Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Irina
Nikolai takes me to a charity event. It’s held at an art museum in the heart of the city. People dressed in all kinds of fine gowns and suits trickle inside.
I had asked Nikolai why we’re doing this and he told me it’s part of the job. To be seen giving back to the community. I think it’s just a way to hide some of his more illicit behaviors from the police but I didn’t comment on it.
After Nikolai gave me an orgasm, he hasn’t done it since.
It’s been two days now. It’s almost like he’s trying to test me.
Trying to get me to beg him to do it again but I’ve been too afraid.
A part of me wants to beg him to touch me once more.
Show me pleasure. But I know the moment I start begging him, I’ll be lost to him forever.
While Nikolai hasn’t hurt me, I still don’t fully trust him and I don’t trust myself with him.
He chose a flowy pink gown for me to wear to this event. It makes me look more like an elegant European princess than a sheltered girl trying to be a woman.
“You look stunning,” he murmurs into my ear as we walk into the museum.
I can’t help but blush. That’s the power Nikolai has over me. His sheer presence and size. “Thank you,” I respond. A moment passes between us. The urge to compliment him is on the tip of my tongue but I can’t get it out.
Then the moment passes.
He leads me further into the museum to greet the other attendees. I don’t know any of the people – which is not a surprise. Though, I do spot Maksim, who’s talking to a pretty blonde. He notices me and gives me a nod. I don’t like him. He sold me out to Nikolai when I had a chance to run.
If I even had a chance. If I even want that chance.
I get lost in the conversation Nikolai is having with a man named Tom about business and stocks and such. It’s boring if I’m being honest. My eyes wander around the room and that’s when I notice my father.
He’s here.
Talking and laughing with a drink in his hand like he didn’t try to sell his daughter off less than a week ago. He still hasn’t given Nikolai an answer to whether he’ll work with him or not. A sudden flare of anger hits me and I can’t stop myself from storming over to him.
“How dare you,” I seethe. The man my father is talking to gives me a concerned look.
“Irina,” my father responds. “Nice to see you.”
“You haven’t given my husband an answer yet but you have the audacity to come here and act like nothing happened.”
“Excuse me,” he murmurs to his friend and pulls me to the side of the room. “Control yourself. You’re making a mockery out of me.”
“You tried to sell me off.” I don’t hide my voice. Let anyone hear.
“You’re acting like an entitled brat, you know that?”
I flinch. I can’t help it. My father’s words will always sting. “How can you be so cruel to me?”
“How can you be so tiring?”
“What’s going on?” It’s Nikolai’s strong voice. In an instant, I feel comfort. I’m not sure if that’s a comforting feeling though.
He places his hand on my low back. “Irina? What did I say? Don’t worry about your father.”
“But he hasn’t agreed to work with you yet.”
“I know. But this event isn’t the place to have this conversation. You promised me. Don’t go back on your promise.”
I rip away from Nikolai. “Or what? You’ll hurt me?”
A calm, cold expression crosses my husband’s face. “Come with me. Ivan, we’ll talk later.” Nikolai takes my arm and guides me down a quiet hallway. “I am disappointed in you tonight, Irina. You promised you wouldn’t let your father bother you again.”
“I can’t help it. He comes here and acts like nothing happened. Doesn’t that bother you?”
“Of course it does. But acting immature is not the way to get there.”
“I wasn’t acting immature.”
“Causing a scene at a charity event is acting immature. Now, I need you to calm yourself down.”
I narrow my eyes. “Or what?”
In one smooth motion, he pushes my front side against the wall and brings his hand down hard onto my back side. Spanking me. He spanked me.
I gasp as my body stiffens. “What was that?” The sting is radiating up my body.
“I’ll continue to spank you like the little girl you’re acting like. Unless you want to stop.”
“You promised you wouldn’t hurt me.”
“A little spanking won’t hurt you. But it will help you control yourself. What will it be, Irina?”
I glare at my husband – the man who was supposed to protect me but he just spanked me like I’m a little girl. “I hate you.”
“Then we’re going to do this again.” He spanks me once more. This time, I can’t stop myself from crying out. The pain is too much. In quick succession, Nikolai spanks me three more times, each time hurting more than the last.
I scream until Nikolai presses his face into my neck. “If you scream, people will think I’m murdering you. Be quiet, Irina.”
“Stop hurting me. Please. You promised.” This is exactly why I didn’t want to trust Nikolai. My father betrayed me and now my own husband is doing the same thing to me.
“I am getting you in line.”
“I am not someone you can control. I am your wife. You promised,” I sob.
Before I even realize it, tears stream down my face.
The memory of that night – the theater, the men in seats looking at me like I wasn’t even human – it still haunts me and I think it always will.
And the cold cruel expression on my father’s face.
How he could sell me off for his own selfish needs.
That’s going to sting for the rest of my life.
“Irina,” Nikolai says in a softer voice. To my surprise, he pulls me into his arms and holds me tight. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“So don’t.”
“A spanking won’t seriously hurt you. No broken bones. Maybe just a bruise.”
“That’s not ok,” I cry. “You promised not to hurt me.”
“And you promised you wouldn’t let your father bother you.
Look how long that lasted.” He sighs and pulls back to look me in the eye.
“I care for you, Irina. I will never break your bones. I will never rape you. But you had to get control of yourself. You were embarrassing me. I told you to leave your father to me.”
“I am not your trophy. I am a human being. And I have feelings and fears and –,” desires. I stop myself from saying the last word. Nikolai doesn’t need to know about that. “I don’t deserve this.”
His eyes soften. “I know you don’t. You never did. But I am not a man to be messed with. You made a promise and you broke it.”
“And so did you.”
He opens and closes his mouth, clearly not knowing what to say, until he nods.
“You’re right. I did. And I am sorry. Now, let’s put this behind us.
We’re going to enjoy this evening. You are going to stand at my side and be a wife I can be proud of.
Don’t let your father get under your skin.
I’ll deal with him later. Now, let’s go. ” He offers me his hand.
The last thing I want to do is take it but I have no choice so with a heavy sigh, I place my hand in his and he wraps his fingers around mine.
An hour later, Nikolai is lost in conversation with a business associate.
My backside is still stinging from how hard Nikolai spanked me.
That just proves it: I can’t stay with him.
I’m not safe. He might say he’ll never hurt me more than a spanking but that could be a lie. He could kill me if he wanted to.
I have to escape.
“I have to use the restroom,” I murmur. Nikolai gives me a long look before he nods. He’s wondering if he can trust me or not. The answer is: he can’t. All because I can’t trust him.
I can feel his eyes on me as I go to the bathroom. The moment I’m inside, I take a deep breath. After splashing water on my face, the cold of it knocks some sense into me. I have to be smart about this. The charity event is filled with people. I can just sneak outside the moment I get.
That is… if Nikolai doesn’t spot me first.
After a few minutes, I poke my head out of the bathroom and see Nikolai still talking to his friend. His eyes are not on me.
The front doors feel like they’re miles away when they’re so close. I can do this. I just have to blend in.
A group of people walk past the bathroom and I take my chance. I walk with the group towards the front doors. They don’t even seem to notice me.
My heart is pounding faster and faster the closer I get…
And then I feel the cool air of the night breeze on my face when I step outside. But I’m not out of the woods yet. I have to get somewhere safe, without Nikolai finding me.
I brought a purse with me so I have some money on me but it won’t last forever. I can’t use any credit cards. Nikolai was kind enough to give me one but he’ll be able to track it. I’ll just have to rely on the couple of twenty dollar bills I have to get away.
I raise my arm to get the attention of a taxi… when I sense someone behind me. With a gasp, I turn around, expecting to see Nikolai.
But it’s not Nikolai.
It’s a man, also in his thirties like my husband is. But instead of being handsome, he’s plain in looks. His lips are too thin and his nose is too crooked. He could be handsome if he tried but there’s an ugly scowl to his face that isn’t helping matters.
“You’re Nikolai’s wife, yes?”
I don’t say a word. Nikolai told me he has enemies. Is this man like Maksim – someone who will tell Nikolai about me – or is he an enemy and will try to hurt me? Either way, I don’t want to find out.
I ignore him and raise my arm again. There are other people on the street, going about their night. I am not alone. If I were to scream, I’d get help.
That’s when I feel something cold press against my low back.
“I will stab you in the spine,” the man says into my ear, shocking me to my core. “If you scream, I will kill you. So don’t scream.”
My mouth snaps shut. I wouldn’t be able to get words out even if I tried.
“Now, you’re going to come with me,” he says. “I saw you tonight with your husband. Then I saw you leave… without him. How foolish of you. You walked right into my clutches.”
“Who… are you?” I manage to say.
“Alexei.” He doesn’t offer a last name. “And you’re coming with me. Get walking.”
I force my legs to move. To walk and not run, otherwise I’ll be dead. Alexei forces me to walk down the street until we reach a black car. He opens the back door while still keeping the knife to my back.
“Get in.”
With no other option, I do as he says, knowing I made a huge mistake in running from Nikolai tonight.