Captivated by the deadly mafia boss

Lena

A sharp throb in my temples wakes me from a restless sleep. As my eyes flutter open, a bright light makes me close them again.

I focus on the noise surrounding me. A deep laugh comes from far away. Metal clanks against a cement floor somewhere behind me. The shrill cry of a woman pleading sends ice coursing through my body.

I’m in the stable again. But not in the private room they had me in last time. There’s a draft blowing against me as I lie on a metal slab. My wrists are bound to it, my ankles as well. I work my eyes open, turning my head to the side-away from the light shining down on me.

It’s an open room, underground I think from the chill and the concrete floors and walls. No windows.

A metal door slams after another woman cries. There’s a hallway. I must be in the main room of the stable. Tugging at the bindings on my wrists and ankles does no good. They’re medical grade. The Ivanovs have experience with this; they aren’t going to use something flimsy like tape.

“She’s in the medical room,” a dark voice says from behind me. Okay, so that’s where I am. I guess that explains the metal table.

“Did you start yet?”

I freeze at the sound of that voice. I know it, I know him.

What is Dimitri doing here?

My mouth is dry, my throat clenched tight with fear. What are they going to start? Why am I here? Where is Micah?

“Just got the message from Roman. Now we can start,” the unfamiliar voice says.

“Need some help?”

“No. I got this. Maybe you should get out of here. Just in case Micah catches wind. You don’t want him to find out about you.”

Dimitri laughs.

I try to twist my head around, to get a clear picture of them as their voices get louder, they move closer, but I fail.

“Micah’s not dangerous. Roman’s gonna cut him loose, he’ll have no power. I’ll still carry the Ivanov name. Once my uncle gets rid of him, I’m next in line. He’ll be kissing my ass for protection from the rest of the family.”

“We don’t know that for sure. But…” He pauses. Their footsteps stop just behind me. “Considering Roman sent Micah’s little princess down to me, I’m guessing you’re probably right.”

A hand touches my hair and I jerk against my bindings. My scream is muffled by the rag stuffed in my mouth; another is tied around my head.

“Shh, it’s okay, sweetheart.” The dark voice comes closer to me. The scent of stale cigar and liquor envelops me as he puts his lips against my ear. “I’ll take good care of you.”

I yank harder on the cuffs and wiggle hard enough to make the table sway.

“Enough!” He slams his hands down on either side of me on the table.

Dimitri laughs. “She’s not as weak as you think, Viktor. Keep your eye on her.”

Anger rises up in my chest. How can Dimitri betray Micah this way? They’ve been friends, allies, since childhood. What could cause him to turn his back so readily on that?

“I have a meeting with Christian Kaczmarek. I’ll leave you to your work.” Dimitri pats my cheek. “You be a good girl now for Viktor. He’s going to be gentle, so long as you behave. If you get stubborn, he’ll have to punish you. And not the way you like.” His thick Russian accent gives the threat a more dangerous tint. My stomach rolls at what he could mean.

“Don’t go anywhere, princess. I’ll be back.” Viktor touches my shoulder. Hearing the endearment that’s become so commonplace for Micah to use coming out of that traitor’s mouth heats my blood.

“You think it’s a good idea, getting back into business with another Polish family? We have our own we can work with,” Viktor says as the two of them walk away. Their shoes tap against the cement as they go; it’s the only sound in the room.

“After you’re finished with Lena, there’s a good chance her father will bring war down on us. Roman’s preparing an alliance with the Kaczmareks to protect us.”

“Well, I’m sure the old man knows what he’s doing.”

A door opens and shuts.

For a moment, I think I’m alone again. The tightness in my chest eases enough for my breathing to come easier. But then the footsteps start again, along with a high-pitched squealing sound. Wheels rolling over the smooth cement.

Viktor comes into view, rolling a medical tray in front of him. With only a quick glance I see equipment. Similar to what my gynecologist uses during an exam, but there are more tools on his tray.

My breath catches again. Tears burn my eyes, rolling down my cheeks.

I yell through my gag. But it doesn’t matter.

There’s no one here to hear me, even if I could get the sound to escape the cloth.

“Relax, Lena.” Merriment dances in his voice. I look down the length of my body and find him standing at my feet. He kicks a stool closer, then sits down, his head now level with me. “I’m only going to remove your implant.”

My implant. He’s removing my birth control.

I wiggle hard against the binds, making the table rock, but he’s quick to steady it.

“If you keep doing that, I will paralyze you for the procedure. You’ll be completely awake and aware, but you won’t be able to move. Which works nicely for me. But if I have to go through all that, there will have be something in it for me. How does a nice fucking sound?”

A whimper escapes from behind my gag. He’s not threatening, he’s promising. And from the bulge in his pants, I’d say he’s enjoying the prospect of being able to do just that.

I lie still and wrap my fingers around the edge of the table. Gripping the side is all I can do, it’s the widest range of motion I have.

“There. Better.” He sits back on the stool and turns a crank beneath me. My legs spread until I’m completely open to him. Hot tears roll down my temples, pooling in my hair, running into my ears. There’s a dark water stain on the ceiling above me, just above the hanging light. I fixate on it, putting all my focus on it and try to count my breaths.

“Don’t worry, Lena. No one is going to hurt you unless you make them.” Latex gloves snap against his wrist.

I take a deep breath in, one, two, three. Then out again, slow and easy.

“Once we get this implant out of you, you’ll go into the breeding room. There we’ll have a few different men mount you until you’re pregnant. Once you’re pregnant, we’ll return you to Micah.”

His fingers are on me and my body clenches. This can’t be happening. It can’t. I can’t breathe. My chest is too heavy, there’s too much weight on me.

“We’ll see how much loyalty Micah shows you when he realizes you’re carrying another man’s baby. Divorce isn’t an option, I’m sure you know. And Roman won’t allow Micah to abandon you, so, even though he’ll be cut out of power, he’ll still be at the mercy of his father. And you’ll be at the mercy of your husband.”

No matter where I try to focus my mind, put my attention, his words break through. Killing me would hurt Micah for a little while but making him raise someone else’s child, making him look at me every day and know what was done to me will break him forever.

With the way my legs are tied to the table, I can’t even push my knees together. If I fight him, I have no doubt he’ll do as he promises, but if I don’t try to get away the next part will be even worse.

Raped. Repeatedly. For how many days, by how many people?

I try to suck in air, but the gag is stopping me. My mind swirls, my chest clamps. I can’t breathe. I can’t think. My stomach rolls as though I’m doing a nosedive on a roller coaster.

“Get the fuck away from her.”

Micah.

I hear Micah.

I thrash my head from one side to another, trying to get the gag loose enough to let in air. I’m going to pass out. I can’t breathe.

“Micah.”

“Back away.”

The stool hits the floor. Where’s Viktor?

Black edges into my vision.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Your father-”

A gunshot rings out, echoing in the small area. Loud ringing blares in my ears. I start tugging on my bindings again. I need to breathe. I need the gag out.

“Lena!” Micah’s face hovers directly over me. “Breathe, baby, breathe.” He works the gag out of my mouth, letting it hang around my neck. I spit out the balled-up rag from inside, and take the deepest breath I’ve ever taken.

“Breathe with me.” He captures my face with his hands. Men run into the room and down the corridors. They shout commands at each other, but Micah’s dark eyes have my full attention.

He counts for me.

“In, Lena, breathe in. That’s good. One. Two. Three. Good girl.” He wipes my cheeks. “Now out, slow, no, slow down, Lena, slow breaths.” He counts down again for me and within a few tries I catch my breath and the swirling stops in my head.

A sob breaks free finally.

“Let me get you untied.” He’s quick unbuckling the belts from my wrists. “Okay, okay, let me help you.” He wraps his arm around my back as I sit up. I’m still in my blouse and skirt from earlier, but they’ve removed my panties.

Micah pushes the legs of the table back together and unbuckles the restraints. Before I can swing my legs around to the side, he has me up in his arms, carrying me against his chest.

“Don’t look,” he tells me when I try to see over his shoulder. Viktor lies on the floor; a puddle of blood slowly spreads out around him.

I should have listened. My stomach twists again, so I close my eyes. I’m not cut out for so much blood.

“Micah.” Niko rushes up to us as Micah takes me to the main entrance. “What do you want done with the other men?”

“They belong to my father. They brought my wife here, Niko. What do you think is to be done with them?” Micah’s voice is so cold, so distant, a shiver runs through me.

“I’ll see it done.”

“Every woman down here is to be brought to the Staszek house,” Micah orders.

“Micah,” I say, my throat raw.

“Shh, Lena, rest.”

“No.” I push off his chest and wiggle my way out of his arms. He puts me on my feet and glares down at me.

“I’m taking you home, Lena. Niko and my men will see that the girls here are taken care of.” He thinks I’m going to argue about the girls.

“Dimitri.”

He raises his brow. “What about him?”

“He took me.”

His frown deepens. “I know.”

“He’s not here. He went to meet with Christian Kaczmarek.” I swallow against the dryness of my throat. My head pounds, and although my breathing is coming easier, my chest aches.

Micah exchanges a look with Niko. “He’s been dealt with, Lena,” he says to me, cupping my shoulders beneath his warm hands. “He’s been feeding my father information about you and about me for weeks.”

I blink back a new round of tears.

“They were going to-” My voice cracks beneath the weight of what could have happened if Micah hadn’t arrived.

“They won’t ever touch you again. I’ll explain everything later. Right now, I’m taking you home.” He runs the back of his knuckles across my cheek, wiping away a rolling tear. “I’ll carry you if you can’t walk. The drug they gave you makes you woozy,” he reminds me. It’s not the first time I’ve had this drug.

“I can walk,” I say quietly watching Nikko head down the corridors to where the girls are being kept. “But I think I’d like it if you carried me.”

A soft smile breaks out on his lips, and he swoops me into his arms again. I wrap my arms around his neck and snuggle into his chest beneath his chin. Inhaling the spiced scent of his aftershave warms me; it sends a signal to my body that I’m safe. I’m all right.

Micah will keep me safe.