“I kept my mouth shut, but the professor noticed my absence, the bruises and how I suddenly
distanced myself rom him and everybody. I tried to push him away, but he wouldn’t let it go. He paid
for it, of course”
“The son of a bitch killed him?”
I nodded, the pain of the memory searing. “And when I tried to escape, he shot me, too.”
Savage’s arms tightened around me, his warmth soothing me. It didn’t make any sense, to seek
solace and protection in the arms of another murderer, the man who kidnapped me, wanted to rape me
and had planned to kill me for money. But I did. And against all logic, I believed him when he said he wasn’t going to hurt me. Silly me.
“Tino Bellomo should have killed that piece of shit.”
“I was surprised he didn’t after what happened later. After me, Leo did very bad things to his
family. He isn’t stable at all. But I guess, being his only son, Tino didn’t want to lose him. That’s why he exiled him and put him in a mental hospital instead.”
“I have no clue how he escaped or what the fuck he was doing coming back here, but if that
motherfucker thinks about setting foot in here or anywhere near you, I’ll kill him myself. Money or no money, I’ll protect you, Sia. I mean, Anastasia.”
“My grandma calls me Sia. I like it better. She’s the one who gave me the music box. I’ve always
wanted to be a ballerina but because of my toe, I couldn’t. I begged my father to take me to a doctor to fix it, but he didn’t agree. He never wanted me to be anything I liked. I was nothing but a commodity to him. Something to use or sell. Anyway, Grandma gave me the box and told me to dance no matter
what, even if it was just in my room when no one was watching.”
“Why?”
“To teach me that it didn’t matter what others might force you to do or become. You can still be
who you really are and do what you want. The ballerina might be locked in a box, but it’s bound to be opened, and when it does, she will dance no matter what.”
His thumb brushed my cheek, and his eyes held my gaze. “You don’t belong in a box, little girl. It’s
time for you to be free.”
“You know we need to get out of here.”
“I’m not leaving my men, Sia.”
“But—”
“Don’t worry. I promise I’ll get you home to your grandma and your uncle safe.”
“Back to the Romanovs? Back to the Bratva?” Fear contracted my heart. “No. Please. You can’t
take me back there.”
“Why not?”
“My uncle Rasputin is no different from my father, Savage. And if he’s in Chicago, it means he’s
looking to reestablish the Romanovs’ empire there. How do you think he’ll do it?”
