Chapter 21

Alexei

 

“I asked you, Alina, because I want your thoughts not because I want to hear you whine,” I say as I rub my temples. This woman, my cousin is causing one of the worst headaches imaginable.

“Why are you asking this? You know how I feel already, Alexei,” she huffs.

“You’re right. I shouldn’t have asked you.” Shoving out of my chair, I walk to the bar in my office and grab the bottle of cognac, pouring a glass.

“He’s my father, yet he didn’t care that I was taken. I don’t understand his gain or why he did what he did. His death would mean nothing to me, Alexei. I respect you for asking and worrying about my feelings, but I already know what needs to be done,” she says softly. I down my drink and pour another before turning back to her, leaning my hip against the bar.

“I gave Lev the choice of taking over your father’s home or moving here. I will extend the same to you.”

“I don’t want to go back there, Alexei.” Her voice is full of pain and anger. I can’t blame her. Once I have my uncle in the basement, I intend to find out why he would let that happen to her but for now, other things must play out.

“And I won’t force you to. You are your own person and you are always welcome here, Alina.”

“Thank you. I find that I like being here although there is nothing to do. Why is your home more like a prison?” She giggles, and I find myself smiling back at her.

“Well, двоюродная сестра. That would be because of my little prisoner. She isn’t allowed such privileges at this point.” In seconds, Alina is on her feet glaring at me.

“What do you mean prisoner? You bought her, I saw the way you two looked at each other. She doesn’t want to be here?” She asks clearly confused by all of this.

“To a point, yes. You will have rules you will abide by if you are to live in my home, Alina.” Her eyes widen as her mouth falls open.

“Rules?” She huffs. I swallow down my drink setting the glass on the table before I move toward her.

“Yes, rules. You are not to discuss anything related to this family with her. What I want her to know, I will tell her myself. You will not offer her help in any form. No phones, no TV, no leaving this house. I have upped my security measures to ensure that my requests are followed. You can befriend her, talk to her, spend time with her but that is all. Вы понимаете?” She watches me intently with her mouth still gaping. It amuses me, but she must understand and follow my rules.

“Fine. I will do as you say,” she finally agrees. I smile and nod heading back to my desk.

“Are you attending the wedding this weekend?” She asks calmly as if I didn’t just tell her about the rules of living here.

“I am. I am bringing Clara,” I tell her as my gaze drops to the computer in front of me. I pull up the live feed from my cameras when I see her. She lies on her bed, a book in her hands. She looks content, almost happy.

“I’d prefer not to go,” she says. I pull my gaze from Clara and look at Alina.

“Why is that? You haven’t left this house since you’ve been back. It isn’t healthy, Alina.” She huffs out a laugh and smirks at me.

“Says the man holding prisoners. I’m not comfortable going out just yet. My anxiety is not under control. I went for a walk around the property the other day and panicked when I heard one of your men running the perimeter. I freaked out, Alexei,” she says with her head lowered as she drops into the chair in front of me. No one told me about this which angers me further.

“I can arrange for some counseling. That may help.”

“Thank you.”  The door flying open interrupts our conversation. Dmitry flies in with a rifle over his shoulder.

“There’s a breach. You must get to the safe room!” Within seconds, the alarm that alerts of such a breach begins to sound. I glance down at the screen of my laptop once more and see the panicked look on Clara’s face. She leaps from the bed and pulls back the curtain. Stupid girl. Anger surges through my veins as I shove out of my seat.

“Take her!” I nod toward Alina as I run from the office. I’m down the hall nearing her room just as I hear glass shattering. My heart races and adrenaline courses through me. Clara screams and as soon as I shove open her door, I see it’s her window that’s shattered. She slams into me on her way out of the room. I pull her tightly against me, trying to soothe her and make her move all at the same time.

“Be strong for me, воробей,” I whisper as I pull the gun from the back of my slacks. We move down the hallway and into my room where I usher her into my closet. She doesn’t say a word, but she does gasp when I reach up and brush my suits to the side revealing the elevator door. The retina scanner does its job opening right away.

“Get in,” I usher her giving her a little shove. When she sees I’m not joining her, the look of fear crosses her face.

“Where are you going? Don’t leave me, Alexei, please!” She begs as tears trickle down her cheeks. I reach for her, pressing a kiss to her lips before shoving her back inside.

“It’ll take you the safe room. Alina will be there too. I will come soon, yes?” She doesn’t want to but when she looks at the monster in my eyes, she nods and takes a step back.

“Come back,” she says before I step back and watch the door close. I spin on my heel and head toward the hallway once more. Dmitry and Lev are already heading down the stairs when I catch up.

“Do we know anything?” I ask as we race toward the back doors.

“South end. Shots were fired,” Dmitry says quickly. The other men are already in position as we head out the door. The perimeter is secure. I glance around, proud of how quickly my men have handled things.

“What do we have?” I ask Igor, one of my other men as I step up next to him. He holds a tablet out to me, which I take and look at. The video is all from the security cameras that I have placed around the property.

“Who are they?” I ask as I watch masked men shooting at the back wall. They are no doubt, not as smart as they’d like to think they are. That’s a twelve-foot wall they are trying to destroy with mere handguns. I nearly chuckle at the sight of it all.

“We don’t know. We have men tracking them as we speak,” he informs me. I nod my head and pass the tablet back to him.

“Everything else secure?”

“Yes, Mr. Pavlov.”

“Good. Let me know when you have something.” I turn around and shove my gun back into the back of my slacks as I walk back toward the house. I leave Dmitry and Lev to handle anything further. Walking into the kitchen, I move to the pantry and open the door. The shelf already moved aside, the elevator door sealed as it should be. I step up to the scanner and the door opens immediately for me to step inside. It takes seconds before the door opens into the safe area underground. I had the house set up this way in case there was ever an attack. We could live easily down here for at least a year without outside resources. Stepping through the entryway, I see Alina and Vera huddled together.

“Where is Clara?” I ask both heads turning to look at me. Alina points down the hallway when I say, “We’re cleared. It was nothing important.” They both nod and stand ready to get out of here but I head down the hallway and find Clara in the corner of the room, her knees tucked against her chest, her back against the wall. Her soft sobs reach into my chest and tug at my heart.

“Everything is okay, Clara,” I say when I stop in front of her. Her head rises and her tear stained cheeks glare at me. In seconds, she’s off the floor and throwing herself into my arms. I hold her tightly trying to figure out how to handle her. I know she doesn’t want to stay with me. I know she wants to leave even though she says she doesn’t. I just can’t wrap my head around what the best choice for her is.