Page 13 of Cruel Russian King

If I tiptoed just a little…I could…

Ninel! What the hell? Snap out of it! This man kidnapped you.

I squeezed my eyes shut to regain my focus but I could feel the heat radiating from Artyom. And his hands on my skin? Almost made it damned near impossible to pull myself out of the fog he had trapped me in.

Come on, Ninel! Focus!

My eyes flew open and I mustered up all the anger I could and launched it at Artyom.

“Let me go,” I snarled through clenched teeth.

He tilted his head slightly. “Do you really want me to let you go?”

“You kidnapped me! Of course I don't want you touching me!”

I tried to twist out of his grip but his grip tightened a fraction. His index finger trailed my jaw line and my pulse raced.

“Are you going to behave if I do?” he growled.

“Why should I behave when you kidnapped me? Let me go! Artyom.”

He leaned into my ear, his breath hot against my skin. “If you don't behave,” he murmured. “I will hurt you in unimaginable ways.”

Though warning signals shot through my nervous system, my thighs clenched together shamefully aware of the part of me that wanted to test him, just to see how far he'd go. But common sense slammed the brakes on my stupidity.

Instead, I laughed and glared at him. “If youreallywanted to hurt me, you would have already. You're all bark and no bite.”

Amusement flashed across his face and I dragged every ounce of defiance into my next words. “You want something from me. So here's my advice to you…step the fuck back and start talking. Why did you bring me here?”

Artyom didn't step back immediately. His hands lingered on my skin, before dropping his hands to his side and taking a step back.

“You're right.” His eyes bore into mine. “I do want something from you.”

His eyes flickered to my lips. His jaw twitched before meeting my gaze again.

I folded my arms across my chest as I felt my nipples hardening.

“And you really think that after you kidnapped me I'll do whatever it is you want?” I snapped.

Anything to drown out the traitorous things my body was doing involuntarily.

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I know you will.”

I scoffed. “When Lev finds out you kidnapped me, he’s going to…”

Artyom raised a finger and waved it at me, cutting me off. “Lev won’t do a damn thing. If he attacks my faction, he violates the treaty, and he'll pay the price.”

“And this?” I bit out. “Kidnapping me isn’t a violation? There’s a clause about causing harm to any immediate family on both sides.”

“I haven’t harmed you, Ninel,” he said coyly. “You’re still in one piece…as long as you do as I say.”

“You sound insane.”

“Do I?” His voice stayed calm. “Lev kidnapped Katya…oh and I heard the real story about Jaroslav kidnapping Vera in Las Vegas. But everyone in the family is okay with that, after all Lev and Jaroslav are “good” husbands.”

My breath caught. “That’s different. They…”

I froze as my words died in my throat. Realization slapped me in the face, and it stung.