Viktor brushes his fingertips over my face, almost reverently. I force myself not to flinch at his touch.
“Your father promised you to me a long time ago, Guiseppina.”
My father what now? “I don’t understand,” I say, shrinking back. Making myself appear as small and weak as possible.
“That is why your brothers sent you away. They thought they could keep you from me.”
“That’s why they sent me to Italy?”
“Yes.”
I blink at him. I can’t believe those assholes never told me. I can’t believe Max never told me. I am so over them treating me like a goddamn foolish child. “They never told me that.”
“I figured as much. But you were always meant to be mine. I have waited a long time to claim you.”
My stomach lurches and I swallow the bile that burns my throat. Just how the hell does he intend to claim me? My face must show my fear and disgust because he laughs. The sound is cruel, and it raises the hairs on the back of my neck.
“Don’t worry. I won’t take you until we are married. I won’t touch you until you are intact again. No longer tainted by that animal, Maximo.”
Every cell in my body screams for me to rage at him, to break out of these restraints and kill him with my bare hands. But logic reminds me that I would get about as far as scratching his face. He’s much stronger than me, so I’ll have to use my intelligence to get out of here.
“Intact again?”
“There is an operation.” He shrugs. “To replace the hymen. Tomorrow we leave for Russia, and you will have it as soon as we arrive.”
“L-leave for Russia?” I try to appear calm, but my heart beats so hard, I’m sure he can hear it.
“Hmm. It is too dangerous to stay here.”
“Where is here?” I ask.
“You don’t have to worry about where you are, only where you are going. Just know that nobody will hear you scream.”
“Why would I scream?” I say with a shrug. “I’m just trading one prison for another, right? My brothers never let me go anywhere. They sent me to Italy, for god’s sake. They’ll be happy to see the back of me and the feeling is mutual.”
I lie back on the bed, my mind racing with escape scenarios.
“And Maximo?”
“He was just a little fun. Nothing serious. Someone to pass the time because I was bored.” The words burn me to say them, and they seem to anger Viktor rather than appease him.
He grabs hold of my face, squeezing my cheeks roughly. “I do not want to marry a slut. Are you a slut?”
“N-no! Maximo was the only one. It was only a couple of times, I swear. I’m not a slut.”
He snorts and kicks Monique’s lifeless body. “She was a slut. Could not wait to suck my cock and offer all of her dirty used holes to me.”
I tremble at the venom in his voice. There goes my idea of offering to suck his cock and biting it off.
“She thought that helping me get you, the thing that was rightfully mine anyway …” He laughs maniacally as he paces the floor.
Thing? I need to get out of this fucking room and away from him.
“Then I would forget that she was a filthy little cock whore and marry her instead. When it is you, Guiseppina. You are the only one I ever wanted.”
I turn sideways on the bed, my feet hanging off the edge as I prop myself up on my elbows. “I had no idea I belonged to you, Viktor. If I had …” I let my words trail off and flutter my eyelashes.
Shaking his head, he snorts like he doesn’t believe me.
“I’ve never really fit in. I think it might be kind of nice to belong to someone.” I keep my tone soft and sweet and pray that he buys it. “Will we live in Russia?”
“Yes.”
“My sister-in-law tells me there are many beautiful places to see in Russia,” I say with a sigh. “Will you take me to Moscow?”
He edges closer but not quite close enough. “Maybe. If you are good.”
“I’ll be good.” I give him the most genuine-looking smile I can muster. “I’ve spent my life learning how to be a good wife to a strong man.” I’m lying through my teeth now, and I have no idea if he’s buying any of it. But then he takes another step toward me.
I smile up at him, pulling my knees up to my stomach as he draws nearer, as though I’m making room for him to get closer to me. He runs a hand over my bare leg, and I swallow back the urge to vomit. Leaning down, he kisses me. He tastes of cigarettes and vodka, and I want to retch into his mouth. When he pushes his tongue inside, it feels so disgustingly big and slimy that tears prick at my eyes. But I must focus.
Toni said go for the nuts, right?
With every ounce of strength in my body, I aim both of my heels at his groin. He wasn’t expecting it. Underestimating me as most men do. He doesn’t just double over, he drops to his knees with a sickening bellow.
I jump off the bed and bunny hop across the room faster than I’ve ever moved in my life. If I can just find a weapon, I’ll stand a chance. I open the door and jump out into the hallway, completely shocked to find that I’m in a regular-looking apartment. I grab the door handle, and sweet mother of Jesus, there’s a keypad lock on it. Of course there is. He was keeping me prisoner in there.
He curses loudly in Russian and clambers around the room. Holy shit. Blood rushes in my ears. My fingers tremble as I scramble to close the door behind me. I hear his fingernails scratch against it a fraction of a second after I yank it closed.
I suck in deep, bone-shaking breaths. I’m out. Now I just need to get these damn zip ties off and get out of here. Viktor pounds against the door, making me flinch. “I will break this down, Guiseppina, and I will make you suffer far more than your little slut friend.” Viktor is a big guy, and I figure he can get through that piece of wood in a minute—two if I’m lucky. I need to move fast.
“Fuck you!” I shout, hopping down the hallway, looking for the kitchen and the biggest knife I can find.
I try two doors before I find the kitchen. The sound of Viktor trying to burst through that bedroom door makes my heart race faster than a Ferrari. I can barely breathe. Adrenaline thunders through my body. Everything feels sharper and clearer even while every part of my body trembles with fear. When he gets through that door … If he takes me to Russia …
“Guiseppina. I am coming for you,” he sing-songs while he continues to slam against the door. Psychopath!
I need to get out of here. Now. Scuttling through the kitchen, I frantically search drawers and cabinets until I find the knives. Grabbing a thick black handle, I almost pass out with relief when I see the long, sharp blade. I quickly cut the zip ties off my hands and feet, then I run, knife in hand, straight for the front door of the surprisingly ordinary and spacious apartment.
I saw other buildings through the window in the kitchen. We must be in a town, which means Viktor lied about no one being able to hear me scream. There are people around. If I can just get outside into the open space—
“You fucking whore!” he roars, venom dripping from the words. His toxicity seeps through the bedroom door and surrounds me, but it only makes me move faster.
There are at least half a dozen bolts on the front door, and I struggle to get a grip on the first one, but my sweaty hands slip right off. I quickly dry them on my dress and manage to get it on the second try. My head swims, my heart pounding so hard I can barely hear Viktor’s thuds and curses. Maybe the drugs are still in my system? Maybe I’m going to pass out again?
Fuck. No.
I won’t let him win. Work faster, Joey!
The crashing sound of Viktor trying to break down the door grows more persistent, louder than the sound of my own heartbeat. Holy fuck! My fingers tremble and slip on the bolts. Then I hear wood splinter from down the hall, and my heart stops beating for a long moment. Shaking my head, I scrabble at the remaining bolts, keeping the knife between my legs, certain Viktor is seconds away from grabbing me.
Just as I turn the last one, Viktor crashes through the door. Heavy footsteps clamor down the hallway. I can’t look behind me. If I see him, I might crumble to pieces. Taking the knife from between my legs, I throw open the door and make a run for it.
My legs tremble, almost giving way as I bolt down the flight of stairs, but sheer terror lends me strength and hastens my escape. Footsteps thunder right behind me, and I scream and drop the knife, watching helplessly as it clatters to the bottom of the stairwell. I scan the floor below, but I’m unable to find it in the dim light. He’s going to get me before I can get out of here. He’s going to take me back to that room. He’s going to—
“There’s no way out of here, you fucking whore,” he yells, and his voice is so close now, footsteps even closer. I can smell his stale breath, and it makes me heave. Tears stream down my face.
No. Please no. I’m almost there.
I stumble on the last few stairs, falling against the exterior door. There are bolts on this one also. Only two, but still too many. I fumble with the first one, heart racing and blood rushing in my ears.
His breath is on my neck. Fingers in my hair. I suck in a shaky breath. Tears blur my vision. His body slams into mine, sandwiching me between him and the door and knocking all the air from my lungs. I gasp for breath.
“Caught you, little whore,” he whispers harshly, his mouth pressed at my ear. Saliva drips from his lips and onto my neck, and my flesh crawls like a million tiny ants scurry beneath my skin.
“No!” I scream, praying that someone might be passing by. Somebody, anybody, might hear me. Opening my mouth to scream again, I gag when his huge meaty hand covers it, choking on his foul stench. Out of desperation, I slam my head back and hit his chin. He mutters curses in Russian and grabs my hair, yanking my head back.
“You will pay for that, you little bitch,” he says with a sneer as he pushes my body flat to the door. Pressing his hard cock against my ass, he grinds on me and groans. Bile fills my mouth and burns my throat as I’m forced to swallow it back down.
Tears sting my eyes.
“You know I said I was going to wait until you were pure?” His sour breath washes over my face, and I screw my eyes shut. I need to think. “I have changed my mind. You let that animal, Maximo, defile you. I think I will also fuck all of your filthy, dirty holes. Then I make you pure again.”
I try to block his vitriol, his taunts. I will get out of here. I’m smarter than he is. The knife! It’s here somewhere.
I mumble against his hand, pushing my ass back and gyrating against his cock. Swallowing another mouthful of vomit, I summon my courage. I can do this. I must do this.
“Oh, is this what you wanted all along? You like it rough, little whore?” he says with a sneer, licking a path up my neck to my ear. My entire body shudders, and I guess he thinks I’m enjoying myself because he moans loudly.
“Mmhmm,” I murmur, continuing to grind against him.
“Well, let’s just see how rough you can handle it, because I like when you whores fight back.” Throwing me on the floor, he laughs darkly.
I look up at him, a fake smile on my face as I watch him unfasten his belt while I spread out my hands and search the darkness for my weapon.
He leers at my open thighs, focused on my panties rather than what my hands are doing. “You really are a dirty little whore, Guiseppina.”
“I never said I wasn’t,” I purr as my fingertips creep over the cold tile floor, and a genuine smile spreads over my face at the same time Viktor pulls his dick out of his pants.
He leers at me. “Oh, you want this?”
“Yes.” I lick my lips and he drops to his knees. Men like him will always have the same weakness—underestimating women like me.
He leans over me, nudging my legs apart and sliding a hand between my thighs. “I hope you bite and scratch, little whore.”
“Oh, I sure do.” With a feral grin, I plunge the knife into his side, right below his left armpit. His face twists with agony. He roars, flopping onto his side and allowing me to scrabble out from under him. I dive for the door while he’s still immobilized.
My hands are no longer shaking as I pull back the bolts. Who does that sick fuck think he is, thinking he can take me to Russia and make me his fucking bride? I am Joey fucking Moretti.
Jerking the door open, I fall out into a large parking lot. The bright sunlight shines directly in my eyes, making me shield my face from the glare, and I barrel directly into a broad chest.
