“Why were you on the floor and not in the bed?” Dimitri demands.
“I’m not sleeping in that bed.”
“Why? Is it not comfortable? We can buy a new mattress if you prefer.”
Scoffing, I push my hair out of my face and scowl up at all three of them. “You can buy as many mattresses as you like, I’m still not sleeping in that fucking bed.”
“You’d rather sleep on the floor?” Dimitri sneers.
“Every day for the rest of my life.” I nod.
Gritting his teeth, he swears beneath his breath in a language I don’t understand. “Come, you need to eat.”
“No thanks,” I hiss, pushing up to my elbows and crab walking backward until my back hits a dresser.
“You must be hungry, it’s been almost two days since you ate,” Lev says, offering me a smile as he holds out his hand for me to take.
“I’m not hungry,” I say more firmly.
“Then a drink, we have coffee,” Lev offers.
“No.” I shake my head.
“For fuck’s sake,” Viktor hisses, grabbing me and hauling me off the floor and over his shoulder, before I even realize he’s moved.
“Put me down, you fucking asshole,” I scream, thrashing against his hold. His grip never loosens as he carries me downstairs, his shoulder digging painfully into my stomach as he bounces down each step.
With my head upside down, I don’t get a chance to see where he’s taking me, until I’m turned upright and dumped unceremoniously into a chair at a massive dining table. A plate, heaped with food is placed in front of me and, a moment later, a mug of steaming coffee is slid beside the plate.
Crossing my arms, I lean back in the chair, not even allowing myself to smell the food. I’m hungry, but I’ve been hungrier, and right now I’m not prepared to eat or drink anything that comes from them just in case they drug me again. I might be a prisoner right now, but at least I’m still wearing the clothes I was when they took me, and I have no aches or pains except for the stiffness of being drugged and unconscious for a long time. If they drug me again, I might not be so lucky.
“Eat, please,” Lev says, his tone pleading. “Our chef is exceptional and if there’s something you want that isn’t here, she’ll make it for you.”
“Not hungry,” I tell him again, pointedly ignoring him as I take in the room. My year living in a comfortable apartment with a lock on the door and food in my stomach has made me weak and it takes me a moment to scan the room, finding the exits and escape routes.
We all fall into a tense silence, the sounds of the men eating slowly fading until they stop completely.
“Alabama—”
“How long are you planning on keeping me here?” I blurt, turning to look at Dimitri.
“We are married.” His sigh is weary and I’m happy to wear him down, maybe he’ll get bored of me and just send me home to get rid of me.
Scoffing, I force a derisive smile to my lips. “Look, I’m not an idiot. If I am who you say I am, then you brought me here for a reason and it wasn’t to keep me safe. So, what is it you need from me and how long do you think that will take?”
Dimitri’s jaw tics again and he glances to the other two men, before he looks at me again. “You are our wife. This is your home. You’re right, we did not bring you here with the sole purpose of protecting you, although that was a valid concern. But there is no timescale, and we will not be taking you back to Georgia, ever. You belong here with us now.”
“Bullshit,” I snap.
“Enough,” Dimitri shouts, the tone of his voice a warning that echoes through my body. “Now eat.”
Sighing, I close my eyes and tip my head back to rest against the chair. “Can I go back upstairs?” I finally ask.
“I thought I could show you around, give you a tour of the house and grounds,” Lev says, smiling brightly.
“No thanks.”
“Alena—” Dimitri starts.