I don't want him to leave.
Hope flares in my chest when he comes back to me. Once more he leans his huge, strong body on the counter.
"When are you done for the night, Olena?"
I glance at the clock. "Five more minutes," I say. "But honestly, I might as well close up for the night now." I've already done our nightly routine of restocking shelves and preparing food for the next day.
Please don't go, I silently beg him.
I like his undivided attention.
"Good," he says. "I'll walk you to your car."
I glance back at the door, puzzled, now truly concerned my guard hasn't returned.
Where is he?
I can't take him up on his offer, because I don't have a car. I have an escort and guards and a ride back to my proverbial tower.
But I want to stay with him.
"Thank you," I tell him. While I gather up my books, he speaks easily to me of my classes, what I'm studying, and even seems interested in early childhood education. Soon, I've closed up the café, and when I reach the door, I go to lift my heavy bag, but he reaches over and silently takes my bag from me.
He's a gentleman, too.
"I'll carry that for you," he says. "Just tell me where to go?"
I should protest. I should keep my bag, because my cell phone and wallet are in it, but I think he's just being polite. And I've never had anyone offer to take my bag for me before.
"I... well, thank you... but I..." I suddenly trip on absolutely nothing and fall head first toward him. My face crashes into his chest. His arms surround me, gathering me up before I fall, and I'm dazed by the earthy scent of musk and leather, the confidence in his hold, and the concern in his eyes. Tipping a finger to my chin, he lifts my gaze, his heavy brows rising questioningly. "Are you alright, Olena?"
I nod. I'm so embarrassed I don't want to look at him, but he won't let me look away.
"Good girl," he says. But before I can register his praise... before I can gather my wits about me... he's pulling me closer. Too close. He's holding me tightly. Too tightly. Large, strong fingers wrap around the back of my neck and his mouth is at my ear, his breath hot, his voice a deep register of command.
"You will not scream. You will not make a move to get away. You will walk with me to the car that waits beside us and take your seat like the good little girl I know you can be. Do you understand me?"
His fingers on my neck tighten in warning. I close my eyes, my heart hammering in my chest so hard and fast I feel faint.
Noooo.
He's not a good man. My instincts were right. He's come to take me.
"Yes," I say in a strangled whisper.
Turning me so I can walk to the car, he wraps an arm around me from behind and grasps my elbow firmly, marching me to the car. And that's when I see it. My guard lies on the ground, crimson blood pooling around his head.
Dead.
Panic rises in my chest, but I'm too shocked to scream, when I look frantically toward my ride. The driver lies, slumped over in his seat.
Oh, God.
Oh God oh God oh God.
He killed them.
Men cloaked in black already swarm my driver and guard, removing evidence with their gloved hands. They'll dump the bodies and cover up this crime scene. I begin to fight him, my arms flailing helplessly to push him away, even though I already know he's too strong and I'm outnumbered. I open my mouth and try to scream but I can't. With one fluid motion, he pins my arms to my side. One of the cloaked men opens the side door to the car that waits, and Maksym lifts me up in his arms, and slides noiselessly into the car with me on his lap. The door shuts with a thump of finality. I writhe in his grasp, my fight or flight instinct kicking in with full force, when something pricks my neck. I feel a pinch, just before my limbs grow heavy and my vision blurs.
Help, I think, trying to speak the words out loud, but I'm not sure the words actually come out of my mouth. I'm succumbing to darkness, pulled into an abyss of nothingness.Chapter 3Maksym
It doesn't take long for her to surrender to the sedation. She's slight, and a normal dose quickly subdues her. I hold her to my chest while we drive back to our compound, prepared to restrain her if she wakes and flails in protest. She should be sedated for hours, but I want to play it safe. And if I'm honest? I like holding her like this.