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“Time to regroup and restrategize,” I say to Boris as I step away from Johnny’s body. “If Anatoly is holding Valerie at his house, we’re going to need a lot of planning to break in and rescue her without too much bloodshed on our side.”
Boris nods. “We’ll get her back.”
“We had better,” I say, my voice deepening as I step through the doorway with him. “Or everything we’ve worked so hard for is going to rot faster than Johnny’s corpse.”
39
Valerie
Anatoly’s house feels small and empty compared to Pasha’s. The ceilings are lower and the carpet smells a bit musty. As I’m escorted inside by the bald man and his army of over-muscled goons, I’m struck by just how sad this place is. It says a lot about the man I’m about to meet.
A loud clap as I walk down the hallway toward the lounge causes me to jump. A man appears in the archway, hurrying toward me as the bald man lets go of me.
If there was ever a chance to run, now is that time, but I have nowhere to go. I never really had a chance to escape in the first place.
“Valerie!” The man’s voice is almost a perfect clone of Pasha’s, but it’s not quite as gruff. It’s a little higher, too, but maybe that’s just because he’s excited. He looks more like an expectant dinner host than someone who wants to ruin my life.
But I know better than to trust Anatoly. If he’s evil enough for someone like Pasha to hate, then I’d be better off drowning myself than listening to a single word that comes out of his mouth.
“You look scared,” he says, grabbing both my hands and pulling me toward him.
I’m surprised by his sudden interaction. I wasn’t expecting this at all, and I’m not sure what to make of it.
“There you go, just relax, little one,” he says, pulling me into a tight embrace. “The scary part is over.”
I squirm out of his grasp, jumping backward as my heart pounds against my ribs. “Stop it!” I demand. “You have no right to do this!”
Anatoly chuckles, shaking his head like I’m just an ignorant child. “Oh, but I have every right to do this, darling. You belong to me. You always have, since the moment I laid eyes upon you.”
He’s like a sickly shadow of Pasha, copying the way he talks without any of the charisma or power behind his words. It’s laughable, but I fear if I laughed at his pitiful attempt at being charming, he would backhand me without hesitation.
“I’ll show you around my house, but I think the bedroom should be our first stop. I don’t want to waste any time,” he continues with a wicked smile.
My stomach churns at what he’s implying. “I’ll never sleep with you,” I snarl.
He shrugs. “I’m sure I can change your mind. I suppose if you’re not willing to comply now, we can warm you up to the idea in other ways. Hungry and horny almost rhyme, you know.”
I have no clue what he’s talking about. All my mind can process right now is how disgusted by him I am. Everything about him makes me want to vomit. His beady little eyes, the way his face looks like a gaunt version of Pasha’s, and the way he obviously loves the way his own voice sounds.
I can tell his been obsessing over this moment since he decided he wanted to steal me from Pasha, but it’s not going to go as he fantasized. I can already see his stupid plan falling apart in front of the doubtful eyes of his men as I resist him.
He looks past me to them, knowing I’m capable of embarrassing him. “You can leave now. I want some alone time with my fiancée.”
Fiancée?
Has he lost his mind?
I wrap my arms around myself for comfort as I’m left in the hallway with Anatoly. His eyes travel over me like a starving wolf. His gaze is objectifying and humiliating, but there’s nothing I can do about it.
“I’ll show you to your room,” Anatoly says, extending his hand.
I look at his thin fingers and wrinkle my nose.
“Come,” he urges softly.
“Go fuck yourself,” I snarl.
He laughs. “Oh, but that’syourjob, Valerie.”
