“Son of a bitch! He planned on using these on Delphine and the girls. That fucking bastard. I’ll kill him,” I explode.
“I’ll help,” Dom mutters. “I know he’s your dad, but he’s a sick fuck. What was he trying to do?”
“Train them to behave,” I mutter. “Maxim planned on having two weeks with them on this ship, and I bet he was going to use that time to beat them into submission. He wanted to make sure they were compliant when they reached Russia so that he could hand them over to Alexandr as a fucking gift.”
I reach in and pull out a whip, studying it as I think about what my mother and sister could have faced if we hadn’t gotten to them in time. “You know what I think?” I ask.
“That we should use these on Maxim?”
I grin at him. “Exactly. Let’s go find out what he planned for Delphine and the girls.”
Dom grabs an empty box and helps me dump everything from the wardrobe inside it. I recheck the room as well as Maxim’s cabin. In there, I found more items of torture. These are even more lethal than the whips and paddles. My blood boilswhen we climb into the bowels of the ship. Dom carries the box and follows me.
Maxim’s tied to a chair in the center of the room. He’s still unconscious.
“I need a way to hang him up by his wrists,” I instruct the two guards watching him. They nod and scramble to find what I need. They’re back a few minutes later.
“There’s a room down the hall with hanging rails. I think they used it to transport animal carcasses, but it’s empty,” one guard offers.
I nod. “Good, haul him down there and string him up.”
Dom and I follow the men and watch in silence as they hang Maxim from a hook in the center of the room. The floor has a drain, which will come in handy for cleaning off the blood I plan to spill. Against the wall, nearest the door, is a table. I nod for Dom to place the box on the table so I can reach inside and pull out the items I plan to use on Maxim.
“Go grab a couple buckets of ice-cold water,” I instruct one of the guards. He dashes out of the room and returns shortly carrying two buckets. He places one next to the other guard while he hefts the other. They work in tandem to empty the buckets over Maxim’s head. He sputters awake.
“What the hell is going on?” Maxim shouts.
I lift the whip and crack it to get his attention. “Funny, that’s exactly the question I was going to ask you.”
CHAPTER FOUR: ANYA
I gape at my father as his words sink in. “Wait. What? I don’t want to get married.”
“You have to get married sometime, my sweet girl. As my daughter, you have a responsibility to marry strategically. If Alexi were still with us, things might have been different, but he’s gone. It’s up to you to carry on our legacy. I’m sorry, but that’s the way it has to be,” my father says.
I stare up at the ceiling to fight back the tears. Losing Alexi destroyed me, but I never imagined that things could get worse. I never thought that losing Alexi meant that I would lose my future. When I lower my head to plead my case, I catch the expression on my father’s face and swallow my words. He looks as devastated as I feel. My father is not a mean man, and I know this decision is hard for him. But that doesn’t make the situation easier for me.
My father must see the anguish on my face, because he rises from his chair and kneels before me. He takes my hands in his and squeezes them. “I’m sorry, baby girl. I know this isn’t what you want, but I promise I will be selective in my choice. I will find you a man who will take care of you and give you a good life. He’ll be honored to have you as his wife, and he will be as proud of you as I am.”
When he reaches his hand up to cup my face, I have to fight back the tears. I want to rail at him for betraying me like this, but I can’t. He hasn’t made this decision to hurt me, even though that’s the result. Unable to hide my pain, I glance away, and my eyes land on Igor. He’s standing behind my father, glaring at him with such animosity that I shiver.
“Are you cold, sweet girl?” my father asks, misunderstanding my visceral reaction. “Why don’t you go upstairs and take a long, hot bath. I’ll have Nadia bring you a snack.”
I open my mouth to protest. I want to argue for my freedom. However, I know it is a waste of time. Arguing will only hurt my father. Instead, I nod and rise to my feet. I need time to think and to plan. I have to find a way out of this situation. When I reach the door, he calls to me.
“You will be spectacular as the Lilac Fairy. I’m very proud of you, my child. I wish your mother and brother could be here to see your performance.”
I smile at him. My eyes shift to Igor, who watches me with such intensity that my blood runs cold. I’ve always known Igor desired me. It wasn’t a simple attraction, but something deeper and sinister. Turning away from him, I force myself to walk calmly out of the room–even though I want to run. Instead of running out the front door, I force myself up the stairs and into my room. Falling face-first onto the bed, I let loose the tears.
How did my life go from joy to despair so quickly? I thought getting the part of the Lilac Fairy was going to open doors for me, but now I hear those doors slamming shut. Maybe my father will find a man who will support my dreams, but I know I’m being foolish. Whoever my father selects will expect me to give up everything and focus on him. He’ll expect me to produce an heir as soon as possible to solidify his position. I let the tears stream as the utter hopelessness overwhelms me.
A knock on the door forces me to pull myself together. Nadia is on the other side, carrying a tray. Her face crumbles when she looks at the tears cascading down my face. She has been with my family since before I was born. She worked as my mother’s personal maid while my mother was alive. My father kept her on after my mother’s death so she could care for me. She’s barely five feet tall, but her tiny frame holds boundless energy. I don’t know how old she is; I’d never be so rude as to ask. Her black hair shows no gray, and her face is unlined. She could be thirty or fifty. All I know is I love her as if she were my mother.
“My poor girl, sit, sit, tell me what is wrong. Did you not get the role you wanted? Those people are stupid. You are the best dancer. Always. I’ll go down there and tell them.”
I grace her with a watery chuckle. “There’s no need for that. I got the part that I truly wanted. That isn’t why I’m crying.” I tell her about my father’s plans. “At least I’ll get the opportunity to dance as the Lilac Fairy before I have to give it all up.”
“I’m so sorry, child. You know your father wouldn’t be forcing you into this if he had another choice,” Nadia soothes. “He isn’t making this decision to hurt you. He’s in a very tough position. He’ll do as he promised and find someone who will treat you like the princess you are.”
