Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Lily
I was frozen to the bone. Not even a boiling hot bath had helped warm me up. My whole body felt like it was frozen. Shivers racked my body and left me with no choice but to crawl under the covers to try and warm up.
The overhead light was flicked on, and I let out a cry, half-hiding my face under the quilt when the light assaulted my eyes.
“Turn that off,” I grumbled. “My head is killing me.”
In answer, Greg simply threw the covers off of me. Grabbing my ankle, he flipped me on to my back. I flung an arm over my eyes to shield them.
“Are you getting sick?” he asked, his hand flexed around my ankle.
“Yeah, I think so. The walk home in the storm must have—”
Trailing off, I flinched back when he grabbed my arm and forced it down at the side of my head.
“I know something that will cure you, Lily.” He climbed over me.
His hands pinned mine to the mattress and his thighs were on either side of my hips.
“I have someone coming to meet you tomorrow, Lily. I need you all rosy cheeks and smiles.” Lowering himself over me, he brushed his lips against my jaw and then lower still. Licking along my neck.
Against my stomach, I felt him swell, the thin boxers giving no protection at all.
“What?” I tried to turn my face away when his lips melded with mine, but he was too quick. He forced my lips open and his tongue into my mouth with more passion than he had shown in years.
I’d missed this side of him. In fact, the video and photos I had sent for Valentine’s Day that had caused all of my problems were meant to jump-start the passion between us.
But now with him on top of me, his cock pressing against my belly and his tongue in my mouth, I didn’t feel anything apart from nausea.
Having Greg on top of me disgusted me. Too much had happened between us, and we could never go back to the way things were. I wasn’t even sure I would ever want to. Being with Daniil, even if it was for a short time, had shown me a lot about myself.
“Greg.” I ground out against his mouth. He’d been eating chips. I could smell them in his breath. “Stop.”
He ignored me completely. His hand came up to rub over my breast.
“Stop it.” Tearing my lips away from his, I pushed him off me. “Greg.” I slapped his hand away with a groan when he reached for me again. A half second later, someone knocked on the door, hard enough that I was surprised the door didn’t give in. My heart leapt.
Daniil. It was Daniil. I knew it in my heart. He had come to talk.
Rolling off the bed, Greg was out the door before I could even blink. “Stay there, and I will get rid of him.” He slammed the door closed, and after a second, I heard his footsteps on the stairs and the low grumble of men talking.
Tiptoeing to the window, I peeked downward. It was Daniil. Snow had settled on his shoulders, and he looked angry. He glanced up like he could feel my eyes on him, and I let the curtain fall into place before he could see me.
He was angry. He wasn’t here to save me at all, and I was a fool to think he was. I listened for a while, straining to hear what they were saying, but I could only make out bits and pieces. It did sound like Daniil was desperate to see me, though.
Breathing heavily, I went to the door. I had to talk to him. Even if it was to say a final and proper goodbye. Twisting the handle, I yanked, and the door didn’t budge. I tried again. And the door wouldn’t open. Had Greg locked me in? Why would he do that?
But I already knew the answer. He didn’t want me talking to Daniil. He wanted to keep me far away from my boss. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I waited for Greg to reappear. When he did, he looked like he had won the lottery.
“He really has a thing for you, doesn’t he?” he chuckled. “He’d probably pay millions.”
Slowly, I lifted my head. “Why did you lock the door, Greg?” I asked in a whisper.
For a second, he looked shocked. “To keep you safe from him, of course. We don’t need him any longer, Lily. The man coming tomorrow is,” he chuckled, “twice the businessman Daniil Popov is. You’ll see. I think you will enjoy working for him much more.” He strode forward. “Now, where were we?”
He eyed my breasts.
I crossed my arms around them. “I’m tired and not feeling well, Greg. If you want me to meet and interview with someone tomorrow, then I need my rest.”
He paused, not even a foot away from me. “You might be right. I’ll let you get your sleep. Oh, and Lily.”
I lifted my chin to meet his eyes, but didn’t say anything.
“Don’t mess this up tomorrow.”
The next day, I tried my best to cover the bruises, which somehow seemed to look worse than they had. Keeping my hair loose around my shoulders and pairing it with a thick jumper dress, I gave myself a quick once-over before I tried the door.
Breathing out a sigh of relief when it opened. I paused. I could hear men talking downstairs. One was unmistakably Greg, but I didn’t recognize the other two voices. Nerves settled over me and made me shake, and the relief I’d felt from having the door open disappeared.
Why were they here already? It was early. I’d never had a job interview in my own home before. Everything about it didn’t feel right.
“Are you going to stand up there all day, or are you going to come down and say hello to our guests?” Greg called out mockingly.
Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to smile.
This was just a job interview, and I needed a job.
There was no way we could stay in our little house if I didn’t.
And if I decided to leave, then I would need a steady income as well.
If I left, I would have to downsize, but that wasn’t a problem.
I’d always thought it strange that we lived in a house when a small studio apartment would have done.
Hand on the bannister to steady myself, I took the stairs slowly. Each step made me wobble a little on my heeled boots. Greg met me on the last step. Pulling me into his arms, he walked me into the kitchen.
Two men were sitting at my small round table, both wearing expensive-looking suits and wool coats. One blond and one with dark hair that was greying at the temples. Both turned to look at me as I approached. Their eyes swept over me.
The blond said something I didn’t understand, and the other laughed.
“Gentleman, this is Lily.” Greg gave me a little push forward. “I think we can both agree that she is just what you are looking for.”
“She’s damaged,” The dark-haired one said through gritted teeth. “Who marked up her face like that?” He speared Greg to the spot with his eyes. “You?”
My fiance shrugged. “It’s just bruises. They will heal. It doesn’t affect her value. She’s a very good worker. I promise you, you won’t be disappointed.”
The way he said it made my blood run cold, but I forced the thought away and stepped forward. Holding out my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. My degree is in marketing and—”
“Be quiet.” The dark haired one snapped, and my lips slapped shut. My hand fell to my side. He stepped up to me. So close that I could smell and feel the heat of his breath on my face.
Flicking my hair over my shoulders, he gripped me by the chin and lifted my face to the light. Turning it every which way.
Desperately, I looked at Greg, but he just looked bored.
“Her face is pretty enough. And her body—” Keeping his grip on my chin, he slid the other hand down my side. The tips of his fingers brushed against the side of my breast.
I swatted his hand away. “Don’t touch me.”
His grip on me tightened painfully. “She needs some training. You didn’t break her in for us if she’s still fighting with those bruises on her face.”
Bile rushed up my throat. “Greg, what is this?” My voice shook. Again I tried to break from this stranger’s grip, but it was impossible. An uneasy feeling was settling over me. The realization that this wasn’t a job interview at all made my stomach twist.
“A job. You lost the last one, and this one is,” he chuckled. “A lot more lucrative.”
Why did that sound like a threat?
“Gentleman,” Greg’s tone changed. “She won’t give you any problems. Like I said, she fulfilled her job with Danill Popov, and he’s been around begging for her back.”
“He is scum.” The blond sitting at the table spoke for the first time in English. Spitting on the floor. I wrinkled my nose in disgust.
“Of course,” Greg said smoothly. “But she was his, and she could be yours. The choice is yours, of course, gentleman. There are other people I could contact.”
The blond jumped from his seat. Elbowing the dark-haired man out of the way. He pulled me into his body so hard I cried out. Drawing our faces together, he said something in Russian, and again the dark-haired man laughed.
“He’s not very impressed with her,” he chuckled. “He thinks she is too plain and that she doesn’t have enough,” he made a gesture over his chest,“up top, but the fact that Popov wants her makes her more desirable. We will take her. As long as the medical checks out, of course.”
It felt like all the blood drained from my face. What did he mean medical?
“Of course,” Greg nodded. “I always thought she could do with a little more on top as well. But she never wanted implants.”
He was talking about me like I wasn’t here. And hearing him say that about my body hurt. Daniil would never say I wasn’t enough. In fact, he had always told me my tits were perfect.
“If you tell me where to bring her for her medical, then I will make sure she’s there.”
The blond took my upper arm in a punishing grip. But it was the dark-haired man who answered. The blond seemed to have very limited English.
“We will take her now. The car is waiting, and we don’t like wasting time on assets. Time is money after all.” He eyed me. “I can kind of see what Daniil sees in her. There’s something filthy in her eyes. I think she will do nicely.”
“Stop.” I tugged at my arm. “Wait.” The blond shoved me into the arms of the dark-haired man, whose grip was even tighter. He ground my flesh into my bones so hard I knew it would leave a bruise.
“What is going on here?” I tried to wrench my arm from his hand and failed. He dragged me towards the front door.
“Greg, what is this?” Desperately, I tried to look behind so I could beg him with my eyes.
“A job.” He chuckled. “That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it, Lily? A job that you were good at?” he said sarcastically. “And we both know something you are really good at.”
My legs sagged at his words, giving the dark-haired man a chance to throw open the front door and drag me out into the snow-covered street. A car was waiting at the curb, its engine idling and the back door open and waiting for us.
I came to my senses instantly. I didn’t want to get into that car. Bad things would happen if I did.
“Stop fighting.” The blond stepped into my face, even as the dark-haired one held me firm. “Stop being a brat and get in the car,” he said in thick accented English.
“What he is trying to say, Miss Ridgeway, is that you can get in on your own, or he can break some bones and carry you in. We have a doctor on standby who could patch you up enough for what we need from you. But it would be better for you if you came on your own accord. My friend has certain likes that you probably wouldn’t enjoy.
I wouldn’t make him angry. So what’s it gonna be? ”
I swallowed hard and nodded.
He grinned at me. “Good girl.” Motioning to the car I reluctantly slipped inside and they crowded in after me.
The door slamming made me jump. Which just made them laugh even harder.
This was bad, really bad, because I was pretty certain I had just been sold to some very dangerous men.