Page 61 of Sacred Blood

Gripping my body more firmly, Tano let out a roar and shot hot ropes of come into my ass. His full weight settled on my back for a long moment. I could feel his breath in my hair, his teeth grazing the nape of my neck in predatory little love bites. I floated in our shared afterglow, thinking nothing but that I had never been so happy, never felt so complete…

A tear slipped from my closed eye and tracked a hot trail down my cheek. Would I ever feel Tano’s arms around me again?

“I see you are waking. It is time for my little pet to eat.”

I opened my eyes with a start to see Ivan staring down at me with interest. “Open it,” he ordered one of his men.

When the cage door was open, he reached in and gripped me by the hair, forcing me to crawl out. He didn’t let go until I was on my feet.

“That’s much better. Follow and do as you are told, and everything will be fine. Deny me and I will fuck your asshole dry until you bleed.”

He delivered the warning in such a casual tone that I’d almost missed it. A true sadist. I recalled the brutal beating he’d given his own man, the cold way he’d shouted, No one hurts what’s mine except me. Torture was not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’, and the only question was whether I would survive it.

I followed him, but no guards escorted us wherever we were headed. It was a perfect time to escape, but my body was stiff from the cage and I was afraid to even try to run, knowing that if he caught me—and he surely would—he would make me pay in ways I didn’t dare imagine. The man was capable of anything.

He led me into a private office where a large breakfast for two had been laid out. Not what I was expecting, but I hadn’t eaten since the previous day. I didn’t move, determined not to beg at his table like a dog, but my tummy chose that moment to loudly rumble.

“Sit,” Ivan ordered, pulling out a chair.

I had no choice but to obey. Ivan tucked me in solicitously, then sat opposite me at the table. His huge frame practically swallowed the wooden chair he sat on. He shook out his napkin, folded it over his lap and produced a cruel-looking knife from his inner jacket, using it to point at the food. “Eat.”

“May I ask a question?”

“You may,” Ivan answered, loading my plate with more food than I ate in a day.

“Were those my father’s men that your men kidnapped me from?”

Ivan smirked as he filled his plate from the serving dish, taking enough food for three people. A man that size needed a lot of fuel.

“Dimitri Peskov’s men, I mean,” I amended.

His eyes met mine, sharp with interest. “So you know. Yes. He tried to pull a fast one and get you instead of paying me as promised. No one reneges on a deal with me, as he has since learned.”

I gulped at the implication.

“Are you saying he is dead?”

Ivan speared me with his shark’s eyes. “As you Italians say…he’s gone swimming. Ha! With the fishes.”

My hand shook as I picked up my fork and took my first bite. In spite of the circumstances, the food was delicious and I was hungry. “May I ask another question?”

He chewed his food, giving no indication he’d heard me.

I thought, then cautiously added, “Sir?”

Placing his fork on his plate but holding his sharp knife in his hand, he lifted his gaze from his food to lock on my eyes. “I will indulge you this once. After this, you will only speak to me when spoken to first. Failure to follow this rule will result in a painful lesson.”

I wanted to make a smart remark to lighten the sudden darkness that weighed down my spirit, but defeat settled inside of me, and I realized there was no fighting this. All I could do was play along and pray to God that Tano would get to me before this man made good on his promises.

“Yes, Sir,” I said meekly.

“Ask your question.”

“Uh, do you live here? I mean, will we live here, in the United States?”

His cold face cracked in a colder smile, and if the eyes were truly the window to the soul, in his, I saw myself in chains. “No. We go to my compound in Russia.”

I dropped my gaze to hide the tears that threatened to fall. There would be no escape for me once we were on his turf. Please, Tano, I silently begged. Please, find me!