With This Secret

Suddenly, the air was pierced with the scream of police sirens, and I turned sharply towards the sound, wondering what was going on.

It drew closer and closer as it broiled up a sour feeling within me. I rushed through the nearest door I could find and hurried over to a broken window. From where I stood, I had a bird’s eye view of the ambush. In the distance, a fleet of police vehicles had surrounded Maxim’s men’s two vehicles.

I couldn’t breathe as I watched the commotion, the screaming of the police officers I could hear through a broken window. As Maxim’s men came out of their vehicles with their hands up in the air—it dawned on me.

Bogdan had separated me, so that he could isolate me. The police would take Maxim’s men with them and then I would be all alone and without protection. He knew all along Maxim would have eyes on me and so he must have come up with some story for the cops to grab Maxim’s men.

With a gasp, I turned around, ready to run for my life, but I was suddenly smacked so hard across the face that the excruciating pain was like a flash of bright light across my eyes. I was flung into a row of wooden tables and chairs. I began to crawl away frantically and swore as a steely hand closed around my ankle.

Another blow fell on my head and I could feel myself blacking out.

The last thought in my head before darkness took over …

I would probably never see my Levan again!

47

Levan

“What? She’s not in Spain!” I stared at Viktor across the glass from me with an uncontrollable fury. I could feel myself swirling out of control.

He lowered his head, sorrowful.

Before I could catch myself, I was out of my seat. My open palm smacked so hard against the glass, he jumped and almost fell out of his chair. It toppled behind him.

“What the fuck do you mean she’s gone?”

A couple of burly guards approached me.

“Hey, Ivankov! You’re out of line! Another episode like that and you’re going back to your cell”

I didn’t heed them and they grabbed me, twisting my arms behind my back while locking metal cuffs around my wrists.

“Are we going to have a problem man?” One of the guards asked.

I barely heard him, my focus solely on the apologetic look on Viktor’s face. I could see the fear in his eyes. “Who fucking let her leave Spain?” I howled as the guards dragged me away from the visitation room.

Other prisoners and visitors were looking on, curious about what was going on.

“Get me Maxim! Fucking get me Maxim!” I roared.

They dragged me through the corridor and I let them. I felt empty, alone and without control. Where was she? Why did Maxim let her leave? My heart felt like a stone in my body. Everything had gone wrong. So fucking wrong.

The guards returned me to my cell, and as the bars slid shut before me, I dropped to my knees and prayed to a God I did not believe in.

48

Bianca

I was spread out, tied up on a cross made of wood and pipe while hung up on the rough wall of a large empty warehouse. Surrounded by windows, I could see through the dirty glass panes and recognized the Williamsburg Bridge as well as the surrounding cobblestone Dumbo. My father was in the same room, but I couldn’t bear to look at him, and neither could he me.

He was seated just a few feet from me, bloodied and battered, with his head hanging low. I could see Bogdan and his handful of thugs who appeared to be talking about something.

I was past humiliation, my clothes were in tatters after being ripped from my body. My lips bruised and bloody from the blows I had thus far received.

“Ah, the Princess is awake.” Bogdan came over to me, dragging the legs of an iron chair against the concrete floor and took his seat right before me. “Do you know,” he asked, “the difference between an offering and a sacrifice?”

I couldn’t hear him properly. It must have been that blow to my head. A ringing sound kept clanging in my ears. As I looked down at him from my Jesus-like position, I thought of Levan again. I was glad I loved him. No matter what happened now to me, he would know. I loved him with all my heart.

“Both involves surrender,” Bogdan said. “One is mandative, or is it mandated. This language is not easy for me. Anyway, the other is a gift.”

Tears fell from my eyes for the first time that evening. I knew then I was going to be sacrificed to this piece of shit before me. I was right. I was nothing to him. It was a pissing contest after all, and he had won.