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Chapter 18 - Elena
I’m surprised when Arseny cuffs me to the bed and steps outside to call my father. I didn’t think he would do it. He’s been so possessive of me that I’m surprised he’d consider letting me go.
I have to admit I don’t know if I want to go back to the life I had before. Arseny respects me, pleasures me, and treats me right. He values my opinion and hears me out without talking over me or cutting me off. That’s more than my family has ever done.
I’m just a princess to my family, but to Arseny, I’m a queen.
He comes back inside a few minutes later and cuffs both my hands together. “Come on. I’m going to deposit you somewhere safe while your father and I talk.”
“Somewhere safe?” I ask.
“Yeah, it's a warehouse my brother owns. You’ll be safe there. The meeting is about twenty minutes away, so I’ll be back soon to fetch you.” He leads me outside to his car. “I can’t have you running off just as I’m about to negotiate with your family.”
“If I said I wouldn’t…”
“You entrance me, but I’m not stupid. I won’t trust you again.” His words cut deep, but I can’t blame him. We had sex, and I could have stayed. I could have woken up the next morning, and we could have a normal day. Instead, I ran away in the middle of the night, risking my life repeatedly to get away from him. In reality, I’m safest when I’m with him. I know that now.
I don’t push him. I simply get in the car and sit back while he clips my seatbelt in.
Once he’s in, he revs the car to life and backs out of the parking, climbing on the main road nearby.
“What if I need the bathroom?” I ask.
“Do you?” he responds.
“Not right now,” I admit. “But what if I do.”
“I’ll be gone tops an hour. I’m sure you’ll be fine.” He glances at me. “I’ll get you something to eat and drink on the way back from the meeting.”
“You’re not going to return me straight away?” I ask curiously.
“A contract needs to be drawn up, which will take a day or two. Then you’ll be sent back to your family, and you can resume your life.” He sounds a little off. I don’t think he wants me to leave any more than I want to go.
He drives into an industrial area and up to a warehouse facility. It looks abandoned.
“Are you sure I’ll be safe here?” I ask.
“Yes, I promise I would never let any harm come to you.” He leads me inside and cuffs me to some piping. He also gets me a chair to sit on, dusting it off first. “Are you comfy?” he asks.
“As can be,” I say. “Don’t be long. I’m getting hungry already.”
“We can have something hot and spicy for lunch,” he says. He pauses, then leans down and kisses my forehead. “See you soon.”
He walks out, and I’m left there to stare at the wall. I am considering my options. I wonder if my father would let me go with someone like Arseny. Someone from a rival family. I would tell him that it’s to strengthen our family by having ties to powerful allies, but he won’t give up his hatred for the Milovs for that. There are other powerful allies to be had.
The minutes tick by, and all I can think about is Arseny and how I want to be with him. The sound of clanging metal suddenly echoes through the warehouse, and I look up sharply. Someone is in here with me.
Something bangs on the warehouse door, and then there’s a crack, like something hard and metallic is breaking. Then, there’s another clang of metal and then footsteps.
“Arseny?” I say nervously.
“Is that who you’d want to see?” Ethan asks. My older brother is a welcome sight. My younger brother Kyle is standing next to him.
“It’s who I was expecting,” I explain. They come over to me and check out the cuffs. Kyle takes out his tool set and begins picking the locks.
“How is the meeting going with father?” I ask.
“Don’t you worry about it. Let’s just get you home,” Ethan says.
