it can pop, I lean in and pinch her cheeks together. “You’re grating on my nerves, mishka . ”
Her gaze is sharp, her skin smooth, and I wonder what those lips would taste like.
I release her cheeks and lick my lips as I offer her my hand to help her out of the car. And then she elegantly leans over and spits her gum into it.
“Thanks,” she says with a grin, and then steps out of the car, shoving me back with a hand. I stare at the gum, disgusted. “Oh, come on. It's not that bad. I'm sure you've dealt with way worse. You know, with the blood and dead bodies,” she says teasingly.
She looks over her shoulder at my men positioned to stay by the cars.
I glare at each one of them, ensuring that they're quick to look away. Annoyed, I shake the gum from my hand, knowing too well this is all part of her game. A woman like Sienna Falcone, who was raised in polite society, wouldn’t be so quick to spit gum into somebody's hand.
“Where are we anyway? This place looks haunted.”
“You'll find out soon enough,” I reply as I grab her by the hand and pull her toward the mansion as one of my men opens the front door.
On the outside, the place looks rundown and overgrown with weeds. “My boss has particular tastes and interests, including exotic animals.”
I feel her reluctance to proceed, and my hand tightens around hers, all but dragging her into the building. Despite its outer appearance, the mansion is functional and used for a very specific purpose.
Her body locks up, and her eyes dart back-and- forth to the open spaces on either side of the curved staircase. It would appear she has primal instincts after all.
“And what does that have to do with me?” she asks, and although she tries to mask it, I can hear the fear in her tone, spot it in the way her shoulders bunch and her hands curl into fists.
I grip her a fraction tighter, irritated that I care about something like that at all. Instilling fear is often what has my own adrenaline pumping. I live for the scent of it. But with Sienna, it's a mixed form of pleasure, one that I'm growing uncomfortable with.
Andrei stands outside the shiny elevator that stands out drastically against the rest of the home’s older, worn-down features. The elevator doors open, and Andrei waits until we've stepped inside before filling the last of the space and hitting the button to descend.
“Nikolai?” she asks, her tone clipped with the assumption that I've betrayed her. I said I would keep her safe. I did not, however, promise that she wouldn’t experience cruel intentions while in my custody.
When the elevator stops and the door opens, Andrei steps out first. His gaze drops to Sienna only momentarily as I practically drag her out.
We all have our part to play.
She wriggles against my hold as I say to Andrei in Russian, “Is everything ready? ”
“Yes, sir.” He excuses himself, walking over to where the camera’s set up.
Sienna's eyes grow wide as she takes in the bold blue of the glass tank in front of us. Her gaze then darts around the dungeon-like space.
“Nikolai?” she says again, and this time her voice comes out small and weak. My jaw tics at the fact that I’m disturbed by her fear.
Checking to make sure Andrei is not within earshot, I then purposely curve my lip into a cruel smile. “You said you're used to men treating you a particular way, mishka , so I thought I would challenge you with that.”
“I d-don't want to be here.” The tremble in her voice tugs at my chest, surprising me that I’d have such a visceral response. But I know she can do this. Even though she doesn't have much of a choice, I know little dolls like her wait for a chance to break free from their cages.
Her attention snags on the metal cage hanging from the ceiling right before she lowers her gaze to the tank, and the gray and white of the beast within the water. “You have a fucking shark down here!” she yells. “You can’t be serious. I’m not going anywhere near that.”
I pin her with a hard stare. “I didn't think you’d be so weak-hearted. Don't worry; it's not like I'm throwing you in without the cage. You should be comforted by that since this is one of my boss’s favorite places to take care of troublesome people.”
Her eyes grow wide with understanding as my words sink in. The Wolf has particular tastes for entertainment. He's also found a market where he can sell footage of said entertainment. Though this will only be used for his personal enjoyment. The thought of it grates on my nerves.
“Who do you choose to be, mishka , the prey or the predator?”
“You're a fucking psychopath.”
“Yes,” I reply emotionlessly.
What goes unsaid is that I’m the lesser of two evils right now, and it's in her best interest to play nice by taking control of the situation. Otherwise, she’ll be forced into it. Only she can make that choice.