I haven’t realized how battered he looks now compared to the last time I saw him. His face has new cuts across his jaw, forehead, and temple. His nose and lower lip are broken, bloodstill shining in places, as if it’s ready to spill again. I bet there are bruises on his body that are just as bad—cuts in place I don’t even want to imagine. He has to be in so much pain, and yet, he behaves like a man who barely feels anything.
“Twenty minutes of your time,” Mikhail says. “Alone. And you let me touch you.”
My brows draw together. What a sick bastard!
“N-No,” Enzo manages between tight breaths.
This is all my fault.Imade Enzo come down with me in the first place. I can't just let him die.
“Ten minutes. No touching. And I’ll bring you cigarettes,” I say, my upper lip curling.
The corner of Mikhail’s mouth twitches higher. “Fifteen. One cigarette. And there will be touching, but I’ll be nice.”
A nervous laugh erupts from my chest. “I’m not an idiot, Mikhail. Define nice.”
He slightly angles his head, as if he likes the sound of his name coming from my lips—or as if it’s the first time he sees me when I say it out loud.
“Well?” I ask, bringing his attention back to Enzo.
He rolls his eyes. “Nothing inappropriate.”
“Fine. Now let. Enzo. Go.”
And, to my surprise, he does, even if he has no guarantee I’ll uphold my end of the bargain or that he won’t be killed after what he tried to pull off.
Mikhail loosens his grip on the chain, unwraps it from Enzo’s neck, then pushes him out of his cell with a force he shouldn’t have, considering his injuries. I gasp when my guard flies into the wall ahead, stooping to catch his breath.
“Enzo! Are you alright?” I say, approaching him.
My guard steps back with a hand extended, telling me to stay away. I try not to let it get to me. After all, if he’s mad, I deserve it.
As Enzo’s breathing evens out a little, he trudges to the door, locking Mikhail back inside. This entire time, my stalker watches me with delight, satisfaction written all over his face.
“Let’s go,” Enzo says, followed by a cough. I don’t fail to notice Mikhail’s brow quirking. He’s got to be kidding—he wants his fifteen minutesnow?
“I don’t have the cigarette on me,” I tell him. “You’ll have to wait?—”
“Bring it next time. The rest, you can offer me now. And make no mistake: just because I didn’t kill him doesn’t mean I won’t do it the next time he’s down here, no matter how sweetly you beg.”
Damn him.
It would be foolish to believe Enzo will never be ordered to come check on Mikhail again, or that Mikhail won’t stay true to his word. I can’t take any of those risks, so I turn back to Enzo, who watches me with a frown.
“Go ahead. I’ll be right up,” I tell him.
“Absolutely fucking not. I’m not leaving you here all by yourself ever again. You saw what he’s capable of.”
“It’s fine.” I nod, trying to convince us both. “He won’t hurt me. He did that just to strike the deal.”
Lie. Lie. Lie.I have no idea what this man means to do—not now, not ever, but I need Enzo out of here. “I’m really sorry I made you come with me,” I say.
“I’m not. Let’s fucking go. I mean it.”
I open my mouth to reason with him, but after what just happened, I doubt he’ll relent this time.
“Just…don’t do anything stupid!” I tell Mikhail. “I’ll be back. If you harm him again–”
He shakes his head slowly. “We made a bargain,” he says, cementing my reality.
