Chapter Five
Alessia
I counted the days that passed, using the light filtering through the window in the room where I was locked.
The house was an eerie, abandoned structure.
The walls felt like they were closing in, and the constant creaks only made it worse.
I had heard no sounds of life since my capture—only the occasional rustle of wind against the brittle windows.
A man also came once a day to deliver food and water. In that isolation, panic continued to claw at me.
But on the third day, everything changed.
The door creaked open, and Artur walked in with two men.
My heart skipped a beat as I sat up against the headboard, my throat tight with fear.
His eyes locked onto mine, and an overwhelming sense of dread flooded me.
He motioned for me to stand and follow him, and in that moment, all hopes of my parents finding me were shattered.
I didn’t know where I was or where the hell they were taking me.
But I didn’t dare ask questions as we left the room.
Cold air rushed at me when we stepped out. One man yanked me by my arm when I stumbled, pushing me toward a car and forcing me into the backseat.
We drove for twenty minutes before pulling through an enormous gate.
Artur stepped out first, and a man helped me out of the car.
Only then did I realize we were in a new location.
The elegant mansion loomed before me, its grand entrance framed by marble pillars and pristine landscape.
It radiated nothing but power and wealth, yet another prison for me.
Artur walked ahead, and his men flanked me on either side. I clung to the hope that someone would come for me. But even as that thought ran through my mind, I didn’t believe I would get lucky. It wasn’t just the situation, but Artur as well.
We reached a large door, and he opened it. On entering inside, he paused, and so did the men beside me. He turned to me with the same dark aura I saw the first time we met. His gaze made my knees weak, but I forced myself to hold my ground.
“Take her to my office,” he ordered, his voice a low growl.
The men nodded, and without another word, Artur strode down the hall. Even as he walked away, I could still feel his presence. The men led me in the opposite direction. We arrived at the door of what I could only assume was his office, and they shoved me inside.
They left without a word, leaving me alone in the office.
I was once again a prisoner. The room was as imposing as the exterior of the house.
A desk sat at the center with a dark leather chair behind it and countless pictures on the walls.
The weight of everything here pressed down on me, each item designed to intimidate me.
The door clicked open before I could fully process my surrounding. I turned, hoping it was Artur, but another man stepped inside. His grin was far too wide, almost predatory, and my gut twisted at the sight of him. I took a cautious step back. Something about him sent a chill down my spine.
“Well, well, well,” the man said with a voice that didn’t match the situation. “Look what we have here.”
He shut the door behind him and shoved his hands into his pockets.
He stood taller than me, but shorter than Artur, and his black tee did little to hide his muscled body.
His hair was damp, sticking to his forehead like he had just come from the shower.
There was something too relaxed about his demeanor.
I could tell he knew he was in control here.
“Fuck. She is a gold,” he muttered in his thick Russian accent, his eyes scanning me with disturbing interest. “I’m Renat, by the way. You must be worth a fortune.”
The panic returned, flooding my chest. I swallowed and tried to steady my breath, hating the way he looked at me like I was nothing more than a prize to be claimed. I stayed put as he closed the distance between us.
His hands landed on my shoulders, and I cringed. “How much did he buy you? You must be worth a fortune if he bought you when we still have a ton of bitches waiting to be sold.”
The words hit me like a slap, but I didn’t react. I couldn’t let his comment tear through me, but my foot instinctively shifted back as I took in his words.
“What do you mean?” I asked. Every part of me was on edge as I fought to hold myself together.
I didn’t know what this business was, but I hated every second of this conversation.
He raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in his eyes.
“Wait.” Moving toward the desk, he sat on it and crossed his arms. “Didn’t they explain your reason for being here? That’s sad.”
“You have the wrong person,” I said, hoping this one would listen and believe me. “I’m the wrong person.”
But his gaze sharpened, and a smile spread across his face as he leaned back. “It’s been a month since I heard they were stalking an important enemy.” My stomach twisted, but I stood firm. “And here you are, right in our hands. Wow, my brother is one of a kind, don’t you think so?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. They found me at Marco’s house, but I’d done nothing wrong. The image of the chef’s lifeless body flashed in my mind, and my steps faltered. These men were dangerous.
“What did I do?” I asked, forcing myself to meet his gaze even as my heart raced.
Exhaling, Renat stood and covered the gap, looming over me. “I like your type. When the boss lets you join the other goddamn whores, I will make you mine.” He ran a thumb over my chin, and I flinched. “You look fresh and edible.”
The urge to shove him made me fist my hands at my sides. Anger pulsed through me, but I kept my face stoic.
“I love sluts like you. They are sweet in bed.”
“I’m not a slut,” I spat at him.
Before he could respond, the door flew open. Artur stepped inside, his icy stare shifting from Renat to me. I didn’t let my relief show, but the air shifted.
Renat turned to him. “I like this one,” he said, taking a step toward Artur. His gaze flickered back to me. “Let me know when she’s free.”
Artur didn’t glance at him. “Leave us.”
Renat left the room, leaving me trapped in suffocating silence. I despised Artur with every fiber of my being, yet he was the one holding my fate in his hands. I needed answers.
Artur’s gaze lasered into me, his expression so void of emotions that it made me coil. “Until your parents deliver what I demand, you remain my property.”
Property? I wanted to protest, to say this wasn’t fair, but I knew better. My voice meant nothing here.
“One slight mistake and I won’t hesitate.”
I stayed still, gripping the hem of my dress as if that could anchor me. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Artur’s expression darkened. “Shut the fuck up.”
I stepped away, biting my lower lip to stop any sound from escaping.
A sharp knock echoed through the tension, and the door swung open. Renat came back, and this time, anger was evident on his face. His glare locked onto me, and something told me this was bad. It was like he discovered something about me that he didn’t like.
He turned to Artur. “She is Marco’s girl?”
Artur didn’t answer. He didn’t even look at me. Marco. My Marco? He was the reason I was in this mess?
What was Marco involved in?
How well did I really know him?
We met in my father’s office, and the moment our eyes locked, a spark ignited between us. It could’ve been his captivating smile, his playful winks, or the fact that he was an Italian in LA. In a city where finding someone who shared my heritage felt like an anomaly, that connection was rare.
Renat’s lip curled. “I will have her,” he said. “I’ve been working on Marco’s case.”
Flutters stirred in my chest the instant I laid eyes on Marco.
We connected, and soon we were dating. While I knew he handled his family’s business, the details were vague.
As long as he kept up a legitimate job, I didn’t pry.
The beach house was the only other property I knew he owned, and if he had siblings, I was none the wiser.
I played the role of the innocent girlfriend, content to let him tell me things at his own pace.
But now, I was paying the price. What kind of girlfriend didn’t know the source of her man’s wealth, or whether he even had siblings?
Artur exhaled as if bored with the entire situation. “Get her out of my face.”
No one needed to tell me. My life was in danger, and it would only get worse if Renat got his hands on me.
“You’ve got the wrong person,” I tried again. “Please.”
Artur scoffed. “Get her. Out. Of. My. Face.”
The reason for my kidnapping, for all this chaos, seemed to center on Marco. Artur’s venomous attitude toward him revealed a bitter enmity. And anyone connected to him was a target. But what did Artur want with me? I had no answers. I should never have broken up with Luca.
Renat nodded toward the door, a silent order for me to follow him. I glanced at Artur, hoping he would change his mind, but the man didn’t look my way. Renat opened the door, and I followed. He led me down a dim corridor, deeper into the mansion. Renat seemed to dominate this part of the house.
People bustled around us. Most men wore black suits, while the women were in black skirts and white blouses. Everyone moved with the same precision. The entire place buzzed with a strange, silent energy. A world where obedience reigned and freedom felt like a distant memory. A gilded prison.
Renat stopped abruptly, and I almost collided with his back. We had arrived at a door, and without a word, he grabbed the doorknob and shoved it open.
Something felt off as we entered the room.
I hesitated, and Renat noticed. He dragged me inside, and I stumbled forward, biting back my frustration.
I regained my footing with a gasp. My gaze locked onto the naked woman standing by the bed.
My heart lurched, and I turned back to Renat, the sting of humiliation creeping up my neck.