Page 19 of Darkest Desire

“I will. If you let him live. I’ll go with you willingly. I won’t put up a fight. We are married now anyway. But let him live. Don’t bother him or my sister again. I’ll go with you. That’s my deal. If you want me so much, you’ll take it.”

Nico looks between me and Mikhail before he nods and stands up. His knuckles are dripping blood. “Then let’s go.”

“No.” Natalya grabs my arm. “Sasha, you can’t.”

“Look at your husband. He’s almost dead. I can’t take away your happiness. And besides, Mikhail is still the best chance we have at saving our other sisters. If leaving with Nico saves him, then… I’ll do it. For you.”

“You don’t even like me.”

“You’re right. I don’t always like you. But you’re my sister so I love you. And I’ll do this for you.”

Natalya sobs harder as she pulls me into a hug but Nico steps forward and pulls her away from me. “No, no, no! Please.”

Nico ignores her cries as he picks me up, bridal style, and carries me out of the apartment. The last thing I see is Mikhail on the floor, his face covered in blood, Natalya kneeling next to him, sobbing her heart out.

I make a secret vow deep within my heart: that I will hate Nico forever for this.

He sets me into his car and drives away, taking me somewhere I don’t even know.

“How did you find us?” I ask.

“Followed you from the church. I had a guy who can hack CCTV footage. He figured out which building you went into and then hacked Mikahil’s business accounts to see which properties he owned. The apartment was on the list.”

“All of this within less than an hour?”

“I’m a powerful man, Sasha. That’s one thing you should know about me. You’ll never be able to run.”

A deep weight settles in my stomach, making it impossible for me to move. “I hate you,” I whisper.

“You made a deal to go with me so you better act the good wife. I don’t want you sulking the entire time.”

“The entire time?”

He flashes me a dark grin. “We have our honeymoon to get to.”

Chapter Four

Sasha

Nico has a private plane because of course he does.

I sit across from him in the expensive leather seats, knowing this is going to be a long flight to Italy. He told me he wanted to take me to his homeland.

Nico keeps his eyes glued to my face even as the flight attendant asks him if he needs anything. He waves her away, still not looking away from me. It’s disorienting.

“It’s not polite to stare, you know,” I say, crossing my arms.

“It’s not polite to be rude either.” He nods at my crossed arms but I don’t change my position. If he has an issue with it, he can force me to change. I won’t do it willingly for him.

“Funny. I could say the same thing. You almost killed my brother-in-law.”

“Because he took you from me. It had to be done. It’s the way of things. You disrespect my honor or manhood and I’ll kill you for it.”

A shiver runs down my body. “And if I disrespect you for it? Will you kill me?”

“Not you. You’re safe from that.”

“From death. But am I safe from your fists?” I look at his knuckles, still covered in Mikhail’s blood mixed with his own.