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Pasha allows us time to clean ourselves up before he gets into the thick of things. He washes me off in the shower with a natural loofah and soap that smells like aloe and coconut before carrying me to the bedroom. He lays me down on crisp white sheets, then he leaves for a moment, coming back and locking the door.
“I hope I’m not in some kind of trouble,” I say when I see his serious expression.
He shakes his head. “No, but some things must be kept secret.”
“You think we’re being watched?” I ask, looking toward the shuttered window.
He shakes his head. “No, but it’s better to be safe than compromise the backbone of the Chazov Bratva.”
This does sound serious, and I’m not sure I’m ready for it. I’m still radiating a warm post-sex glow, completely naked and starting to get sleepy on the cool linen bed.
Pasha puts on a pair of shorts before climbing onto the bed with me. He doesn’t pull me into his arms like he normally does, though. He keeps a slight distance, his eyes piercing mine as he speaks.
“Very few people know about this, and there’s a reason why I’d like to keep it a secret. I need your word that you won’t tell a soul,” he says, his voice deep and a bit scratchy in his throat.
I nod. “I won’t. I’ve already seen so much, and I haven’t told anyone about it. You can trust me.”
“I know, but that’s not going to be good enough this time,” he says, pursing his lips. “What I’m about to tell you isn’t permitted to be spread with people outside of the organization. You haven’t been initiated, so you’re not allowed to know.”
I frown. “Then why are you telling me about it?”
“You need to know. But first, you must undergo initiation.”
My heart leaps into my throat, and the back of my neck feels like someone has run electricity through it. I scratch my skin, shaking my head at what he’s just told me. “I don’t know if I want to do that.”
He lets out a deep sigh, reaching in the pocket of his shorts and pulling out a knife.
I pull my entire body back so far that I teeter off the edge of the bed. I have to grab the sheets to keep myself from falling.
“Relax,” he says, but his expression remains hauntingly serious.
“I can’t relax with you holding a knife like that. Are you going to kill me or something?” I ask, panic rising in my voice despite my attempts to stay calm. I’m not very good in situations like this. I always freeze up.
“Let’s not make a big deal out of this, okay?” he asks, running the edge of the knife across his fingertips. “This is required for everyone in the Chazov Bratva. We do deals in blood.”
“Well,Idon’t,” I reply, seriously considering jumping off the bed an making a run for the exit.
But he locked the door, which would slow me down enough to get caught.
That bastard! He knew I might try to make an escape when he brought out the knife.
“Just take a deep breath and relax. I made sure this one was sharp and sanitized. It won’t hurt very much. Maybe a little sting.”
I let out a dry laugh. “Um, no. That’s just not happening.”
He cocks his head to the side, giving me a look of annoyance. “Valerie, I’m not going to do anything that’s going to cause you any real harm. It’s a little bit of blood from your fingertips. You’ll recite an oath, and that’s it.”
“Sounds like a cult,” I reply, crossing my arms.
“Pretty much,” he admits. “How do you think I have the amount of money that I do? You think this is just some kind of innocent game?”
“No,” I reply defensively. “I don’t think it’s a game. I watched you kill people. I know this shit is serious, but I don’t want to have my fingers cut off by the man who is supposed to be protecting me.”
“I’m not going to cut off your fingers, darling,” he replies, his voice softening. “It’s a few drops of blood, and then we’re done.”
“But why?” I whine, curling my hands into fists to hide my fingers.
“Because you deserve to know the truth, and the only way to tell you is by having you officially initiated.”
