“We are. But I have to return. Last night, I got a message from one of my men. Dimitri is closing in on my territory. He’s hurting my businesses. I have to return to stop him. And after what Rocko did to you here… I’m sure you want to return as well.”
“But what about the situation with Jack?”
“Sam handled it. I just have to hope that word hasn’t gotten out. If so, I’ll deal with it. I want to stay on this honeymoon longer but we have to return. It was a fun distraction but after what Rocko did, it just proves that you’re not safe anywhere. You seem to attract dangerous men to you. Maybe it’s your innocence. I’m not sure. But whatever it is, I’ll keep you safe no matter where we are.”
“But you kidnapped me,” I whisper. “You’re the one who put me in this position.”
His eyes darken but it’s not for desire this time. “I know. But you are my wife now and I’ll protect you. It’s time to return to New York. I have your brother to deal with.”
A chill settles itself deep inside of me. Going back home should feel like a happy occasion so why do I feel so scared?
Chapter Twelve
Katya
Our plane lands back in New York after hours of being in the air. It’s a surreal feeling. Knowing I’m physically in the same place as Dimitri but also knowing I’m so far away from him hurts.
But every time I look at Alek, I feel a tingling sensation inside of me. One of excitement and arousal.
He motions me ahead of him as we walk out of the plane. I stop dead in my tracks when I see five men in the private hanger. They’re all wearing suits and look like mafia men, judging from the guns in their hands.
“What is this?” Alek asks, stepping in front of me. It’s then that I realize I recognize the men. They were at the wedding. They’re coworkers of Alek’s.
“We’re here for the girl,” one of them says, nodding at me.
Alek scoffs. “What the fuck do you mean by that, Sasha? I’m not giving my wife up for anything. And why do you want her in the first place?”
“Because she killed Jack.”
An icy chill goes over my spine. How do they know about that?
“I killed Jack,” Alek says without hesitation. “So if you have a problem, take it up with me. Not my wife.”
“You killed Jack?” Sasha scoffs. “That isn’t what I heard.”
“Ask Sam. He’ll tell you.”
“I did ask Sam. After I found out he got rid of Jack’s body. He told me that you told him you killed him.”
“There. So what’s the problem?”
“He also said he overheard your wife admitting to killing Jack. So which is it?”
Alek steps even more in front of me, practically shielding me from view. “I killed him. I’m not sure what Sam was talking about.”
“You see, Sam told me that you were talking to those two girls you helped raise: Nina and Susanna. So I paid them a visit and they explained that Katya, your wife, said she had killed Jack. Why would they lie about that?”
“You spoke to Nina and Susanna? Did you hurt them?”
I’ve never seen Alek look so distressed before. He clearly loves those girls like his own daughters.
Sasha huffs. “No. I didn’t hurt them. I respect Maria too much to hurt her girls. But I could tell they weren’t lying. So why are you lying right now, Alek? Your wife killed Jack. She needs to be punished for it.”
“I killed him. So punish me. Not her.”
It shocks me to my core that Alek is taking the blame for me. He’s my kidnapper and yet… he’s treating me like his actual wife. Protecting me like a husband would.
“No. She’s the one who did it. So why did she do it?”
