Chapter 18
Rei Kurosaki
I woke up and it was not my bed.
I sat up too fast and the room spun. Everything was black and red.
My head was pounding as the memories started coming back in pieces.
That guy at the party. His hands on me. Me feeling way too drunk.
Then Dimitri showing up out of nowhere. I did not remember what he did to the guy.
I just remembered him grabbing me, carrying me out, and putting me in his car.
I remembered him saying something about taking me home.
Fuck. Did I embarrass myself? I probably said something stupid. Or threw up. Or cried. I did not know.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand. The floor tilted. I grabbed the edge of the mattress to stay upright.
Wait.
Why the fuck was I naked?
Dimitri walked in with a towel wrapped low around his waist, water still dripping down his chest and abs. I yelped and yanked the blanket up to cover myself so fast I almost fell over.
He smirked and walked closer. “Don’t be so shy. I already saw everything.”
My brain short-circuited. Did we -? Did he? I clutched the blanket tighter around my body, heart hammering.
“Y—you—what did you do to me?!” I stuttered.
He went to the big closet on the other side of the room, opened it, and pulled out a pair of black boxers. Then he dropped the towel.
I yelped again and slapped both hands over my eyes. The blanket slipped off my shoulders and fell to the floor. I yelped a third time, scrambled to grab it, and ended up yanking it over my head like a fucking ghost costume.
Oh my god, I was making a complete fool of myself.
I heard his footsteps coming closer. Then he grabbed the corner of the blanket and yanked it down so my face was uncovered again.
“Don’t hide, little fairy,” he said, amused. “You can stare if you want.”
I swallowed hard, face burning. “What—who wants to stare?!”
He smirked, then ripped the blanket completely off me in one smooth pull. I was naked again. I immediately covered my chest and lap with my hands, curling in on myself.
It was not like I had never been seen naked before. I had gone swimming with Marco. Locker rooms at the gym. But this felt completely different.
He stepped in close, grabbed my waist with both hands, and pulled me against him. His skin was still warm and damp from the shower.
“How do you feel?” he asked.
I could barely get words out. My voice came out small and shaky.
“I… I’m fine.”
He watched me while I was still pressed against him, my hands trapped between our bodies. Then he moved his hand over my hair again.
God, why was he so gentle…
His fingers slid through the strands once more, then his grip changed. He grabbed my jaw tight, tilting my face up so I had no choice but to meet his eyes.
The gentleness was gone.
“Next time you go to a party, you tell me. If you go anywhere, you tell me. Do you understand?”
My chest rose and fell fast.
I wanted to defy him at first - tell him he was not my fucking keeper - but he looked scary right now. I was not scared of him exactly. But yesterday still had my stomach in knots. I could still feel those hands on me.
And Dimitri had saved me.
“Okay…” The word came out small.
He did not let go of my jaw yet. “Do you know who drugged you?”
“No.”
He released my face. “Go shower and get dressed. Then come eat.”
He stood, pulled on black pants and a dark shirt, then walked out without looking back.
I exhaled shakily the second the door closed. My legs felt like jelly as I made it to the bathroom. I turned the water scalding hot and scrubbed every inch of skin like I could erase the memory of that guy’s hands.
By the time I stepped out, I was pink and raw, but cleaner.
No clothes. Of course.
I padded over to the massive closet and hesitated only a second before grabbing one of his black t-shirts and a pair of shorts. His pants would have dragged on the floor. The shirt was huge on me. The hem hit mid-thigh.
It smelled like him.
I walked slowly into the kitchen. It was stupidly big. Dimitri was at the stove.
I slid onto one of the stools at the island without a word.
A minute later he set a plate of pancakes in front of me. I arched an eyebrow. I remembered him saying how much he loved sweets. I was not a fan. Congee, eggs, anything savory. That was breakfast to me. Not this sugar bomb.
I looked at the plate, then at him.
He had cooked for me. I did not want to be rude. So I picked up the fork and started eating.
He sat across from me and demolished his own stack like it was a race.
“Are you coming back to school?” I asked after a few bites.
He smirked. “You miss me, Lyubimyy?”
I furrowed my eyebrows. I had no idea what the hell that meant. Did it mean “fairy” in Russian? He kept calling me that. But it did not sound right. I shook my head. “I’m just asking.”
He hummed, clearly amused. “Yes. I will be. I have to keep my eyes on you.”
I chewed slowly, staring at my plate. I did not know how we had gotten here. From complete strangers to that insane chase through the woods, to daily texts, to me sitting in his mansion wearing his clothes and eating his pancakes.
It gave me whiplash.
I still did not know what he wanted from me. It felt sexual. Romantic? No. He did not do romance. Definitely sexual. But I did not think I liked guys… or maybe I did? Considering I came in my pants because he had a gun down my throat, I thought it might not be impossible. But I was confused.
I had never experienced anything like this before.
“I have to go home. My mom is probably wondering where I am.”
Lie.
She probably had not noticed I was gone.
He finished his food, stood, and carried his plate to the sink. “No. You will stay here until I find out who tried to hurt you.”
“What??” I set my fork down hard. “I can’t stay here. What if it takes days? Weeks? Months? What if you don’t find him?”
“You’re underestimating me. And the decision is clear. You can give your mom an excuse. I’m sure you can come up with something. Although I doubt you need one.”
I stood and brought my plate to the sink too, setting it down harder than necessary. “You can’t possibly hold me here.”
He smiled and turned to face me.
“I can,” he said softly. “And I will.”
***
I stepped out into the long hallway a few hours later, heart hammering like I was doing something wrong. Dimitri was on a call in his office. I had heard his voice through the door, something about “handling it” and “no loose ends.” I did not need to hear the rest. I already knew what he meant.
My bare feet padded down the grand staircase. I half-expected the front doors to be locked. Dimitri was unhinged enough to do it, keep me here like some fragile doll in his dark cage. But when I gripped the handle and turned it, it clicked open.
I slipped outside and immediately understood why he had not bothered with locks.
Holy shit.
Trees. Endless trees. The same forest from that night he chased me with a gun. I recognized the curve of the driveway.
Middle of nowhere.
No neighbors.
If I started walking, I might hit a road eventually… but it would take hours. And that was assuming I did not get lost or eaten by whatever the hell lived out here.
A voice drifted from behind me, amused.
“Trying to run away already, little fairy? I wouldn’t advise it.”
I spun around so fast I nearly tripped over my own feet. Dimitri stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame. Black shirt unbuttoned at the throat, sleeves rolled up, phone still in one hand. He looked unfairly good for someone who had just been threatening people over the phone.
I tried for sarcasm, even though my pulse was racing. “Wouldn’t dream of it. Wouldn’t want a man with a gun showing up between those trees again. I’m still recovering from that particular nightmare.”
His lips twitched. He pushed off the doorframe and stalked toward me, like a predator who already knew his prey was not going anywhere. “Smart boy. Though I think you enjoyed certain parts of that night more than you’re willing to admit.”
Heat crawled up my neck. I rolled my eyes hard. “You chased me through the woods with a loaded weapon. I was terrified.”
“Is that so?” He stopped right in front of me, close enough that I had to tilt my head back to meet his eyes. “Because the way you looked at me when I caught you… and the way you came untouched, didn’t seem like terror.”
I swallowed and changed the subject quickly. “This feels a lot like captivity, you know.”
“Does it?” He tilted his head, studying me.
“From where I’m standing, it looks like I’m keeping what’s mine safe. Someone tried to drug you. Tried to rape you. Forgive me if I’m not ready to hand you back to the outside world just yet.”
I looked away toward the dark tree line, arms wrapping around myself. “Don’t you have places to be? Meetings? People to threaten? You can’t watch me twenty-four seven.”
“I can,” he said simply. “And I will.”
My stupid heart did that flip again. I hated how easily he could switch from terrifying to whatever this was. I opened my mouth to argue, but he did not give me the chance.
“Come on. We’re going shopping.”
I blinked. “Shopping? You’re taking me shopping?”
“Unless you’d rather stay naked.” His gaze dragged down my body, heated. “That option is very much on the table.”
“Dimitri—”
He stepped in closer, invading my space until his chest nearly brushed mine. One hand came up and gently tucked a strand of my silver hair behind my ear.
“Aren’t you scared I’ll run the second we’re in the city?”
“Try it, little fairy. I’ll enjoy hunting you down again. Maybe this time I won’t be so nice when I catch you.”
The threat should have made me bolt. Instead, I blushed so hard my ears burned. I was in so much trouble.
***
He was not lying.
Dimitri actually took me shopping.
The mall was massive. I walked beside him in the new clothes he had already bought me.
Dimitri carried every single bag without complaint.
“You know,” I said as we left the third store, “we could’ve just gone to my house. Grabbed my own clothes. This wasn’t necessary.”