Page 58 of Captured Obsession

I lean over the glass balcony and look down into the open living space. He’s gazing up at me, his green eyes striking in the sunlight. He’s holding something as he takes the stairs two at a time before coming to a stop in front of me. “This package might be more to your liking.”

He holds out an unopened box.

“What is this?” I ask.

“A present from me.”

My eyebrows shoot up.

He pushes it into my hands and then walks away without another word. But I suppose that’s Nikolai’s style. I see that it’s delivery date is the same day he kidnapped me. It’s most likely Nikolai’s methodical foresight, which is part of what makes him so dangerous. It feels as if he’s planned every step. Even now, I still don’t understand his motives, aside from what his boss wants, but it seems like he’s risking a lot.

I walk into my bedroom, the beautiful pinks and paneled design of the painting grabbing my attention first. Romi painted it for me, and it now hangs proudly above my bed. But it’s not the luxurious familiarity ofmy room that entices me. Instead, I go into my walk-in closet, sighing in delight, completely at ease with the luxuriously designed room. It’s a two-story space filled with my favorite designers.

I run my hand along the clothes hanging on the left, feeling the fabrics of dresses, some of which I haven’t yet worn. To my right, in the center of the room, is my favorite jewelry. The back wall is entirely covered with shelves full of heels.

I take a seat on the soft pink couch, and stare down at the box Nikolai gave me. After a few moments, I tear into it and then immediately suck in a sharp breath.

It’s basic in design, brown in color, yet instantly makes me feel like a little girl again.

It’s a teddy bear, similar to the one I used to carry as a child. The original had been a gift from my mother one Christmas. I curl my hands around it, hating how much I love it and how uncomfortably it shifts my heart.

This bear has a collar with a bright-yellow sunflower embroidered on it. And that collar has me thinking back to the fresh sunflowers that always appeared in my room at the manor, realizing that Nikolai was probably behind those as well. They are, after all, my favorite.

When I turn the collar, my heart sinks.Mishkais sewn into the back. And it’s not lost on me that its name is also a Russian term of endearment meaning little bear or teddy bear.

An endearment that Nikolai has used to patronize me with. But as I stare down at it, I can’t help but think about how calculated all of this is. Only few know of that teddy bear my mother gifted me, which I lost years ago. I hate that the man to replace such a thing is the one man I should despise the most. That even when we haven’t spoken about it, he’s able to reopen, and at the same time comfort, the part of me that has never truly healed.

“Why do you want to become a mother so badly?”

“That question’s off-limits.”

Suddenly, it feels like he’s closer to my heart than I ever intended to let him get.

23

NIKOLAI

The teddy bear I’d had delivered is almost an exact replica of one her mother gave her for Christmas when she was a child. It’s a subtle reminder that when I research my prey, I do so meticulously.

I knew she’d return to New York at some point. I just didn’t expect to be here with her. On the off chance that I was taken out before she arrived, I wanted my prey to have something to remember me by. One might call it a haunting parting gift.

However, when I’d handed it to her, it was for another reason entirely. My blood had boiled at the shift in her expression when she saw the photos of her dickhead of an ex. I wanted to comfort her as much as I wanted to appease my own jealousy.

I pity her in some ways. She might’ve felt like a princess locked in a tower when I’d kidnapped her, butis a life of riches such as this, with such expectations, truly any better?

I much appreciate having my riches and my freedom to take and give life as I please. But the life Sienna has feels like she’s shaped it so perfectly for the outside to see. But inside, there’s something far fiercer and more determined to break through.

I see people for who they are, including those who are naive to their own monsters and those who have embraced them. But this last month I’ve watched Sienna’s bleed together. She’s raw, she’s furious, and she’s real.

I wonder if she’ll choose to go back to the way things were—even when she won’t admit out loud how miserable she was.

“So far, the apartment seems untouched,Udav,” Andrei says as we meet in the large open living space. The penthouse is extraordinary, as is expected from the Falcone family. It’s known that Sienna is spoiled by her father, but all I can think is how empty and vast this place must feel for one person. But this is the splendor she’s used to. I could easily purchase her something similar, but wouldn’t it feel just as lonely?

I glance at the pile of boxes and envelopes, intent on opening every single one. I won’t leave it to chance that any variable from the outside can affect us. I don’t bother to look around the apartment, as I’ve done all the research I need to know, and have memorized the layout.

I can’t shake the unease of sitting here like a caged creature. The Wolf has been intentional with his demand. But the longer we wait this out, the more wary I grow of what other intentions he might have. However, it gives me opportunity to hunt for someone I’ve been curious about for some time. Dmitri Volkov.

We could be in this stalemate for weeks, depending on The Wolf’s mood or when Luca decides to get rid of us. So I’ll strike while I have time, creating an opportunity to come face-to-face with Dmitri Volkov. Not quite yet, though, because I know we’re being carefully monitored. I need to take Sienna with me if I leave. One, because I don’t trust in her being safe here, and two, because I need the reminder that at any moment, she could be hurt.