Alek comes running out but with all the guns pointed at him from Dimitri and his men, Alek doesn’t dare do anything.
“I am going to make you hurt,” Dimitri announces. “For how you made me feel when you kidnapped Katya.”
Without asking me what I want, Dimitri forces me into the car with Nina and Susanna before getting in himself.
I watch in horror as Alek runs back inside to avoid getting shot from Dimitri’s men. When I look at my brother, all I see is pure malice on his face.
Chapter Eighteen
Katya
Dimitri doesn’t bring us to his house like I’m expecting. Instead, he brings us to an old warehouse where he ties both Nina and Susanna up to rotted, old chairs.
“Please,” Susanna sobs. “Don’t do this. Please!”
Nina cries, unable to speak.
I turn to my brother, who’s glaring at the two other girls. “Dimitri, what are you doing?”
“I am getting my revenge on Alek and you need to know the kind of man he is. You have, for some reason, feelings for him and I can’t stand that.”
“So kidnapping his surrogate daughters is going to help menothave feelings for him? Are you crazy?”
A flash of pure anger hits his eyes. “I am not crazy for wanting to save my sister. Alek needs to know what it feels like to have someone he loves taken from him. He will come here and you will see his evil side and you will snap out of whatever spell he has over you.”
“There is no spell!”
He scoffs.
“Dimitri.” I take his hand and for a moment, his eyes soften. “There is no spell. I have feelings for Alek because I was tired of being in my room.”
“But you were scared to leave your room. You never wanted to.”
“Because I was filled with pain from my past. Because of what Dad did to Mom. But Alek showed me I can have more out of life. I can be the woman I’ve always wanted to be. I don’t have to be so scared because I know he’ll protect me.”
“Protect you? He’s the one who fucking kidnapped you.”
“You’re not listening to me,” I hiss, tightening my hold on his hand. His eyes widen. Dimitri has never seen me talk to him like this before. “I was put into positions where I was almost hurt and Alek saved me time and time again. I trust him. Why can’t you?”
“Because he kidnapped my sister. I made him a deal a while back and he refused. There will never be peace between us.”
“Not even for me?”
Dimitri wavers, looking back and forth between me and the other girls, who won’t stop crying. Susanna’s wailing has gotten so loud, it hurts my ears.
“Dimitri,” I say softly. “I don’t want to be in my room any longer. You always wanted me to be happy.”
“No. I wanted you to be safe.”
“I am safe with Alek.”
“No.”
I grab his face and force him to look me in the eye. “I am safe with Alek. I know it’s hard to believe and I don’t blame you. Neither Alek or I ever saw this coming. But I am safe with him. You have to believe me. It’s what I want. I am not going back to spend the rest of my life in my old room. I know that for a fact. I am done with that. I am ready to live instead. If you take me back to your house, I will be miserable. Are you prepared to do that to me?”
“Katya… I just want to keep you safe.”
“I know. And I am safe with Alek. I know it’s hard to believe but it’s true. I want to be with him.”
