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“Horror suits you, Ptchika,” I taunt softly, taking a step closer. “It makes you look even more exquisite.”
“No way. No!” Tiana’s breath hitches. I can see the realization dawning on her — that her fate is bound to mine, whether she likes it or not. “You can force me to have sex with you – and I hope you’ll realize that I’ll never want to! But have your child? Never!”
I’d expected this reaction from her.
“I’ve never forced myself on a woman in my life, Tiana. And I have no doubt that you are already thinking of ways to get out of here. That’s why I planned some extra precautions.” I glance toward the nearby door. “Dima,” I call. She looks confused until the door swings open, and then her expression becomes one of panic. Half a dozen heavily armed men have just walked in, led by my second in command. Dima Smirnov’s face is stoic as he runs his eyes over her.
“What is this?” she snaps.
“Your new security team.” I sweep a hand. “There is no point in looking for a way out. They will guard every access point. You will never find a way to escape.”
“That’s… You…” She clenches her jaw, and I can almost sense the thoughts crashing around in her head. She’d definitely been planning to find a way out. Too bad. She’s not going to find one. My men will make sure of that. “It doesn’t matter. I still won’t do it. I’ll never have your child!”
I give a small chuckle. “I had considered this response from you, too.” I jerk my head at Dima, who snaps an instruction to someone beyond the open doorway. There’s a sound of shuffling and grunting, and then another figure emerges.
Tiana’s gasp is audible, and she stiffens visibly. Her eyes fly wide with shock as she recognizes the ashen features of the man who’s being dragged in. Even battered and bloody, there’s no mistaking him. Yet it takes a while before Tiana manages to get another word out.
“Please… help me…” The asshole’s voice is tremulous.
“Dad?” Her hands are hovering near her face; one flutters to cover her mouth.
“Daughter,” Theo croaks hoarsely. His hands are bound behind his back, and the beginning of a black eye is forming. “Please. Do as he says.”
She stares at him in disbelief for long moments before she meets my gaze again. “You think this will make me change my mind? This is the man who sold me. My own father! Sold me like a piece of flesh!” Her words come out in a nervous rush.
I shrug. I might have misjudged this hand, but it’s worth a try. “I think you are the type of woman with a conscience. One who would overlook old scores.”
“Well, I’m not!” She juts her jaw out. “You thought wrong!”
“Teetee. Angel!” Theo’s voice cracks. He slants a look at me. “Kirill. You can’t be doing this. The repercussions…”
“There will be no repercussions, Avants. You sealed your fate the minute you booked that air ticket.” I’d known the fucker would jump straight into action. His bags were already packed when my men arrived at the house. Flying the coop. Fucking coward.
“Air ticket?” Tiana turns her focus back to him. “What’s going on here?”
Theo doesn’t say anything. I allow myself to enjoy long seconds of silence before I speak again.
“Your father moved that million dollars into an unmarked account the minute it cleared through the system, Tiana,” I tell her. “He has wrapped up his estate and was planning to leave the country.” It still burns me to realize that I underestimated him. Even as I was luring him in with promises of more money, he was looking at ways to funnel it out from wherever he was heading. The man is more devious - and resourceful - than I gave him credit for.
“What?” She frowns at him. “Leave the country?"
“It’s not the way he makes it sound, Teetee,” he says quickly. “I had business…”
“What business, Avants? Like selling information on my dealings? You didn’t think I’d dig up the dirt eventually?” I eye him coldly. In trying to extract himself from his holdings, he’d unveiled an entire network of subterfuge. Sources who’d supplied him with details that he’d been selling to my rivals. Now I just need to figure out who the idiot’s been working with.
The blood has drained from Tiana’s face. Her throat works as she swallows thickly. I catch the sound of her indrawn breath, and it shudders before she goes on to speak, “Dad… I can’t believe this. You traded me like livestock and then didn’t even plan to stick around to make sure I’d be okay?”
“Of course, I knew you’d be okay, baby.” His tone has grown wheedling. “Kirill Vyronov is a man of honor. He’ll take care of you. I knew that all along.”
“Really?” I scoff. “Because until that closing bid, you had no idea who would be the one making the highest offer on her. Your daughter could be anywhere right now. I just happened to be the best possible outcome.”
“Oh, that’s supposed to make me feel like you’re doing me a favor?” Tiana chimes in, her eyes are flaming when she glares at me.
“Feel whatever you wish, little bird.”
Theo makes a sharp little sound. There is desperation in his eyes. Too bad I don’t have any sympathy for the motherfucker. “Baby, please! Please just make this easy on yourself. On all of us. I’m begging you.” He keeps throwing little looks in my direction. The man may once have wielded some influence in the Bratva, but he’s just been stripped of it. I’m willing to bet he’s feeling naked.
“Begging me?” Tiana’s eyes are venomous as she slants a look at her father. “You mean like I begged you not to do this just yesterday? Like I pleaded with you to consider my future and not send me to this monster, Dad?” She looks unyielding, but when the man holding Theo tightens his grip, and her father flinches, her lips pinch together. “There’s no need to hurt him!” She looks at me.
