a

ay Ea

eway high above the city. I knew that they expected a scared Russian girl

ybe not

en in the event that the man who took me f

even crack a true smile. And whatever evil thing he had pla

briefly thought about putting up a fight with the guard that had come to

ack to that prison of a room. He had glared at me immediately afte

ed in, either afraid that I would shout out or bound by

't getting out of

dwarfed all the houses I had visited in my

gruff Russian, motioning f

ion with some trepidation. This was probably my new prison

would have had to deal with if she was still alive. I wanted to say that I w

n when she was ripped from everything she knew. If she

he wouldn't have to live with a monster who c

Stanisl

man standing on the steps to the mansion. He was dressed in a severe gray suit, his hair neatly combed back off his forehead. "Go

hut, knowing that I needed to be car

oward the door. "Please, if you will follow me," he answered i

the guards would only drag me back out. But at the same time, I

identity,

ht now for me to walk

through the door, the smells of la

ed back into a severe bun at the nape of her neck. She was wearing a black

rsed as if she had tasted something sour. "Welcome to your home. I am Vera Pushkin

d could not care less if I liked the place or not. I wondered just how much they

er her face. "You are h

hat I was

id. "I will sho

railing scrolled with flowers and vines. A large chandelier hung suspended from the vaulted ceilin

mansion, something that made me wonder if t

he stairs, my hand shaking

eamed at me, trying to

dn't. I

me worry that I was faking everything? I knew I was surrounded by people that were going to do nothing but judge me, even hate me becau

riends in

it with each step I took. This was opulence beyond measure, a statement to something. Most

t of man. He didn't look like someone

the end, where a door stood open w

the door wider. "

ered in an ice-blue comforter that made it look like it was a cloud. There was a sitting area off to the right, ne

ite, and the furniture a heavy dark oak.

open. "Everything, you will see, has been stocked in anticipation of your arrival. The wardrobe is ful

esser was covered with makeup and other feminine t

ng had Kirilenko b

staff around the clock to see to your needs. Your meals will be delivered unless the

st

was going to be my prison. No, it would appear that I wasn't even g

d as she walked to the do

he door before crossing the

hat I figured wa

d in from t

it down, turning away from the door. This wasn'

ed out over the twinkling lights of LA below. It was a significant drop. The balcon

y darkness bec

n the darkness, I could see the guards patrolling

re fence that graced the property in the distance, the sharp e

like the others: a high stone wall encircling the

oked like a fortress capab

my hands, wishing I had the balls to just jump off the bal

his room so that I'd be tempted to try? Wh

he eve

ught. He

plans lined up in case I did something as foolish as

hat she carried in her belly, thought of m

ould be devastated if I was gone. Even more so, Ilsa would want to find o

imes over rather than be the

y were full of clothing. The labels in the wardrobe alone must've been an eye-watering expense. To say nothing about th

acy thongs that were no more than dental floss to delica

thousands of dollars-in every shape and

ry woman's d

ing normal clothes in the very bottom. Even here, the ca

e showerheads and a sunken tub that was big enough for two. The image of a naked Kirilenko pushing me

a time that he would want to consummate

uld I d

the conversations I'd had with Sveta right before her death, I

otted at the thought, and I removed my clothing quickly, ignoring the full-length mirror o

tears leaking out of the sides of my eyes. I didn't sob aloud, afraid that there might be bugs in the room, liste

didn't seem so o

*

s the door opened and Vera marched in, carrying a tray

on the bed. "The master wants to s

in Russian, barely rememberin

bigger problem with his plans. I will come back fo

nding steaming eggs and two slices of bacon along with some fruit. There also was one slice of to

y. God, I hadn't eaten

e to find something that wasn't going to show a lot of skin. I finally settled on a romper that showed off my legs and bared one shou

a, frightened and unsu

of flats. "You look like an American," she sneered, mo

did she expect me to

hat was flooded with light. It would be a wonderful place to spend idle d

f his forehead again, and I idly wondered if anyone had ever mussed him up before or what he would look like waking in the morning. I spo

at the thought, and I l

tly. "I will know everything about you, every inch of your skin

ke an abrupt appearance. It wasn't a horrible thought. Gavril was a gorgeous man

t like

racks behind him, and Vera hovering in the di

nge. "You are here to pic