Page 69

Story: Taken

Taking a deep breath in, I tip my head up a little, pushing up on my toes, and I lean in. Our lips meet in a quick, soft kiss—gentle and controlled—but it’s enough to send my heart skittering.
Before I can lose my mind over it, I turn to Mikhail. His hands find my waist immediately now that Nikolai is no longer touching me, and Mikhail holds me in place, his grip firmer, more possessive. He doesn’t waste any time as he pulls me in with confidence, his mouth claiming mine with a little more force. A quiet groan rumbles from his chest, the sound vibrating against my lips, the cool metal of his lip ring sending a jolt through my body.
A dangerous heat blooms inside of me.
The throbbing between my thighs returns.
And when I pull away from him, my breathing is unsteady.
I swallow hard, staring at them both expectantly, when Mikhail tuts. His lips curl into a smug grin once more as his eyes flicker from mine, to his brother, then back to me again.
“Thanks for that teaser, beauty.” He murmurs, his voice thick with amusement. “But that wasn’t what I meant.”
I blink, confusion clouding my mind.
“You said I need to kiss you both, and I did, Mikhail.”
My voice is low as I speak.
Mikhail leans in, invading my space, whispering against my lips.
“That wasn’t a kiss, Chiara. Don’t try to be smart. now” I shiver at his tone—how does his mood change so easily? “If you want to take the video, then you do as we’ve said, and you kiss us both. Willingly. Passionately. Understood?”
My heart skips a beat, my pulse quickening as I try to process what he’s demanding.
The weight of his words settle in the pit of my stomach, a mixture of dread and desire curling through me. The air has become thick, charged with something I can’t quite control.
I hesitate, my mind racing, but once again, my body betrays me. I find myself nodding at them both, reluctantly agreeing.
“Fine.”
I whisper, my heart only racing faster with every second that ticks by.
Their eyes glitter with satisfaction as they exchange a look between themselves, then Mikhail takes a step backward.
There’s no going back now.
“Say what you want to say, darling.”
Nikolai’s voice is soft, but I feel the weight of his words, urging me to comply.
I swallow hard, my mind racing with so many thoughts of what to possibly say to my family, when Nikolai pulls his phone out from his pocket, pointing it in my direction. When he taps the screen, and a bright flash shines into my face, I wince.
There’s no turning back from this.
Immediately, tears start to rise, making my vision turn blurry. I feel them spilling down my cheeks, and I choke on my words as I begin to speak.
“Papa…Dario…” I croak, my voice thick with emotion. “I miss you both.” My chest tightens as I close my eyes for a second, trying to steady my breath. “I’m safe here, please know that. I’m safe…I’m okay…I wish I could be with you.”
I continue speaking, telling them both that I’m not in harm’s way, and that I’m being taken care of.
The words are hollow, as if they can’t cover the aching emptiness that remains in my heart. The words spill free from my mouth.
Suddenly, Mikhail’s hand moves swiftly, his long fingers making an appearance just above the phone.
Five fingers, then four, three, and two.
He’s counting down the seconds until the video ends.

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