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“Son, this is for running away.” A loud bang reverberates through the air before a piercing shriek leaves past Elara’s lips, just as the sweltering hot pain finally hits my right leg.

I stagger but don’t stop.

“Let. Her. Go.” I grit out, forcing the words through clenched teeth.

The second shot drops me to my knees, a grunt tearing from my chest as the bullet tears through my left calf.

Loud and insistent pain pulses, but it’s nothing compared to the sight of her in a cage.

Fuck.

“Sergei, no!” She cries, her voice is the only thing I hear before a heavy metal rod slams into the back of my head.

My vision fractures, blurring as the world tilts, and then disappears as I hit the floor.

THIRTY-EIGHT

Elara

Rage.

Hot, blistering rage tears through me as I stare at Sergei’s unconscious body sprawled across the floor.

My wrists strain against the restraints as I jerk, trying to rattle the thick metal rods yet I fail and fail.

My screams haven’t dulled even though I’ve been screaming for the past hour. Vasily choked me twice so that I’d stop screaming but I do it all over again once I get my voice back.

He tried taping my mouth, then threatened to shoot me, but the thought of dying doesn’t terrify me.

Leaving Sergei alone in his father’s hands does.

So, I stopped screaming.

“Let him go.” I mumble in a low imploring tone, the sound scratching against my raw throat and the words are muddled as they leave my lips. “I’ll do whatever you say.”

That pauses him.

He finishes tying Sergei’s hands, then hauls him up, forcing him onto his knees.

A rope dangles from the ceiling, he loops it around Sergei’s bound wrists and pulls it tight, anchoring him in place.

“Whatever I say?” He tilts his head at me, a vicious glint in his gaze that I refuse to acknowledge and merely nod. “Whatever…” his voice dips, darkening, “I do?”

The innuendo coils through his menacing, sickening tone.

My throat tightens, but I nod again.

“I’ve been trying to fuck you for days and it was this easy to make you submit?” He questions but I’m unable to take my eyes away from Sergei.

I remain silent, my mind conjuring up images of Sergei’s scarred back, and I’ll die before this bastard puts another one on him.

“Will you let me put my baby in you?” Silence.

“My wife ran away.” He adds. “This one seems like a failure.” He jerks his chin towards his son. “I want a fucking heir.” His hand gripping Sergei’s jaw, and an animalistic growl rushes past Sergei’s lips from the movement.

Or the pain.

He blinks twice before opening his eyes, faint traces of blood streaks his forehead, darker now where it’s begun to clot.