NYA

his gilded cage gnawed at my patience, my sanity. I didn

ustrated. If I sat still for ano

or, and my stomach clenched when I saw

sion cold and impassive. My pulse jumped,

, keeping my voice firm, though m

with suspicion, before he turned

ally going to call Nikolai, or

ir in the room felt too thick, pressing down on me as I

e door sw

ze. Vi

oom but the air I breathed. His face was un

my throat and met his gaze with

and the door clicke

d smoothly, his voice like silk hiding a blade. "But don't

ace ran to him

. "Maybe I just wanted to talk to s

p closer, closing the space between

" he murmured. "You

y stomach twisted.

adable in his eyes-something dangerously c

His voice was low, a warning. "If you try to

I wouldn't have to if you didn't

urled into a slow

stopping you, just know that you can't escape here even if t

spine, but I clenched my fists.

ay out," I whisp

ainst my cheek. The touch was barely there, b

acting to him when my min

never did," he murmured, h

w his presence seeped into my veins

was gone. The door shut behind him with

hand to my chest. My heart was

o get out

the mansion wa

ess. Maybe I can explore the man

into the dimly lit hallway. Every step felt lik

doors that whispered secrets I wasn't meant to hear. Expensive pa

heard v

against the wall,

ht a glimpse of Viktor. He stood with a few

room wasn't so lucky.

sharp, edged with warning. I only caught piec

Viktor

The gunshot rang out like a thundercl

hand over my mouth to keep from screaming. My pulse

bathroom before I vomited. I gripped the si

t a cruel man with too much

he mafia was

owerful men in suits, smoke curling from cigars, blood

kening thud of a body hitting the ground and the s

was trapped

, my chest rising and falling too fast, my hands sh

eli

s. Where was she? Who had taken he

was the naive, nerdy girl who giggled at my sa

roat ti

or's confidence told me that much. He wasn't worried

Ma

out emailing her. She thought I was still working at

ing into my palms. I had to get o

Ho

ing for solutions. My body was exhausted, my

and wait for whateve

n't be hi

k, my reflection pale and wide-eyed. The girl star

or burst

d, my heart slamm

doorway, his dark eyes

erate, and I instinctively backed aw

ice trembled, betraying the fear

in front of me, close enough that hi

ounter, my fingers digging in

fted a

ached past me, slow and deliberate, brushing his fingers over my hai

froz

steel beneath it was undeniable. I tried to br

so damn calm it sent a fresh w

hudde

t loosen either. Just stayed there, a q

n some of the defiance that had carrie

d. Not a smile. No

rtless. Like he had s

se in my

o know what the hell kind of monster

nough for his breath t

rence is between stories and

shut, my heart slammi

ive cologne, something sharp underneath. The kind of scent that cl

not," he continued, his voice smooth, steady.

omach t

epping back, leaving behind o

n a shaky breath, my

me in place. "You're being watched, there'

. Too soft. A warnin

hard. "And if

ice down my spi

shut behind him. I slumped against the