Page 59

CHAPTER 58

MIKHAIL

Song- Dead To Me, Ashes to New.

Fuck, my head hurts.

But when I try to rub it, my arm doesn’t move.

What the hell?

Groggily, I open my eyes to find myself tied to the metal rails behind the couch.

My guts roll.

Son of a bitch.

“Oh!” Zoya appears from the back room. “You’re awake. Hello, handsome.” She lets my balaclava hang from one finger. “I’ve missed seeing your face. It isn’t fair that you’ve held it away from me to show only that ungrateful brat you call a wife.”

“She is my wife,” I growl. “Let me go, and I promise I won’t kill you.” I tug at the cuffs, but they dig into my wrists.

“Hmm, no, I don’t think I will. Not until you’ve come around. You see, if I let you go, that means Ivan gets his turn.” She smiles as she straddles my knee. “And I’m just not quite ready to see you die. Yet.”

Slowly, she lowers herself until she’s sitting on my lap. Her palms flatten against my chest and she leans into me. “I could keep you here for a very long time, if you’d like?” Those red lips move closer, pursed to meet mine.

I jerk my head and meet her nose with my forehead, making a resounding crack.

“Ah!” she screams and leaps back, blood gushing from her nostrils down her chin. “You monster!”

“Did you forget who my father is?” I sneer. “That rotten apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Let me go, and I swear that will be the worst that happens.”

I add tension to the restraints, silently flexing to test the weaknesses.

I think I can get out, I just need to buy some more time.

“Don’t tell me you really thought this would work? That I would crumple to my knees and beg you? I’m a fucking Volkov, whether I want to be or not. And Ana carries my child , heir to my empire.” I spit at the floor by her feet. “You’re nothing to me, Zoya. And you’ve repeatedly proven how little you’re worth.”

Her normally beautiful features mottle in anger and she runs from the room, her hands covering her bleeding face.

This is going to suck. I have no doubts that Zoya is going to hurt me.

But I can’t let her think she can control me. I’ve known her for too long, and have learned more about her in the last few months than I ever wanted.

I’m only here for Galena.

What I didn’t expect was for her to reappear with two wads of tissue shoved into her nostrils, and wearing nothing but a bra and panties.

“You have got to be kidding.” My jaw clenches in disgust.

“If it’s all about the baby, I should have the heir. I deserve it. After all, what’s good for the father, is good for the son.” She moves closer and reaches for my pants.

I might violently vomit on her.

Instead, I swipe my leg hard enough to catch behind her calves, sending her sprawling across the floor.

“This isn’t happening.” Straining, I can almost feel my right arm gaining ground on the bindings.

“Now you’re going to pay for that.” Zoya pulls herself up and whips a long silk robe around her body. “Ivan isn’t going to be as nice.”

“Ivan is who did this to me, Zoya! Don’t you remember that night? Why would you work with him? He was horrible to you!” I want to yell in rage.

I lost so many people that night because of her. To have her run back into the arms of my father after everything I did…

Crushing.

“I was young and foolish. I see now how he truly cared for me. He treated me like the princess that I am. ” She pulls her phone from the table and types furiously into it. “He’ll be here soon, and he’s going to make you pay.”

“How? The only thing I have left is my life! He’s destroyed everything he’s touched. Think about it!” I’d rather die than let him hurt Ana.

She’s my world. Her and our baby are all that is important.

If this is all about me, maybe it’s my time.

I’ll gladly take my last breath if it keeps my family safe.

At least I can die now knowing what love feels like. Even if it was brief, she gave me a reason to stop just surviving and start living.

So if this really is the end, I can crash out of this world picturing my pretty girl’s smile.

I’m just glad she’s back in Vegas and safe.

“And locking me and my daughter away for half a decade was the answer? I’ve been miserable! At least Ivan took me out, showed me off. He may be a little rough, but I could see the world, and have all the best that it has to offer.” She lashes out and kicks my shin. “You kept me in a hovel, barely surviving. That is no way to live.”

“Jesus, Zoya. I know how you were raised. Your father taught you the value of hard work. You’re no princess. Stop acting like you’re entitled to more.” I’m beginning to regret every penny I sent towards her.

“You keep Daddy’s name out of this. When he gets out of prison, he’s going to come after you for how you treated me.” Her finger jabs inches from my face.

“Zoya, he died in the gulag.” I squint and watch her. I haven’t mentioned it before, but surely she had to have known?

Her fingers wrap into a fist. “You’re lying,” she hisses.

I’ll go to my deathbed before I tell her it was Alexei. “I know for a fact. He’s gone.”

The rage leaks from her expression, but then her lips purse. “No, you’re just saying that to hurt me. I hope Ivan tortures you for weeks for that.” She flips her dark hair over her shoulder and stands.

A knock at the door startles us both.

“He’s early!” She turns on her heel, and hurries to open it.

“Zoya, so pleasant to see you again. This is my associate.” Drago’s deep voice carries into the living room.

“Drago! In here!” I call out.

“No, you really need to—” Zoya protests as he pushes past her.

“Mikhail, what kind of kinky shit are you two up to?” He grins, then winks.

A blond woman with thick sunglasses follows him in. Her heels click on the tile floor before stopping and giving me a long look up and down. “You’re Mikhail? I expected you to be bigger.” She lowers her shades just enough to let me see the smile in her brown eyes.

Then she turns to Drago. “You’re right, she does look familiar.”

“I told you.” Drago gives me a smug look, raising a brow when he spies the handcuffs. “Do you want out of those?”

“Yesterday would be fast enough.” I tug on them hard enough to make them rattle.

“Leave him be. Who are you?” Zoya crosses her arms and frowns at the blond woman.

I’m curious too.

“Forgive my associate,” the mystery woman croons. “My name is Tatiana.”