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“You’re in no position to play hero, bratva scum.” I could feel cold metal digging into my side along with the scathing voice of a guard.
“Hey! Put your damn piece away! You know what Lady Qing’s orders are. She’s already not happy with how scuffed up he looks, don’t make it worse. Just forget the bitch, she’s not worth the trouble right now, or go to a different cage.” Another guard scolded the one who attacked me, pulling him off and shoving him away from me.
With a scowl, the guard who attacked me gave my midsection a firm kick and spat on my face before trudging off to a different caged area. “You’re all going to pay for this.” I seethed through gritted teeth, glaring at the other guard who had a new victim by her hair. I couldn’t do anything to save her because she was in a different area, which made the rage boil in me.
Warily, the girl I saved crawled over to me and slowly wiped the spit off my face with her ratted up sleeve. Whether she knew English or not was unknown to me, but she spoke to me in Russian. “You’re with the bratva?” The girl sounded scared, not like I could blame her.
Switching to my native tongue was an easy feat. “Yes, but I won’t hurt you. I’ll get you all out of here and back home.” The strike was tonight, so I had to hang on until the calvary got here.
“No, I don’t want to go back home. Please don’t send me back home, they’ll just sell me again.” Another girl spoke frantically, drawing my attention to her by scurrying backwards into the wall.
“Then you won’t go home. Those who do want to go home will be provided a safe means of return, but those who want to remain to make a life here will receive the proper help as well.” It would be a huge mess, but I rather go through the trouble and make sure these people don’t end up in the same situation again. Immigration and papers were going to be a bitch to work with, but I would rather them remain than to send them back to their captors and sellers.
“How are you going to save us if you’re stuck here with us? Why are you even helping us?” The girl who wiped my face asked with a frown. “You’re with the bratva, so why?”
Looking at the guards, I could see they paid no attention to us. So, I responded in a hushed voice, “We’re not all bad.” Ironic given the illegal nature of our business. “My people are coming, so we just have to survive until they breach. As for why I’m helping, it’s because I don’t condone human trafficking or anything of that nature. It’s also just the right thing to do.” Again, hilarious coming from me. Talking about what’s right or wrong being in the position that I am, how ironic.
Sitting back on my hunches, I looked around the area, counting the number of guards, noting their positions and equipment, comfort habits to try and control what I could of the situation.
I assumed this to be the holding area, considering the amount of cages and people in them. The cages weren’t big, each section being maybe around 20x20 with multiple people crammed in.
Leaning against the cage door, I eased my weight into it, listening to the hinges creak and feeling the slight give.
If my hands and ankles weren’t bound then I could do it. Bust the door down, steal a guard’s gun, shoot my way out. If they were under orders not to harm the prisoners then I should be safe, in theory.
As tempting as the idea of escape was, it wasn't feasible the more I thought about it. I had no idea how the situation was beyond the hallway into the main area. So, unfortunately, I had to bide my time and wait for a rescue at the very least. If no one reached me in time, I would figure out another means to escape my buyer once I was taken off the property. If I was tossed in this cage match though, well, I didn’t want to think about that.
Frustrated, I let out a small huff, letting my head fall back against the bars of the cage and stared up at the cement ceiling.
Staring off into space, I let my mind wander to the potential lies Ivan had fed me for hours. I couldn’t get it out of my mind no matter how hard I tried. Deep down I knew it was all bullshit.
Was our marriage perfect? No, but no marriage was ever truly perfect with no faults. We were still learning the curves together, petty arguments here and there, but all together we loved each other through it all.
But what if?
I couldn’t lie to myself and deny the fact Angel and Alexei got along well; those two clicked like two peas in a pod. It was the fact their friendship came so naturally that had my doubts rearing its ugly head. There were times when I wished Angel and I could get along swimmingly like she did with Alexei. I can’t help but think if I gave her the choice then would she choose Alexei over me without a second thought?
Goosebumps erupted over my body when I felt the sickly cold touch of a snake. I didn’t even have to look to know who touched me. “Rethinking your decision yet Kolyenka?” Her voice still sounded like nails on a chalkboard too.
“I don’t know whether to cut your tongue out myself or let my wife do it.” I would gladly make an exception to my rule of not hurting women for Natalia. After she tried—and failed—to force herself on me before, I would have no qualms about teaching her some basic manners through violence.
“What does she have over me, hm? She’s just a stupid little nurse who's way over her head. She’s probably gone and ran off with your little brother at this point after you’ve been missing a whole day and a half. Why can’t you just see reason and divorce her and be with me where we can rule papa’s kingdom together in the years to come?” I started to wonder if this crazy bitch had problems with her two little brain cells.
Scowling with gritted teeth, I glared harshly at her. “My wifeis and will always be a hundred times better than you in every aspect, and at this point, I’d be more worried about what she’s going to do to you once she gets her hands on you. I may be a cold hearted killer, but she’s got a sadistic streak a thousand miles longer than mine.”
Why am I even wasting my breath on her?
Gripping my face, she dug her nails into me. “Last chance. Join us.” Sometimes being stubborn was a bad thing. It was cute with Angel, but Natalia made it annoying.
“Nyet.” I replied firmly with a glare, scooting myself away from her hand idled in the air through the bars.
My answer didn’t please her, and the rough yank of my head against the metal bars as she walked away made it clear.
Damn that bitch.
My fucking head rang from the impact.
“Your wife sounds scary.” The same girl from before spoke again in Russian.
