“No.” Sasha’s tone speaks to no disagreements.
That’s when Alek turns to me and the expression in his eyes turns cold. Deadly. No emotion. Is he really going to hurt me?
He has spanked me but spanking someone is completely different from whipping someone. A spanking isn’t going to leave marks behind. A whip will.
On instinct, I try running away but the other man grab me and force me back to my knees. Alek’s expression wavers.
“Don’t do this,” I say. “Please. I’ll never forgive you for it.”
“You were able to forgive me for kidnapping you. You’ll be able to forgive me for this.”
“No,” I sob.
“Shut up,” Erik mumbles.
“Shut the fuck up, Erik,” Alek snaps back. “Don’t talk to my wife that way.”
“Just get the job done,” Sasha says. “Now, Alek. Do it now.”
Alek walks up behind me. I can’t see him but I can feel his presence. He’s really going to hurt me like this.
He’s just like all the other mafia men in the room: selfish and cold and dangerous. I was foolish to ever let myself like him, even for a moment.
“Whip her,” Sasha commands.
Yet, Alek still doesn’t move. I bow my head low as if that will somehow protect me. I wait and wait and wait. It’s torture.
Alek still doesn’t do anything.
“Alek,” Sasha snaps. “Do it. Now.”
That’s when I can sense Alek raising his hand high, the whip with him. And that’s when he uses the whip against Sasha, whipping the other man right in the face. Sasha screams and bends over.
The other four men let me go and I slump to the ground. Looking over my shoulder, I watch as Alek uses the whip on Erik, which forces Erik to the ground. Alek then withdraws his gun and quickly shoots the four men who held me down.
That’s when he turns to Sasha.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Sasha asks, cupping his bleeding face.
“I’m protecting my wife.” That’s when Alek raises his gun and shoots Sasha right in the head.
All five men are dead.
As if he hadn’t just killed five people, Alek pulls his phone out and calls someone. “Sam. I’m going to need help again. And you better not fuck me over this time. Because if you fuck me over again, it’s not you I’m going to be calling when I need help cleaning up. You’re the person who I’ll be calling about to clean up. Got it?”
I can’t hear Sam’s reply but the fact that Alek looks satisfied with his answer tells me Sam is on board.
Alek puts his phone away and turns to me. “Katya?”
Without hesitating, I let out a sob and run into his arms. He holds me close.
“You didn’t hurt me,” I whisper against his chest.
“No. I didn’t hurt you. I was never going to whip you. These fucking men.”
“You just killed them. Aren’t you going to be in trouble now?”
“I’m already in trouble. What’s new? They were never going to not be a problem. I had to handle them. I’m just glad that you’re unhurt. We’re going to have to wait here until Sam arrives but once he does, we can leave.”
