Chapter 9 - Lilia
For the few minutes I was let loose in Gavril’s library, I almost forgot who I was dealing with. I was so happy to have something to read to keep myself centered that I let myself believe he might actually be human.
Then he kissed me. Long and hard, taking my breath away.
Lost in the illusion, completely out of my mind from shock, I didn’t pull away.
Worse than that, I was starting to enjoy it.
No one had ever kissed me like that before.
Sadly, it was probably more accurate to say no one had kissed me, period, but there was the time one of the teenagers who helped unload shipments at my uncle’s bar stole a quick smack when I wasn’t paying attention.
I shrieked, and he got a real smack in the mouth by my cousin Rurik. Needless to say, the experience didn’t leave me quaking like this one did.
And then Gavril just shoved me away and stalked out the door like he was trying to toy with my already shredded emotions. I was breathless with something I couldn’t explain while he was touching me; now I was breathless with fury.
He wasn’t human. He was a beast. My enemy. I couldn’t forget that again.
If only I still wasn’t reeling from the feel of his mouth on mine as I stared at the door he just stalked out of. The lock clicked, and I kicked one of the books I dropped during his surprise attack. Immediately feeling bad, I rescued the first edition of Jane Austen, and sank onto the bed.
I was still in shock, completely unprepared for any of this, especially not a masterful kiss by such a handsome man. It almost seemed impossible that I wasn’t in my own room back at Aleks’s house. Everything seemed unreal.
“Shock,” I said aloud.
That’s all it was. The crazy attraction that had me clinging to Gavril when he kissed me was nothing more than a reaction to shock. People did crazy things when they were pushed to their limits all the time.
Once again, I wished I had taken part in the kidnapping-preparation training that Masha had enjoyed so much when we were kids.
But Masha was Masha, and I was… weak. No one in my family would ever say so, and anyone outside the family would suffer if they did.
There were always different words to describe my personality, which was so antithetical to Bratva life.
Sensitive, delicate, shy. I wanted to believe there was nothing wrong with being the way I am, but now I knew the truth. Now it was too late, and I was trapped with a man who wanted to bring on my family’s demise, and he wouldn’t have any qualms about using me to gain that end.
Still, he hadn’t harmed me yet, and I was alive. That meant there was hope to get myself out of this with minimal damage to my family. Gavril had married me under the guise of keeping me safe, but from whom? His own people?
I didn’t buy it for a minute, but for the moment, I did seem to be safe. Perhaps the kiss he forced on me wasn’t some kind of punishment or warning. Maybe he couldn’t help himself, the same way I couldn’t when I got swept up under the onslaught of all those new, delicious sensations.
Okay, I could use that. I was plenty smart, and if Gavril was actually attracted to me, I could use that to my advantage.
How many books did I have under my belt?
I must have read thousands in my lifetime, many that involved twisting strategies.
All I had to do was think three steps ahead of him, and his physical advantages wouldn’t matter.
I could get myself out of this if I stayed calm.
No more panicking, no more shivering with fear.
After all, a man who had a library like that couldn’t be all bad.
I didn’t believe him for a second when he told me he didn’t like to read.
He already proved he had a bizarre sense of humor, taunting me that he forced me to marry him because it would be fun for him.
I crawled into bed and read until I fell asleep, not exactly confident but no longer a quivering mess.
The next morning, I felt even stronger, and my curiosity rose when there was a big package waiting for me inside my door.
I had slept so soundly that I didn’t even hear anyone open it, another shortcoming in terms of staying on top of things, but at least I was well rested.
The package had several comfortable pairs of pajamas, some yoga pants and tops, jeans and blouses, a few dresses, and shoes and undies.
It was nice to be able to change out of the makeshift wedding dress, the only article of clothing I had, but the sheer amount of items in there made my heart sink.
It seemed like Gavril thought I’d be in this secluded mansion for a while.
After I changed into a pair of perfectly fitting jeans and a soft but plain sweater, there was nothing left to do but wait.
I was successfully fighting panic, but I still wasn’t what anyone would call calm.
Thankfully, or maybe not, I didn’t have to wait long.
The click of the lock had me preparing myself for the worst.
It was only the same woman who brought me food yesterday, informing me I could eat downstairs.
Didn’t matter if I preferred to stay put, she escorted me to the kitchen.
Unlike the rest of the house, which dripped with old-world elegance, everything glossy wood, marble, and rich fabrics, the kitchen was almost space-age modern.
Stainless steel and blinding white granite gleamed from every surface.
Katie would have been drooling to whip up a meal with the high-end appliances.
As much as my natural instincts warned me to scamper back to my room, this might have been the opportunity I was looking for to get away. I’d never be able to overpower Gavril, but I was fairly sure I could take this older lady in a fight.
I was actually considering grabbing the first heavy thing I saw in the kitchen and bashing her over the head when Gavril entered from another door and sat at the table. The lady put a plate in front of him and one across from it, giving me a look that told me I better have a seat.
I didn’t, and Gavril grunted for me to sit down. Reminding myself of my plan, I did, forcing a smile. He returned it with a sour look, almost as if he knew how fake it was.
“Next time, try harder,” he said, turning his attention to a tablet.
“Sorry,” I said, not meaning that either. “Good morning, dear.”
His head shot up at the sarcasm, and he actually looked pleased. “You’re good at that.”
“What? Sarcasm? How kind of you to notice.”
He chuckled. “Yes, very good.”
Okay, this wasn’t going the way I wanted it to. I ate a few bites of a freshly baked blueberry muffin, trying to get my plan back on track. If I was right about him being attracted to me, I should probably stop antagonizing him. He asked me how I slept, and I answered pleasantly.
“Like a baby, thank you.”
He tilted his head to the side, and I assured him I wasn’t being sarcastic that time. “It was mostly because of the books,” I said. “I honestly don’t think I’ve ever fallen asleep without reading before, so that was nice of you to let me borrow them.”
“Someone should read them,” he said, turning his attention back to the tablet.
“It’s an amazing library,” I said. “It must have taken years to collect all those amazing first editions.”
He raised a brow at me. “More like a fat check and a dedicated interior designer.”
“Oh,” I said, starting to feel like I’d have more luck charming a brick wall. Maybe I had been mistaken about his motivation for kissing me.
Silence, while I picked apart a slice of crispy bacon, watching him furtively as he scrolled and ate his own breakfast. My hopes sank, but I ruthlessly bolstered my resolve, crashing forward with another attempt at conversation like a bull in a china shop.
“So, who are your favorite authors?” I asked. God, I would probably have more luck asking him if he was into pottery.
He looked up and scowled. “I told you I don’t read anything I don’t have to. These damn reports give me a bad enough headache when I can go over them in silence.”
I pressed my lips together to keep from snapping that I didn’t ask to be down here. “You really don’t like reading?”
“Not even a little bit,” he said, reaching over and tapping me under the chin. “Close your mouth, you’ll attract flies.”
“Okay, grandpa,” I said, pleased when that crack seemed to hit a nerve.
He was hardly a grandfather, probably barely forty. But I was twenty, half his age. It was impossible that someone who looked the way he did, as strong and tall as a redwood tree, with barely a few distinguished gray hairs at his temples, could be sensitive about such a thing.
“Watch what happens to little girls who push their luck,” he said.
We went back to eating in silence as I stewed with disappointment. Not just because I was hoping to find common ground between us, but because he really was a savage. Who didn’t like to read at all? Even the rowdy, crude boys I knew growing up cracked open a comic now and then.
I didn’t dare say anything more because I truly didn’t want to know what would happen if I pushed my luck. He’d said it with what looked like a hint of mischief in his eyes, but what did I know about his eyes?
Finally, he pushed aside his plate and stood up. “I’m going out for a while,” he said.
I shrugged, not sure what that had to do with me, then instantly drew down my shoulders. “Take me with you,” I said. “Sorry, I mean, can I please go with you?”
He rolled his eyes, and once again I assured him that wasn’t sarcasm.
I really did want to go with him because there was absolutely no chance of escaping this estate that was crawling with security guards.
There might be a chance to slip away wherever he was going, or perhaps someone might recognize me and get word back to my cousins.
He laughed, giving me a knowing look as if he could actually read the desperate thoughts that spun in my head.
“No. Too many people want to take you away from me, and that’s not going to happen.” He tapped my chin again, laughing some more as he strolled out of the kitchen.