With This Ring

At that moment I knew my time in this world was nearly over. I refused to go out cowering like a dog. I evoked the spit from the base of my throat and shot it at his face. It splattered against his eyes and he shut his lids closed and jerked away.

“You must be out of your mind,” I muttered. “Since the day I was born, I’ve been at the top of Death’s list. You must… indeed be a great… fool to think that threatening… to kill me would have any effect on me. Go ahead. Set me on fire. Right now.”

I shut my eyes, and dropped my head, resigned to my fate … and all I could see was her. She was the only regret I had. The only thing that made me want to save myself by any means necessary, even if I had to grovel.

For the chance of one last glimpse of her… to look into her eyes, to taste her lips, and to sheathe myself in her bliss. She was the heaven I’d been granted in the midst of the hell on earth.

I smiled.

I had truly been blessed… to know her for a period, to own her heart and body, for the period I did. I wondered if after I was gone, if she would realize her feelings for me? I sighed and allowed the tears to pool in my eyes, but never to fall.

Never.

Boris rose from his chair, and once again picked it up. With a jarring shout, he swung it into the air and I was once again flung to the ground, broken and battered beyond belief.

“Alright,” he said. “It seems that you need greater incentive. Since you don’t value your life, then let’s go for the next best thing. Fedorov’s daughter. Did you really think you could save her?”

My heart slammed into my chest.

He laughed. “Do you really think your men got to her in time?”

I stared at him in horror.

“Yes, that’s right. I have her.” He was gloating. Finally, he had me. “What if I bring her here and set her on fire, right in front of you? No, I’ll fuck the bitch first. In the ass. While you watch. She has a good ass on her.” He grabbed his crotch and moaned aloud.

It made me sick to my stomach.

“And if that’s not enough motivation for you to speak, then we can put her on a grill, start burning off parts of her while you watch.”

He turned to his men. “Keep him here until I get the girl.”

With those chilling words he stormed out of the room. My mind was blank with shock. I could not even begin to…There was absolutely no way… Not that animal… Not Freya… Nooooo… Oh God… Please…

Chapter Seventy-Five

Freya

I was concentrating on a design and totally lost to the world when the doorbell rang. I knew Britney was expecting some samples so I quickly went to the door. Sure enough a man in a UPS uniform was standing outside holding a package. I quickly opened the door, but something made the hair on my body stand to attention.

I recognized the alarm from years of ingrained caution from being around my father’s circles. He handed me the package. On the top was a photo of Maxim, he was lying on a concrete floor with a knife sticking out of his prone body. My mouth dropped open in shock. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think. I just stared stupidly at the photo in my hand.

“No, he’s not dead. At least not yet,” the man said.

I nearly fainted with relief. My knees went and I landed in a heap at my doorstep.

“But he will be if… you do not come with me willingly.”

As soon as I heard the words strength poured back into my body. I rose up and said. “Let’s go.”

“Do you often go out in your dressing gown?” he mocked.

I looked down. For a second I felt a confused, then I threw it off me. Underneath I had a little T-shirt and leggings. I pulled a coat from the coat rack and turned to him. “I’m ready.”

“You’re going to walk out of this building as if nothing is wrong. Anybody watching you will think you are going out to the shops to get a pint of milk. You will see a woman wearing a blue coat when you get out. Follow her. When you see a dirty white van on the curb around the block on the way to the convenience store you will get in quietly. If you even look to your left or right, or try to call for help at anytime, your man will die. Look normal. If you trigger suspicion in your security detail and they start to follow you he will die. If you try something clever, he will die. If you try to pass a message on to someone he will die. Basically, his life depends on your good behavior. Do you understand me?”