She moved back until she was against the garden wall. Glancing over her shoulder, she looked back at me, a worried expression on her face.
“Nowhere else to go,” I teased.
She swallowed hard as I bent forward. Sophia flinched and pulled her arms up, blocking her face with her hands. Looking at her, I wondered if she truly thought I would hit her. But then I noticed the scrapes on her hands and forearms. I didn’t intend for her to get hurt.
Taking her around the wrists, I pulled her to her feet. “Look what you’ve done now,” I said in a soft tone. “If you had just stopped instead of running from me, this could have been prevented.”
“Please, let me go,” she begged, pulling lightly as she tried moving back. Her voice was barely a whisper, and looking at her, I almost felt sorry for her. My heart felt heavy. This wasn’t her fault after all. I made such a mess of things. I sighed and smiled softly at her. How was I going to tell her the truth?
Looking over my shoulder, I saw my shoe still lying on the lawn. Letting go of her wrists, I turned and went to collect it. AsI bent down to pick it up, she came sprinting past me. “Sophia!” I called out. Rushing, I put my shoe back on and ran after her again.
She had a lot more energy than I would have liked. But maybe that is a good thing. Once again, I was able to close the gap reasonably well. As she reached out for the gate, I grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face me. My eyes flicked up at the towering gate. “That won’t be an easy feat,” I spat as she ripped her arm out of my grip.
Stepping back, she glared at me, her lovely brown eyes ablaze with anger. Gone was the scared, intimidated young woman I saw all week. “You drugged me, assaulted me with a form of chemical weapon, and kidnapped me from my workplace,” Sophia huffed. “That’s aggravated assault, punishable by life.”
Stepping closer, she shoved a finger into my chest as she continued. “You threatened to kill my niece unless I signed a marriage contract. That makes it not only void but criminal. Forced marriage under distress, coercion, my friend. Thirty years, minimum.”
Her hand lifted into the air, but I caught it before she could slap me. “Now you’ve locked me in a room for a week. That’s false imprisonment! You’ve committed more than several felonies already. You want me to continue?” she breathed out hard.
I blinked, momentarily taken aback by the sudden shift. She’s fierce, smart, sharp-tongued, and has no idea who I am. Clearly, I have the wrong person. She didn’t even know what was going on. Does she know what Bratva is, and who I am within it? I had to approach this from another angle. I had to get to the bottom of it all. Letting her go was no longer an option.
“What’s your name?” Sophia demanded for the hundredth time. She pulled and struggled, trying to get her wrist out of my grip. There was a fierceness in her I had not seen until now.
“Kolya,” I huffed, locking eyes with hers. There was no reaction, no widening of her eyes, no flicker of recognition. She had no idea who I was. How could this be? Did she not know what Melody had done to her? Wasn’t she part of the conspiracy?
I felt her pulling free, but before she could try to run again, I grabbed her. Picking her up, I gently placed her over my shoulder. Turning, I headed back to the mansion. Her tiny fists pounded at my back as she protested.
Nearing the door, I lowered her to the ground. Taking her arm, I continued inward. “What do you think the neighbors will think if my wife goes climbing over gates?” I asked as I pulled her inside.
Chapter 4 - Sophia
As he pulled me through the large double glass doors, I dreaded being locked up again. I still had no idea why he had kidnapped me and forced me to marry him. Who was the handsome stranger? This Kolya? As if that meant anything to me. He scares me, but there was also something soothing about his presence.
He kept insisting I know him and that I have to fix what I have done. But I don’t know what he’s talking about. I didn’t know how to prove it either, without knowing what he thought I did. This was a mess.
I was surprised when he turned away from the stairs and pulled me with him into a huge dining room. Two guards stood by the entrance and nodded as we passed them. Entering through the two large black oak doors, my mouth dropped open.
Staring at the room, I was amazed and taken by the décor. This room was nothing like the parts of the house I’ve seen. It felt like I had stepped into a fairytale, and in the center of the room sat a large oval black oak table. The surface was polished to a deep obsidian shine. I was sure that I would be able to see my face in it.
Twelve chairs surrounded it. Each adorned with a silver, fluffy cushion. With the light from the window and chandelier casting perfection, they looked like they belonged in a royal castle. My feet felt glued to the floor as I moved forward slowly, entranced by the quiet elegance.
Glancing up at the chandelier made from black wrought-iron, I studied the delicate arms curving, holding candle-shaped globes. The globes poured out a soft silver glow. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The faint, flickering shadows it castdanced against the white walls. Looking down at the white marble floor, I felt my breath catch from the cold emptiness it gave off.
This room couldn’t have been used many times. It felt lifeless even in its amazing beauty. One entire wall is made of floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing the soft natural light to spill into the room. Beyond the glass lies a breathtaking garden. Lush, vibrant green flows seamlessly with full rainbow colors. It feels almost out of place in such a sterile home.
But what catches my eye isn’t the beauty. It’s the tall gate. Barely visible at the far end of the garden, but it’s there. I narrow my eyes, trying to see it better, trying to gauge its height. I’m not sure I’d make it, but I was going to try.
“Sit,” he huffed over my shoulder as he pulled out a chair.
Without a word, I sat down watching him as he moved to the other end of the table. He had barely sat down when a door to the right opened. Two young women came strolling out.
They wore matching white dresses and beige aprons. Each was carrying a tray. They moved with elegance to his side of the table. The first one placed a covered plate before him before coming to me and placing one down before me as well.
The second woman was carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses on her tray. She placed the tray on the table. She took a glass from the tray, placing it next to his plate. She held the bottle towards him and only opened it once she received a nod. She poured his glass half before coming my way.
I sat in awe as they moved around the table and headed back out the door. Who was this man? I watched him quietly as he removed the cover from his plate. The food looked fresh, crisp, and delicious. I quickly removed the silver cover from mine as well.
As the aroma filled the air around me, I fluttered my eyes. A delicate, mouthwatering scent filled my nostrils. Looking down at my plate, I could feel the water building up in my mouth as my taste buds came to life.
