Chapter 9
A ngelina
Waking up in Viktor’s arms held a different meaning this morning.
Muscles I didn’t think I’d ever used ached, and my centre was sore.
Viktor had gently washed me after we had sex last night, and I’d fallen asleep in his arms. My plan to get rid of my virginity had worked, but unfortunately, it faced a major flaw.
My stupid heart was already warming to the man currently wrapped around me.
Apart from the fact that he knew what he was doing in the sex department.
I still didn’t know anything about him. That wasn’t an issue when this was supposed to remain a transaction, but having him care for me after being so intimate last night had set up feelings I didn’t want to face in the cold light of day.
“How are you feeling?”
“A bit sore.”
Viktor kissed my neck from behind and shifted his body so that his hard cock was wedged against my backside. I squirmed, wondering if the pleasure was worth making the soreness worse.
“You’ll need a few days to recover,” he said.
A sharp rapping on the door made me jump.
“Rise and shine, Stefanov,” Nik shouted from outside.
My stomach dropped. Stefanov? Didn’t I hear that name at the auction?
“Fuck off,” Viktor shouted.
“You told me to wake you at nine if you hadn’t appeared,” Nik huffed, and his footsteps receded.
Viktor rolled me onto my back and loomed over me.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as he studied my face.
I froze. I’d never been any good at schooling my expression. Rada once tried to teach me to play poker, but she said my face was too honest. He raised an eyebrow.
“Your name is Stefanov?” I blurted.
Viktor’s eyes closed briefly. “Yes.”
“But… they said the Stefanovs were in charge of the people who took us?”
“My father runs the trafficking.”
My chest tightened, and I scrambled away from him.
“So you weren’t at the auction to buy; you were there to oversee it!” I accused.
A pulse pounded painfully in my temple. His arms closed around me, and he hauled me back against him.
“No running. Just listen.”
I batted at his hands, but he trapped them at my sides, his strength overpowering me.
“My father is scum and I’ve been working to shut the trafficking down, but it’s not simple.”
I gave up struggling against his hold. “Why should I believe you?”
“Because I can help you find your sister,” Viktor said.
I opened my mouth to speak, but he pressed a finger against it. “We’ll talk about this later. I asked Nik to wake me because I have a meeting I can’t miss. Later, I’ll explain it all and we’ll make a plan to find your sister.”
My mind reeled, but I nodded numbly. I was so stupid.
Viktor got out of bed and dressed. I played with the edge of the sheet, remaining in bed, trying not to let my face betray how I felt. He leaned over, and I forced myself not to flinch as he kissed my forehead.
“I’ll see you later. Nik will bring you some food.”
He closed the door behind him, and I didn’t miss the telltale click of the lock. My stomach sank. Why did I think I was in control of this situation?
It was dark outside again, but instead of waiting naked in bed for Viktor to return, I was pacing restlessly, paralysed by indecision.
I’d pulled on all three outfits Viktor had provided me, as I didn’t have a rucksack to put them in.
As a result, I’d thrown open the balcony doors because I was sweating through all my layers.
Part of me wanted to wait and see if Viktor really would help me find Rada; the other part, which realised I’d fallen into bed with a criminal connected to, and possibly the reason we were taken in the first place, urged me to run.
But because my stupid heart was involved, I vacillated.
Another consideration was whether I should run now or wait until Viktor was asleep, risking that he might hear me versus the potential he might see me climbing down the side of the house as he returned.
I moved toward the balcony, weighing my decision for the thousandth time.
The bedroom faced the back garden, so he wouldn't see me even if he drove up to the front during my descent. I could hear the noise of a road in the distance, so it couldn’t be that far away, but I didn’t know which direction to go in, and I needed time to get away.
What would Rada do?
She wouldn’t stand around here procrastinating , a nasty voice reminded me.
That settled it. I stepped out onto my balcony, and the wind picked up the ends of my hair.
Gulping, I threw my leg over the wrought iron balcony and moved to stand on the ledge.
Gripping the metal, I reached for a piece of the wood trellis and ivy with my other hand and nudged my foot lower to find a foothold.
The ground looked further away in the darkness, and my hands shook slightly.
I reminded myself it was just like climbing the tree in my grandparents' garden, and I took a deep breath, moving my other foot onto the wall as well.
I pulled at it, but the handhold remained firm.
I let go of the balcony and grabbed an exposed piece of wood.
It snapped in my hand, and I scrambled to grab a chunk of ivy as one of my feet slipped.
The plant came away. My left hand tightened as I dropped.
To my horror, that gave way too. I screamed as my stomach lurched and I fell toward the ground.
Pain crashed into my side, and everything went black.