“How can you know what I need? You only just met me today. This is all too much.”
“Because I know what it’s like to raise daughters.”
“You have daughters?”
“No. A friend of mine does. I helped raise them. Of course, I don’t think of you as a daughter. But my point is that I understand women. I understand that sometimes they need something when they act like they don’t. And I understand what you need, Katya. You need the chance to flourish as a woman instead of being kept away in your house forever. You’re too beautiful to stay hidden. This is what you need. Do you disagree with me?”
I hate to admit it but… I don’t disagree with him. I’ve known for years now that I have to get out of my room. It’s just been too hard. I want to be a woman. I want the chance.
Ironically, this is my chance.
But I can’t take that chance with my kidnapper. With Dimitri’s enemy. I just can’t.
Alek isn’t going to give me a choice though.
The doorbell rings.
“Ah. That would be my guests arriving. Shall we go greet them?”
“With me at your side?” I ask dumfounded.
“I told you I want you to be mine, Katya. That means standing at my side. I’m going to show the world who you are. Dimitri’s secret sister. Not a secret any longer.”
He pulls out a pair of white high heels from one of the shopping bags and kneels down at my feet. “Let me.” I inhale sharply when he gently takes my ankle and places my foot into one of the shoes. Then he does the other one, leaving goosebumps behind on my skin. “There. Perfect.”
It’s like a twisted Cinderella. My dark prince charming. But I doubt there’s anything charming about Alek. Only darkness.
He takes my hand and leads me downstairs. “Stand there.” He positions me in the foyer so I’m standing tall… like a woman would do.
After opening the door, his guests flock inside. There are around ten of them. The sight of so many people makes me overwhelmed. This is too much. Too much. Too much.
I place my hand over my chest, trying to get my heart to calm down but it’s not listening.
His guests – of which majority are men – all look at me with curiosity.
“Who is this?” a man asks. He’s older than Alek. Probably in his fifties with a large beer belly.
“This,” Alek announces, placing his hand on my back, “is Katya Ivanov. Dimitri Ivanov’s sister.”
There’s a collective inhale of breath before the beer belly man huffs. “Bullshit. No one has ever seen Dimitri’s sister. This isn’t her. You’re just messing with us.”
Alek’s eyes darken but this time, it has nothing to do with desire. No, this time it’s anger. “When have I ever messed with you, John? This is Katya Ivanov herself. Look at her face. Tell me she doesn’t look like her brother.”
The ten guests – eight men and two women – all look me over like I’m an animal instead of a human being.
John’s eyes widen when he takes in my face fully. “Holy shit. She really does look a lot like Dimitri.”
“Because she’s his sister. I wouldn’t lie about that. You can just ask Dimitri. I’m sure he’s fucking panicking right about now, knowing I have his sister.”
“She’s pretty,” one of the woman says. Young with bright blonde hair, she looks more like an alien princess than a human. I feel frumpy in my dress next to her elegant silver gown. I’ll never be elegant like her. Never be a woman like I want to be.
“She is,” a man agrees, eyeing me over with a hunger I don’t like. For some reason, I find myself sinking in closer to Alek.
He places his hand on my low back, startling me. “Let’s go into the living room. I have drinks ready for us.” Alek practically nudges me to walk forward. The other people all begin to converse, clearly all having known each other before tonight. I’m the odd one out. It only makes my panic rise more.
It’s too many people. Too fast. I was just in my room this morning and now I’m in a stranger’s home surrounded by people who are looking at me with scary expressions. I just want to go back to my room. I need the safety of it.
My body turns stiff. Alek gives me a questioning look but he turns back to his friends and talks to them like I’m not even here. Why is he even doing this? Why can’t he just put me back in the cage? I’m safe in there. No one can get to me in there.
