Chapter 4 - Ninel
My eyes shot open and I sat up abruptly, ignoring the pounding in my skull.
I looked around. The room I was in had nothing but a bed.
Panic surged through me as I scrambled off it, rushing to the curtains in search of a window that might tell me where I was.
I yanked the fabric aside only to be met with boarded up windows.
I rushed to the other two curtains and was met with the same fate.
There were two doors in the room. One led to a bathroom and the other a walk-in closet, each with narrow, high-set windows I couldn’t reach. There was also nothing in the room I could stand on.
Shit.
I didn’t have my phone to call for help and my knife was confiscated so I couldn't unlock the bedroom door. Whoever had taken us must’ve been watching either me or Artyom.
But who were they?
Someone with a vendetta against the Safin family? An enemy of the Rykovs? Or maybe the ghost enemy we hadn’t been able to put a name to yet?
I began to pace, my mind racing as fast as my heart. I was fine, shaken, but unharmed, but was he? They'd always take out the tougher opponent first to get full control.
If I were to escape this room and found Artyom, would he even be able to walk? He was bigger than I was, all muscle. And at least a foot taller than I was. There was no chance I could carry him out on my own.
The more I thought about it, the angrier I became.
Taking both of us only meant more people would be looking, more firepower behind the search.
I had to find a way to reach someone, to send a signal, anything to let them know where we were.
There were no cameras that I could see, which meant I might have a shot at picking the lock.
I tore through the bathroom cabinets, rifled through the closet, desperate to find something, anything, that could help. A loose wire, a forgotten tool, even a broken hanger would have given me a chance. But I came up empty.
Frustrated, I dropped onto the bed, and then it hit me.
If this was a spring mattress, maybe I could use my hooped earring to slice through the top layer and pull out a coil, since there wasn't even a mirror I could break and use as a knife.
If I could bend the coil just right, I might be able to shape it into a lock pick.
It was a long shot, but it was better than sitting here doing nothing.
I stood up, fingers already reaching for my earring, when the door creaked open.
I froze.
The blood rushed in my ears as I took a few cautious steps back, bracing myself for whoever, or whatever, was entering.
It was Artyom.
Relief hit me like a wave as he slipped into the room and quietly locked the door behind him. I rushed to him, wrapping my arms around him, so grateful he was okay. When I finally pulled back, I looked up at him, a thousand questions forming at once.
“Artyom are you okay? Did they hurt you? How did you escape?” I whispered, not sure who was on the other side of the door.
“I'm okay. They didn't hurt me.”
He didn't answer the last question but I was too relieved that he was in one piece to care.
“Do you have any idea where we are and who kidnapped us?”
“Yes, I do.”
“So what are we waiting for? Let's leave before whoever it is realizes that you're missing.”
I moved towards the door but he blocked my path.
“We can't, not yet anyway,” he said calmly.
“And why the hell not?” My voice rose slightly. “Were you able to call for help to come and get us out of here? Are you waiting for them to make a move?”
“No,” he said flatly.
What the hell was wrong with Artyom? Why was he stalling?
I tried to steady my breathing as my fists clenched at my side. I took a step away from him, my eyes lingering on his face trying to figure out what his game plan was.
Something flickered in his eyes before vanishing and a strange chill prickled down my spine.
Son of a bitch.
My breath caught. “It’s you. Isn’t it?” My voice trembled. “You did this.”
A slow, dangerous smirk curled at the corner of his mouth, confirming my suspicion.
Everything inside of me twisted.
Anger surged through me and I tried to move past Artyom to get to the door. But he grabbed my arms and locked them at my sides. That didn't stop me from trying to kick, bite or head butt him.
How dare he kidnap me! This shit was going to break both families! We all trusted him, thought our families had finally gotten the peace we longed for and he pulled this stunt.
Suddenly, Artyom shoved me back against the wall. I struggled, but he was stronger. He grabbed both wrists, yanking them above my head in one rough motion.
His other hand wrapped around my throat firmly, tilting my chin upwards.
My chest heaved and my heart pounded so hard I thought it was going to explode. His face hovered inches from mine. His cold stormy grey eyes locked on mine, making it impossible to look away.
The way he had me pinned against the wall should've felt dangerous but it didn't. It felt intimate and that scared the hell out of me more than him kidnapping me. I remained still under his touch.
My anger began to slip away with every second that passed. My gaze dropped to his lips.
If I tiptoed just a little…I could…
Ninel! What the hell? Snap out of it! This man kidnapped you.
I squeezed my eyes shut to regain my focus but I could feel the heat radiating from Artyom. And his hands on my skin? Almost made it damned near impossible to pull myself out of the fog he had trapped me in.
Come on, Ninel! Focus!
My eyes flew open and I mustered up all the anger I could and launched it at Artyom.
“Let me go,” I snarled through clenched teeth.
He tilted his head slightly. “Do you really want me to let you go?”
“You kidnapped me! Of course I don't want you touching me!”
I tried to twist out of his grip but his grip tightened a fraction. His index finger trailed my jaw line and my pulse raced.
“Are you going to behave if I do?” he growled.
“Why should I behave when you kidnapped me? Let me go! Artyom.”
He leaned into my ear, his breath hot against my skin. “If you don't behave,” he murmured. “I will hurt you in unimaginable ways.”
Though warning signals shot through my nervous system, my thighs clenched together shamefully aware of the part of me that wanted to test him, just to see how far he'd go. But common sense slammed the brakes on my stupidity.
Instead, I laughed and glared at him. “If you really wanted to hurt me, you would have already. You're all bark and no bite.”
Amusement flashed across his face and I dragged every ounce of defiance into my next words. “You want something from me. So here's my advice to you…step the fuck back and start talking. Why did you bring me here?”
Artyom didn't step back immediately. His hands lingered on my skin, before dropping his hands to his side and taking a step back.
“You're right.” His eyes bore into mine. “I do want something from you.”
His eyes flickered to my lips. His jaw twitched before meeting my gaze again.
I folded my arms across my chest as I felt my nipples hardening.
“And you really think that after you kidnapped me I'll do whatever it is you want?” I snapped.
Anything to drown out the traitorous things my body was doing involuntarily.
He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I know you will.”
I scoffed. “When Lev finds out you kidnapped me, he’s going to…”
Artyom raised a finger and waved it at me, cutting me off. “Lev won’t do a damn thing. If he attacks my faction, he violates the treaty, and he'll pay the price.”
“And this?” I bit out. “Kidnapping me isn’t a violation? There’s a clause about causing harm to any immediate family on both sides.”
“I haven’t harmed you, Ninel,” he said coyly. “You’re still in one piece…as long as you do as I say.”
“You sound insane.”
“Do I?” His voice stayed calm. “Lev kidnapped Katya…oh and I heard the real story about Jaroslav kidnapping Vera in Las Vegas. But everyone in the family is okay with that, after all Lev and Jaroslav are “good” husbands.”
My breath caught. “That’s different. They…”
I froze as my words died in my throat. Realization slapped me in the face, and it stung.
“You kidnapped me to marry me?” My voice cracked despite me.
He ignored my question, reached into his jacket, and pulled out a folded paper and a pen.
“Father Gordon has already signed it. So have I.” He grinned but it held no warmth. “All that’s left is your signature. Once I have that I'll get them to make it official.”
“No.”
He raised an eyebrow. “No?”
“I’m not marrying you. Whatever twisted revenge you’re after, think again.”
“Oh, Ninel.” He took a step forward. “You will sign.”
“And why the hell would I?”
“Because unlike your brothers, I don’t play fair.”
“And you think Kira, Vera and Katya will forgive this? That they’ll be okay with their brother forcing me to marry him?”
His expression darkened, and his eyes turned steely grey. “Which sisters? The ones who turned their backs on their faction, their leader…their blood? I don't give a fuck about what my sisters think. Their opinion has never mattered when I've made decisions for my faction, why would I care now?”
“And you’re willing to throw away the relationships we’ve built over the past year? For this?”
“You mean for power and control? For revenge?” He stepped closer. “Yes.”
I didn’t back down. I met his furious gaze with one of my own.
“I built my empire long before your pathetic faction was ever tied to mine. You Safins need us more than we’ll ever need you. After the hits you’ve taken these past two years? You’ve improved, sure. But you’re still crawling behind the Rykovs.”
I stared at him, stunned.
Then his tone turned deadly. “Now, sign the certificate…or I’ll carve up Evie and Alexi and send their remains to their parents, bit by bit, for the next twelve months.”
My stomach twisted. A gasp escaped as my hands flew to my mouth. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t.
Are you willing to risk it?
“Fine.” My voice cracked. “I’ll sign it.”
His lips curved into a cruel smile. “Good girl.”
He handed me the certificate and pen. My fingers trembled as I signed it. Then threw it at his chest angry because of what he made me do.
“If you think for one second I’m here because I want to be, or because I like you…”
“You don’t have to like me.” He said tucking the pen and paper back into his jacket. “Because either way, you belong to me now. You are my wife, under Rykov's protection. And it would do you well to learn your place…quickly.”
He stepped out of the bedroom locking the door behind him.
I sank onto the bed, tears brimming in my eyes. How the hell was I supposed to survive being married to a psychopath like Artyom Rykov?