Page 73 of Owned By the Bratva

“Please, I don’t want to die. Mr. Antonov.”

“Save your breath,” I grumble, snatching up Ben’s hand to place over his chest. “Apply pressure. The ambulance will be here soon.”

“Don’t leave me alone.”

“Your fate is in God’s hands now.”

“W-where are you going?”

I rise to my feet, my heart lodged in my throat. “I’m going to get my wife back.”

Chapter 31

Alina

“The cuffs are a little much, don’t you think?”

I’ve been struggling against my restraints for so long the skin around my ankle has been chafed raw. It’s been roughly three weeks since Mother kidnapped me. I’ve been confined to my room ever since, bound to my bed by a long metal chain wrapped around the baseboard. There’s enough slack to let me move about and get to the bathroom, but not enough so I can reach the windows or the door.

“I heard about your little escape attempts,” Mother scoffs. “You won’t be getting away that easily from me.”

“I like a challenge.”

“Don’t get any ideas, you little brat. You’re not going anywhere. Now—eat.”

I glare at the tray of food one of the maids set on the nearby table for me. I’m sure it’s all perfectly edible, but I’m on a hunger strike. I don’t care how much the plate of fresh fruit makes my mouth water, or how fluffy the chocolate croissants look. “I’m not eating until you let me go.”

Mother sneers. “Fine. Starve for all I care. Who knew letting you go with that bastard would turn you into such a spoiled bitch.”

She doesn’t mention him by name, but just the thought of Pyotr makes my heart hurt. I’m desperate to get back to him. What if he thinks I ran away? Surely, he has to know I wouldn’t go back on my promise, right? The thought of him alone at home, wondering what happened to me… I can’t stand it.

“Please,” I mutter. “Please, just let me make a phone call. I just want to tell him I’m okay.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Mother—”

“I have more important things to take care of,” she snaps. “Eat or don’t eat. It doesn’t make a difference to me. Just remember whose side you’re on, Alina.”

Mother storms out of my room, slamming my door behind her. It’s so loud and violent it shakes the entire room, rattling everything from my bones to my eardrums.

I immediately get to work on my restraints. Theremustbe something I can do to get out of this stupid cuff around my ankle. For a brief moment, I contemplate cutting my own foot off, but I doubt I’ll get very far hopping about with a trail of blood behind me.

My stomach cramps. I can’t tell if I’m hungry or nauseated. My symptoms have worsened since I returned to Russia. But no matter how many times I ask Mother to let me see a doctor, she outright refuses.

Her paranoia is through the roof. None of the guards are allowed to talk to me, and the only human interaction I’ve had is either when she comes in to scream at me, or when the maids drop off my food. I’ve been cut off from the rest of the world. Someone needs to warn the Antonovs, and right now, the only person who can do it is me.

I have to get out of here. People are going to die if I can’t warn Pyotr in time. There’s always a chance he’s figured out what’s happened, but I have no way of knowing.

The walls feel like they’re closing in. My options are limited. I’m trapped and I have no one to turn to.

Keep your eyes on me and breathe.

I can hear Pyotr’s voice in my ear. The last thing I need right now is to freak out and panic. I just need to stay calm and clear-headed.

In and out, just like that. Repeat after me: everything’s fine.

“Everything’s fine,” I murmur aloud.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com