Page 14 of Bleed with Me

“What the…” I tried to speak, but it took effect immediately.

My muscles grew heavy, as if something was weighing me down. My brain commanded my body to fight, to even move slightly, but it didn’t respond. Panic arose in my chest as I realized my vulnerable position, yet it quickly faded under the chemical mist. My vision blurred as if someone spilled ink on the picture, and soon, I couldn’t see anything. My feelings were erased, my thoughts nonexistent. The world fell into shadow, and only the melodic, almost angelic voice remained, accompanying me in the darkness.

“Sleep, handsome. Everything will be okay.”

-9-

Nina

Adrenaline pounded in my ears, drowning out every other sound. It kept me alert, aware that the tiniest mistake would destroy everything.

By now, Malin and the entire security team noticed that Dorian was missing. I overheard the bodyguard shouting about sending someone to look after him, but we disappeared before anyone could detect that I led him to his car and drugged him.

They would come for me. I knew it. Like trained deadly dogs on a leash, once they caught my scent, I was doomed. But at this very moment, I was the winner.

I checked on sleeping Dorian in the rearview mirror and sped down the highway. Fear burned in my lungs, but exhilaration drowned it out. I kidnapped Dorian Zhumagulov from under the noses of his brothers and bodyguards.

What a fucking move!

I planned this only in case everything else failed. I never believed I’d actually do it. But desperation and obsession had long wiped out common sense.

My hands clutched the steering wheel tightly, and cold sweat covered my forehead. My hair was glued to the skin on my neck and back, making me uncomfortable, and the high heels and long dress made driving harder. I constantly checked the mirrors as if someone was chasing me, knowing the storm was on its way. Not a storm. A fucking mayhem. Zyon and Malin would crush me, but I couldn’t go back. Not when I already had him.

“It’ll be fine,” I mumbled under my breath, stealing another glance at the back. Dorian’s head hung low, only the seatbelt keeping him in place. His dark hair stuck in all directions, and he was pale, but considering the cocktail in his veins, it was understandable. I used a lot of sedatives, and he was drunk like a sailor on shore leave.

When I found him in the garage, he could barely stand. He had no idea who I was. The opportunity to execute my plan without him knowing who was behind the abduction was presented to me on a silver platter. I couldn’t let it slip between my fingers.

Playing an open game was dangerous, because if Dorian found out my last name was Valentino, he would instantly reject me. But with a kidnapping and the scene I prepared to get him where I needed him, it was possible to avoid uncovering my identity until he had no choice but to cooperate.

But Malin and Zyon…

Shaking my head at the scenarios appearing in my head, I forced myself to focus on the road. There was nothing rational left to think about. I’d kidnapped a man to escape another one. The consequences would be catastrophic, but I wasn’t turning back. Once I captured Dorian, which was incredibly easy, by the way, he was mine. Period.

My phone’s buzzing stirred me, and I quickly looked at the incoming text. Lucas was already at the meeting point where we would switch the vehicles. It was one of many precautions I took while creating this plan because I knew what kind of opponent stood against me.

Malin Zhumagulov was a genius. The security systems he built, the schemes he created, his hacking skills, and the diligence with which he worked on his tasks were unmatched. He was incredible at sniffing people out. He stalked people just for fun, and I knew he would find me eventually. I would need tremendous luck to escape his radar, but right now, I was one step ahead of him, and I intended to keep that advantage as long as possible.

Entering the abandoned underground garage on the other side of the city, I exhaled in relief when I saw Lucas sitting on the hood of his Land Rover. It was parked right beside the old Toyota I brought there yesterday. It was registered to a farmer in Texas, perfect for doing illegal shit.

“Help me move him,” I said as soon as I jumped out of the car and opened the back door. Dorian slept like a baby, snorting quietly, completely oblivious to his surroundings.

“Wait a second,” Lucas said, walking to me with his open laptop in his right hand. He was a computer nerd who was great at hacking, and considering he tricked Malin and his team into thinking someone was on the roof while he sat in his car, it was a fantastic performance. None of this would be possible without his help. “I have live footage here from Starlight, and Zyon is going nuts. Are you sure you want to proceed?”

He turned the laptop, but I looked away.

“Yes,” I replied without hesitation, refusing to stare at the enraged beast. It would only plant more doubts in my mind. I knew what I was getting myself into. I risked everything, and I would either win or lose. There was nothing in between.

“Fine.” Lucas sighed, placing the laptop on the front seat. He pushed me away from sleeping Dorian, shaking his head at his tall, muscular form. “Not sure we can make it, though. He’s over two hundred pounds.”

“Two hundred and thirty,” I narrowed down with a smile, biting my lip to suppress it when Lucas noticed my grin.

“My point is that I don’t know if we can get him into another car,” he said in an annoyed voice, unfastening the seatbelt. Dorian instantly fell on him, his face buried into Lucas’s black shirt.

“Terrific,” my best friend groaned, moving and positioning him until his arms were wrapped around Dorian’s torso, and he pulled him out.

“Fucking hell,” he exhaled, dropping Dorian on the dirty concrete floor. His massive frame hit the ground with a thud that echoed off the walls, and his watch cracked. “He’s much more than two thirty.” Lucas straightened to his full height, moving the golden locks from his forehead. “Bring the car closer, Nina. It’s going to be a struggle.”

I’d never seen Dorian this close before. He was enormous. Lucas was tall, lean, and athletic, and I always thought he was strong, but here we truly might have a problem. Dorian was taller than him and more muscular. His back was broader, and his biceps, straining against the expensive fabric of his suit, were much more prominent. When I looked at his large palms and the shining golden Rolex encircling his wrist, my mind went momentarily blank. The imaginary scene of him caressing my naked skin with those hands made the blood rush to my cheeks.