Chapter 6

Clara

 

He’s faster than me. He’s larger than me and I’m pissed that I took so long to pull the trigger. I should have done it as soon as I had it in my hand but that woman, Vera, she looked so sad at the thought. I wanted her to leave the room so that it would be so much easier on me but when she did, it took no time for Alexei to come in. I’m pressed against the wall, one of his hands holding mine with the gun above my head, his body keeping me in place. I fight to move but I’m so weak. His breath dances over my face and my heart beats erratically in my chest. The smell of mint and liquor mix as I breathe him in.

“What are you thinking, воробей?” he asks me. I close my mouth and refuse to say anything. He doesn’t deserve my voice. I won’t give it to him.

“You are making a mistake pulling this stunt. I let the doctor remove those restraints, so you could be more comfortable, but I see that was a wrong move. You will never again grab at my men’s weapons, do you understand?” I want to smirk in his face at how easy it was for me to take his man’s weapon, but I don’t. Again, he doesn’t deserve anything of the sort from me. I glance beyond him as his body shifts to see Vera standing there wringing her hands together. She’s young, probably not much older than I am. I wonder if she’s Alexei’s girlfriend or wife? He turns his head and glances over at her before looking back at me, a gorgeous smirk crossing his face.

“She can’t help you. She is here to take care of you and provide you with medicine and food. She can’t help you when it comes to me, воробей,” he informs me. I don’t know what that word is but God, does it sound sexy coming from his lips. My body has been violated and numb for so long from all they’ve done to me. Why does it feel like it’s coming alive when I’m this close to the man that kidnapped me? Anger courses through my veins but it isn’t directed at him. It’s at myself. I shouldn’t feel these things. I shouldn’t want to lean in and find out what brand of liquor is on his tongue, but I do.

“Your eyes betray you. You want to speak, do it. I can see it burning inside of you,” he says his breath dancing over my lips. I could do it. I could press up and close the distance between us with the way he’s leaning down into my space, but I don’t. The fact of the matter is that he too kidnapped me. He took me from one hell and brought me to his.

“Let me speak to her, Alexei,” Vera says coming to stand next to us. Alexei looks over and nods before leaning his head down, running his nose along my neck. I shiver, and he felt it. His warm breath hits my skin just before he moves his lips to my ear.

“I’ve always loved a fighter,” he whispers softly making my body coil tightly. He pulls away, taking the gun with him. When he steps back, he looks back toward me.

“You give her any trouble and I promise you won’t like what happens this time.” I don’t agree or nod, but he turns and leaves the room. I blow out a breath and drop onto the bed with my head in my hands. Vera moves to sit on the edge, running her hand up and down my back as I cry.

“You shouldn’t provoke him. Alexei is a good man, but he can only be pushed so far.” I raise my head to look at her, tilting my head to study her. “Why don’t you speak? Is it because you’re afraid?” I shake my head slowly wondering how horrible it would be to talk to her. She doesn’t seem like the rest of them here. She is nice to me, almost caring. It could be a trap, a trick to get me to speak but I don’t feel that with her. I open my mouth and stick out my tongue when her eyes widen. She gasps and covers her mouth with her hand, tears springing to her eyes. I almost feel bad for making her cry.

“Can you not talk? Is that what it is?” Once again, I shake my head and do something I haven’t done in a long time.

“I can talk.” Her face lights up, a smile tugging her lips up. She’s beautiful.

“Why don’t you? You have a lovely voice,” she says sweetly.

“I won’t give them my voice. They have stolen so much from me. I won’t let them take that as well,” I tell her. She nods her head as if she understands and it makes me wonder about her life. Does she understand? No. She couldn’t possibly.

“You have no worries here, dear. Alexei will not harm you.” I almost laugh. He’s already hurting me by keeping me here.

“He paid for me,” I tell her. She nods her head.

“He has his reasons. Although some of them I will never understand but rest assured, he will not harm you. Alexei has a past of his own.”

“Why did he buy me?”

“I don’t know the answer to that. He asked me to look after you and that is what I intend to do. Don’t anger him and all will be well,” she says.

“And if I don’t?”

“Why do you wish death for yourself? Nothing is that bad. Nothing can be.”

“I just want to fly,” I tell her as more tears spill down my cheeks. Vera reaches for me and pulls me into a hug. She holds me just like my mother used to. The pain in my chest increases. I hate the memories, I hate the reason I’m here. I hate the reason I was in Timur’s presence, to begin with.

“Now is not your time. You will be healed, and you will do great things. You have to believe that, возлюбленная.” I cry on her shoulder listening to her words that mean nothing to me. As soon as I get the chance, I need to contact my father and come up with a plan. He always told me that if I was to get into a situation where I was in the hands of another mafia aside from the one, I was sent to, I should kill myself. I shouldn’t try to escape it as it will end in a horrifying death for me. Yet, he was the one that pushed me away.

“You will be okay. Alexei will take care of you.” Her whispered words mean nothing to me. I’m either going to kill myself or die trying to leave this place.