26. Anya
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
ANYA
Iblinked as the world came into focus, finding myself in a bright room with elegant pastel walls, a sophisticated sofa, a cozy bed, and my puppy sleeping peacefully and comfortably at my feet. I stretched and craned my neck, my eyes landing on… my Kindle.
What the actual fuck. The lunatic stole it.
All remaining drowsiness vanished as I swung my feet onto the plush carpet. I was still in the same pajamas I put on before I went to bed after my night of clubbing.
My gaze scanned the room, looking for any sign of my phone. I checked beneath the pillows, inside the drawers, under the bed… nothing.
Refusing to give up, I searched every corner of the bedroom.
The furniture was expensive and beautiful.
The decor was exquisite. There was a door that led to another room which I suspected was Jetmir’s.
I promptly shut it down and locked it from my side, leaving the key in the door.
The bathroom was immaculate, stocked with my favorite toiletries.
The walk-in closet was neatly arranged with rows of clothes, shoes, and accessories, every item matching my size.
Everything I could possibly need was here—everything except the one thing that mattered.
I had no way to tell anyone where I was or ask for help. My connection to the outside world had been deliberately severed.
“Of course that psycho ex-husband of mine would grab my Kindle but not my phone,” I muttered, although a small part of me—a very stupid part—gushed over the fact that Jetmir remembered how much I loved to read.
“Stop it, Anya,” I scolded, giving myself a light slap on my cheek. I needed to get back to my senses.
Okay, now let’s think rationally.
My ex-husband kidnapped me. Okay, I would deal with him. Maybe it was time I freshen up my baking skills. I winced, remembering what happened last time.
Nah, no cooking this time. It would make him suspicious. Besides, my goal wasn’t to kill him. Yet.
I took a quick shower, brushed my teeth and hair, then selected a yellow sundress. After I was ready, I looked at Dozer.
“Do you want in on making that psychopath pay, baby?” I murmured. His reply was a lazy yawn. Damn it, this one time I wish I had a killer dog. Not a cat disguised in the body of a dog.
I opened the door and stepped into the hallway, my eyes widening as I took in the Latin motifs and landscape paintings. Dozer rushed out, not bothering to wait for me, and of course promptly disappeared. He acted like he was at home here.
Maybe he was, I thought begrudgingly. My sneaky husband must have planned everything, including how to keep my dog docile.
After walking for a while, I reached a patio that overlooks a cozy living room downstairs. My fingers curled around the wooden railing as I descended the marble stairs. There wasn’t a soul in sight, and without thinking twice, I rushed to the entrance.
To my surprise, the double doors were unlocked. I threw them open and immediately slammed into a hard chest. I looked up to haunting eyes swallowing me in their dark depths, burning with the promise of everything I shouldn’t want.
There’d been times when I found Jetmir a little bit frightening, a little bit asshole-ish, but this was the first time he felt… intimidating. And so damn sexy.
My breasts crushed against his chest and my nostrils filled with his cologne. His broad shoulders and muscled physique were intimidating but they were nothing compared to the aura that surrounded him. It was in the way he stared at me that had the blood in my veins sizzling.
A shudder rolled down my spine while desire flickered in the pit of my stomach.
I firmly shut it down, but my body refused to chill.
I guess it was a result of no sex since I left Jetmir.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want sex. Oh yeah, I definitely wanted it and needed it.
But somehow, I couldn’t imagine myself with anyone else, and it was impossible to replicate the feeling of all-consuming lust. So I stuck to my smut books and swore off all men.
Jetmir stood dressed in his usual attire. Expensive slacks and white dress shirt, although his tie and jacket were missing. He didn’t need them.
Less clothes to take off, my mind whispered, and I immediately shut down the images that flashed through my mind.
Funny though how quickly that resolve could dissipate. In fact, as I stood here in front of him, I fought the urge to jump the man and cash in on all the sex I’d been missing for the past three years.
But I didn’t. Thank God I still had some self-respect. Not much, but enough.
I inhaled deeply, his cologne invading my lungs, and stepped back, not-so-subtly forcing distance between us.
Jetmir’s gaze dipped to my breasts, then down to my waist and legs where the hem of my dress pooled. I thought his ruthless eyes would set me ablaze before he slid his attention back to my face.
“Good morning, angel.” His deep, rich voice always did something to me and I feared it would be harder to resist it on this secluded island. “Did you sleep well?”
I glared at him, only then noticing Dozer was at Jetmir’s heel, watching him adoringly. Tiny, adorable traitor.
I took another step back. “Where have you taken me?”
“Somewhere no one will find you. Not even your papa and brother.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re my wife and we have some unfinished business to attend to.”
My temper flared, but I forced myself to remain calm. “Stop calling me your wife. Our marriage was annulled.”
His expression, cold and callous, took on a sinister edge.
“Was it?” I nodded. “Are you absolutely sure?” I nodded again, but this time there was some hesitancy to it. “Did you get the final decree?”
My mind whirled through documents I’d had to sign, the endless conversations with my papa and the lawyer, and I realized… I never did get it. But surely my papa would have followed up. Right?
I stared into Jetmir’s cruel eyes. They still fascinated me, but now I knew, at his core, he had no morals. And although I figured that out three years ago, this was the first time it’d slapped me across the face.
It took all my strength to keep myself composed as I spoke. “You have no idea what shit you’ve started, and once my papa realizes that annulment isn’t complete, he’ll be sure to get it done. Even if it means ending your life.”
He smiled cruelly. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you, wife?”
I should have, but the thought of Jetmir dead had never sat right with me.
“Your death would certainly make everything easier,” I lied through clenched teeth. “I want to go home.”
“This is your only home. Get used to it.”
“So now you’re resorting to kidnapping,” I gritted. “Isn’t it enough that you lied to me, married me without telling me who you really are, and blinded my brother?”
He smiled coldly. “And if you recall, you resorted to poisoning me, but you don’t see me droning on and on about it, do you?”
I flinched at the dispassionate way he uttered those words while the cruelty and bitterness radiated off him.
My gaze strayed sideways in search of an escape, and I contemplated the next steps. It made no sense to run off. Unless there was a boat magically available, there was no way off this island. Maybe I could swim, but I didn’t know how far the nearest coastline would be.
No, my best option would be to play along and scope out this place. For the time being, I needed to get the hell away from him before I really did murder him.
I was so caught up in my thoughts that I missed Jetmir taking a step toward me. By the time I looked up, it was too late. His hand wrapped around my throat. When I tried to look away, his grip firmed up as he squeezed gently to force my attention back.
“You’re mine now, my angel, and we’ll get back to what’s important. Us and our marriage.”
My hands came up to rest over his, my nails digging into his wrist. “There is no us. Please, Thorne… stop this.”
His fingers brushed over my pulse, his touch warm and surprisingly gentle. “I love when you call me that. You’re the only one who does.”
I pursed my lips and said, “I’ll be sure to stop.”
“Then I’ll work harder at making sure your only thoughts are of my tongue in your pussy rather than what name to call me,” he drawled, confidence oozing from him.
My whole body heated and I was pretty sure my cheeks turned crimson.
“You and I are meant to be and you know it. If I have to, I’ll keep you against your will until you realize that. ”
My heart tore at my chest, desperate to run to him. Despite the pain breaking me apart, I firmly shut it down. There was no future for Jetmir and me, and it was time he saw it too.
I stared into eyes that once anchored me and said calmly, “There’s a big difference between love and lust, Jetmir.” I made sure to use his first name. “You can keep me prisoner as long as you want, but that won’t change our past and what you’ve done.”
Tension rolled off his body as his harsh breaths filled the space between us, stealing air from my lungs and suffocating me.
“Stop using Gabriel as an excuse,” he gritted. “This is about us.”
I scoffed, beyond certain he would never understand. Our families had been caught in the crossfire due to our actions. There was no coming back from that.
“You’re right. This is about us. We fucked up. Both you and me. We can’t go back in time, but we can move forward—apart. The only way to achieve that is by disentangling our lives.”
His hold around my throat tightened. “That won’t be happening. It’s you and me until death do us part.”
I struggled with my emotions. I didn’t know whether I should panic, scream, or just be resigned. In the end, I didn’t do any of it. The truth was that I was too damn tired of this man’s stubbornness. My family thought the Santoses were hardheaded. Jetmir took the cake in that department
Nothing I did or said would change this man’s mind. It would seem one of us would have to come out scathed from this and it sure as fuck wouldn’t be me.
“Fine, Jetmir, have it your way,” I murmured slowly. “You promised me a tour of the house and the island. Does the offer still stand?”
He eyed me warily, but I kept my resigned mask on and waited.
“Yes,” he finally said. “Let me show you around, but first…”
He trailed off while I followed him through the house, my mind working furiously. I would end this ill-fated relationship one way or another before any more members of my family got hurt.