Page 51 of The Pakhan’s Hidden Heir

18

RAINA

The nerve of that man! I pace the bedroom at the foot of the bed, absolutely raging inside at how awful he is. Bars? On a child’s bedroom? I can’t believe what he thinks is “normal.”

The very fact that he thinks we need this strong of security is the problem to begin with.

When he told me he was wealthy and that he didn’t want his DNA shared at a lab, I assumed it was because he feared a lawsuit or worse.

Now I understand exactly how wrong I’ve been. I almost didn’t believe him when he told me he was bratva. I must’ve been naive or something, but the blinders have come off.

This isn’t a home. This is a prison.

He keeps his enemies out and his objects locked away “safely.”

Scoffing, I rake a hand through my hair and try to calm myself down. I’ve done everything he asked me since the moment I got here, except for my one week of getting his attention.

I ate his stupid bland diet and slept on a ridiculous schedule. And I am totally fed up. I want to go home.

I want out of this mess and I want my life back.

When the door creaks, I look up, expecting Bastian to appear in the doorway to lecture me more.

Instead I see Akim stalk in, closing the door quietly behind himself. He wears a dirty scowl and his eyes lock with mine.

“Get out of my room,” I tell him, wiping my face with the back of my wrist. Hot tears have seared my cheeks, and I hate looking weak in front of this man.

But he doesn’t do as I’ve told him. He moves closer, smirking as he chuckles. “You made quite a scene in there.”

“I said get out.” I hate him with every fiber of my being. I blame him for the mess that happened between me and Bastian. He lied about me, probably every chance he’s ever gotten. I know full well what he thinks of me and part of me—the dark hardened part that hurts and wants Bastian’s kindness back—wants to be as evil as he says I am. Show him what I’m made of.

“Or what?” He takes another slow step toward me, and I take one back. “You’ll cry about it? Throw another fit?” His mouth curls into a wicked smile. “Let me tell you something, since your mouth won’t stay shut on its own. That man in there is the closest thing to a brother I’ve ever had. I have bled for him. I’d die for him without a second thought.”

“That has nothing to do with me.” I cross my arms over my chest defiantly, and the baby kicks hard, making me squirm.

“It has everything to do with you.” He keeps coming, and I keep backing until the wall meets my shoulders. “So hear me when I say it. You breathe one word against him, you lift one finger toward hurting him or that child, and I will put you in the ground myself. I won’t ask his permission first, and he won’t ask me why when he sees what I’ve done. Do you understand?”

My heart is slamming against my ribs, because I believe him—every word. There’s nothing in his face that shows he’s bluffing.

“All I want,” I say calmly, “is to get as far away from all of you as I can.”

I spit the words at him, and something in his eyes goes dark. His hand shoots out and closes around my throat, pressing me back into the wall, and my hands fly up to grab his wrist.

It’s not as hard as I first fear, so I relax and lift my chin, staring right into his eyes. The shadows that dance behind his irises scare me. It’s like pure evil in there.

“Watch how you speak to me,” he snarls.

“You do not get to tell me what to do.”

His fingers tighten against my throat and his eyes lock on mine. I see the murderous intent in them, like if Bastian looked the other way for a single second, he’d kill me. But something shifts on his face, like he’s waking up out of a dream, and he lets go all at once, stepping back. I sag against the wall, gasping, one hand at my neck where I still feel the imprint of his fingers.

“Watch yourself,” he says, straightening his jacket like nothing happened at all. “And stay in your fucking room.”

He turns and walks out, pulling the door shut behind him, and I slide down the wall until I’m sitting on the floor with my knees drawn up as far as my belly will let them, shaking and letting tears streak down my cheeks.

My gut reaction is to storm out of here and go to Bastian, to tell him what Akim is doing. Akim is escalating now, probably will continue to escalate too. Who knows when he may actually hurt me. He’s never laid hands on me before, and it looked to me like he almost couldn’t stop himself.

Then I remember the anger in Bastian’s eyes, the way he was so adamant about his ways being the rule of law around here. For all I know, Akim is following orders. Bastian has never said a cross word to me or threatened me, but it doesn’t mean he wouldn’t send his goons to do it.