My heart cracked.
“Dmitri,” I said, my voice breaking. “I’m not crying, because I’m upset with you…”
I closed my eyes while scrambling to find the words to express what I was feeling. I took in a shaky breath then swiveled my body around to fully face him.
“At the warehouse, Roman told me I was replaceable. Helaughedat the idea of you risking anything for me.”
Darkness replaced the emptiness in his eyes. His hands tightened into fists, and I could almost visualize the things Dmitri would do to Roman if my kidnapper wasn’t currently hooked up to a machine.
“I’ve been scared my entire life. I thought it was normal to constantly be on guard against getting hurt. But when I was tied up in Roman’s warehouse, and he was telling me the same lies I used to tell myself, I realized something…
“I realized I don’t have to be scared anymore. That you’llalwayscome for me.” I swallowed back a sob. “That I’mfinally safe.”
I buried my head in Dmitri’s chest and allowed the sobs to rack my body. Dmitri’s arms tightened around me and the safety of his touch made me cry harder.
I cried for the girl who tiptoed around her house, thinking it was normal to be terrified her father might beat her if he was in one of his moods. I cried for the girl who stopped hoping that someone would come save her.
When the tears had all been wrung out of me, I raised my head to stare up at him, all too aware that my skin was probably blotchy and puffy.
Dmitri’s smile was soft as he ran a finger over my jaw, drawing me in close for a kiss.
All too soon, he pulled back. At my whine, Dmitri chuckled softly.
He tilted his head as he stared down at me. The look in his eyes made my heart flip over.
“Sometimes, I can’t believe that you’re mine, Alisa.”
Chapter sixty-five
Dmitri
“Well, you better believe it, because I’m never leaving,” Alisa said before amending with a self-deprecating laugh. “At least not of my own volition.”
Alisa leaned back into me, and sank further into the warm water. My hand ghosted over the scratches on her skin.
Anger flared through me that someone else had dared to leave marks on her. Yet I remained silent. Instead of promising to rip the skin off the next man who hurt her, I made a silent vow to myself.
If anyone dared touch her again…
There’d be no placing them on a ventilator. No matter how painful that process had been for Roman.
Even with the Pakhan’s threat to kill anyone who murdered a fellow contestant, I nearly hadn’t stopped with Roman. One of the only things staying my knife was the gnawing knowledge that the Pakhan might swirl Alisa into his retribution.
The next man to touch her wouldn’t leave the room breathing. And I’d set everything up, so that Alisa couldn’t be touched.
Alisa’s eyes fell to the polished marble floor, and I felt her mind retreating into another place. I silently cursed and tugged her closer.
“Are you ready to be my good girl?” I asked.
I slowly inched my hands toward her mound while keeping a close eye on her expression.
Tonight was about taking care of her. Even if my cock was aching to sink into the sweet release of her pussy, I’d ignore it if she even hinted at disinterest.
“Be a good girl, and use your words, kitten,” I said.
“I’ll be your good girl.” My dick grew impossibly harder at the soft submission in her voice.
I immediately rewarded her with a finger inside her sopping pussy. Her eyelashes fluttered as I sunk my finger in further.
