Irina's POV
"Let me go!" I screamed, tears streaming down my face.
Alexei's fist tightened on my wrist, his nails dug into my skin causing blood to form like a bracelet.
I was terrified.
My heart pounded as I looked back at the already destroyed door.
Dmitri would be heartbroken.
He would be worried.
"Where are you taken me!" I screamed as he dragged me down the stairs.
He turned to face me and it hurt seeing Dmitri's face in his. Hia greem eyes glistened with rage.
"You're carrying my damn child." He said, his voice was cold. It sent shivers down my spine.
I looked over at him, realizing there was no wound on his body.
"You're supposed to be missing." I said. "Dmitri went to look for you."
He laughed, tightening his grip as we pulled me through the hallways. We walked past Dmitri's bedroom and my heart broke.
Would I ever see him again?
"He's too slow." His voice was deadly.
"You're a a monster." I cried. "I would never forgive you if anything happens to him."
"You should be worried about yourself, woman." He said. "You're pregnant."
Anger burned in my veins.
"I had rather die than have your baby." I said.
"We'll see about that. Now keep quiet." He dug his nails deeper into my skin.
I screamed in pain.
Tears streamed down uncontrollably. Dmitri would never hurt me. Hw would never make me cry.
Fear gnawed at me at what awaits me in the hands of this monster.
"Let me to, please." I begged.
We got to the garage, his guards were waiting.
"Make sure she's comfortable." He said as he handed me over to them.
They immediately put a bag over my head, making everything go dark.
They tied my hands behind my back ignoring my screams. I was shoved into the car and I heard the engine roar to life.
This was it.
This was the end of my life. A life away from Dmitri. The man I love.
The car sped through the night, it's engine roaring like a beast.
The rough cloth bag over my head made it hard to breathe, and the smell of my own fear was suffocating.
My wrists ached from the tight ropes.
"Please," I begged, the bag muffled my voice. "Where are you taking me?"
From the seat beside me, Alexei let out a low, cold laugh. It was a sound without warmth, so different from Dimitri's. "Somewhere your beloved Dima will never find you."
"He will find me." I said with a hope I didn't fully feel.
"Let him try," Alexei replied, his voice dripping with disdain.
I remained silent. Exchanging words with this bastard was a wastebof time.
My throat burned with thirst, but I kept swallowing my own saliva to keep my throat from sticking together.
The journey felt endless. It felt like days had passed. We changed cars multiple times, the process always swift and efficient. They took me from one vehicle to another, but the bag never left my head. I lost track of time, of direction.
All I could hear was the sound of engines, the smell of leather seats, and the chilling presence of the man who had stolen me.
Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, the car came to a stop. The engine cut off, and a new sound filled the air, the rhythmic crash of waves.
The car door opened. Strong hands pulled me out. The salty, fresh smell of the sea hit me.
Where had they brought me to?
The bag was finally yanked from my head.
I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the bright daylight. I looked around and I noticed we were in a secluded cove.
Before me stood a modern, stark white villa with all sharp angles and glass. It was built right at the edge of a cliff. And beyond it, stretching to the horizon, was a vast, endless body of water. It was beautiful and terrifying.
It means there was nowhere to run.
Alexei stood beside me, watching my reaction. "Beautiful, isn't it? The Black Sea. It has a way of making problems… disappear."
He started walking towards the villa. "Don't even think of escaping," he called over his shoulder without looking back. "We are far away from civilization. And the sea is cold and hungry."
A guard immediately scooped me up into his arms before i could soeak. He walked towards the villa, ignoring my weak protests and kicks. My struggles were useless. He carried me through the sleek, minimalist villa and into a spacious bedroom. It was luxurious, with a large bed and a balcony overlooking the water. But it felt like the most beautiful prison in the world. It was empty because Dimitri was not here.
The guard left, locking the door behind him. I was alone.
I looked around the room and was shocked at what I saw.
Alexei had prepared this room before my arrival.
The wardrobe was filled with clothes and everything a woman would need. Or I would need.
I changed into the simple clothes that was already laid out for me. Later, a woman brought a tray of food. I didn't want to eat, but my hand went to my stomach. For the baby. I ate every last bite, the food tasted like ash.
Night fell and the sound of the waves was a constant, and lonely roar. I put on the silky nightgown laid out on the bed, it was slightly transparent, and I felt a flush of humiliation. Was this Alexei's doing?
I climbed into the large, cold bed, praying for sleep to take me away from this nightmare.
I must have dozed off, because a sudden knock on the door jolted me awake.
My heart leaped into my throat.
"Dmitri?" I whispered, sitting up. Had Dmitri found me already?
The door opened before I could get up. And standing in the doorway, silhouetted by the hallway light, was Alexei.
He was half-naked, wearing only a pair of low-slung sleep pants. His upper body was bare, revealing the defined muscles of his chest and abdomen, so similar to Dimitri's and yet so alien to me. His green eyes scanned the room and landed on me.
My hands instinctively wrapped around my breast. My body was trembling.
What was he here for?
Fear creeped up my chest.
He didn't say a word. He just walked in, brushing his shoulders against mine, and went straight to the bed.
My jaw dropped.
"What are you doing?" I whispered, my voice shaking with fear.
He pulled back the covers on the other side. "I'm sleeping here," he said casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. He got into the bed, the mattress dipping with his weight, and settled against the pillows.
He was lying next to me. In my bed. The man who was my nightmare was lying mere inches away from me.
I scrambled out of the bed, standing on the far side, my whole body trembling with fear, hatred and disgust.
"No. Get out." My voice was barely above a whisper.
He turned his head on the pillow, a slow, infuriating smile spread across his face. "This is my house, my room. And you are my guest. I will sleep where I please."
"I am not your guest, I am your prisoner!" I cried, wrapping my arms around
myself.
He smiled, his eyes drifting over my body that was visible through the thin nightgown in the moonlight.
"Get back in bed. You need your rest." His voice dropped, losing its casual tone and becoming a command. "Don't make me tell you again."
I stood there, frozen in terror and rage, staring at the monster in Dimitri's skin who now occupied my bed.