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With a grunt of annoyance, I stand up from the tub. Water trickles down my body in rivulets of ice-cold water. The maid watches with wide eyes as droplets chase down my ribcage and disappear into the “V” at my hips. The maid’s eyes widen even further in surprise as she sweeps a look up and down the length of me, then licks her lips.
“Sir…” she husks out. Somehow, there’s an invitation in that one word.
“The towel,” I growl at her, then watch as she scrambles for the cloth on the rack and hastily hands it over. As I wrap the towel around my waist, I shoot her a glare that sends a clear message: she’s on thin ice. “Tell Svetlana I’ll be there in ten minutes,” I growl, and the maid nods, her eyes downcast. She scurries out of the room, her cheeks still flushed.
I stare after her, perplexed. There’d been a time she’d have been bent over the tub right now, screaming my name. Today is not one of those days.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
Chapter 17
Sophia
TODAY’S THE day.
I scrutinize my reflection.
The woman in the mirror may look like me, but she’s a goddamn stranger, an imposter. My outfit is chosen with surgical precision, aiming for inconspicuous yet competent – a simple black dress that grazes my knees, paired with practical flats. Hair yanked back into a no-nonsense bun, makeup barely there. I want to fade into the background, be a fucking ghost, but the sense of exposure, the vulnerability, is too goddamn palpable.
Shit! I’m smack-dab in the middle of a freakin’ Russian Bratva war.
My pulse races as I gear up for this godforsaken interview. An interview that might just toss me back into the treacherous world I’ve been desperately trying to evade. The gig as a nanny at Luka-fucking-Ivankov’s mansion – the one man I hoped never to cross paths with again.
Or do I really hope not to?
“Get a move on.” Aleks’s voice behind me oozes malice, his final warning echoing in my ears. “Don’t you dare screw this up, Sophia. You’ll get the job, and you’ll be my eyes and ears. And remember, if you even think about lying…your precious brother won’t see another fucking sunrise.”
I shudder at his threat, knowing he means every word. But what he wants from me isn’t clear yet. Aleks leans in as if reading my mind, his voice a sinister whisper.
“You’re going to get close to Luka Ivankov, little doll. Real close. You’ll worm your way into his life, gain his trust, and report every dirty little secret back to me.”
“But- how the fuck do I know if Nilo is still alive?”
A malevolent grin spreads across Aleks’s face. It’s clear he’d anticipated my question. He snaps his fingers, and one of his men dials a number on his phone, connecting us to a video call.
At first, I can’t make out the person on the other side of the video, but then I hear a mumble, and my heart lurches. It’s Nilo, my brother. He’s stick-thin, a shadow of his former self.
“And Wren?” I demand. “What have you done with her?”
“I’ll share that information when you have more details on Ivankov for me,” he replies snidely.
“You fucking bastard!” I scream at Aleks, my vision blurred with tears.
Nilo’s eyes meet mine, but he can’t find the strength to speak. I break down, sobbing uncontrollably.
Aleks chuckles, a cold, evil laugh. “Isn’t this touching? The love you two have for each other is truly heartwarming.”
I feel like a rabbit caught in a snare, my heart pounding, my body trembling, knowing there’s no escape from the hunter’s lethal grasp. But I can’t let my brother die like that, so I steel myself for the inevitable, preparing to be swallowed whole by the darkness that surrounds me.
Aleks’s eyes narrow as he issues one last warning. “Oh, and just so we’re clear, Sophia, if you even think about breathing a word of this to anyone, everything you love will die. And I’ll make sure you watch it all burn to ashes.”
I grit my teeth, staring back at him with defiance burning in my eyes. “Fine. I’ll do it. I’ll be your fucking spy.”
The satisfaction in Aleks’s eyes is sickening, the smug grin on his face a reminder that I’m now trapped in his twisted game. But as long as my brother is alive, I’ll need to make sure I give what Aleks wants.
“Good girl,” Aleks sneers. “Remember, I’ll be watching your every move.”
I take a shaky breath, trying to steady my nerves. “How will I get in touch with you?” I ask, desperate for even the smallest semblance of control.
