Page 92 of Darkest Desire

“I want you to follow Nico. I want you to find out where Sasha and Natalya are. They’re together. I know that much. Kidnap them for me and bring them to me. I want to drive both Nico and Mikhail a little crazy. Make them feel how I did a year ago when they killed Cillian.”

Cillian was like a father to me so to lose him was a huge blow, even though it did open up opportunities I never would have gotten if he weren’t dead.

“Bring me the Petrov girls,” I say. “Don’t touch them. I have no desire to hurt them. This is just punishment to their husbands.”

Jeremy nods and leaves to do what I told him. A loyal soldier through and through.

I lean back in my seat and light up a cigarette. This is going to be fun.

Sasha

Natalya and I remain in the house while Mikhail leaves to handle more business. By business I know he means kill Nico.

“I have to stop him,” I say.

“You cant. He just saved you. You need to stay here, Sasha.”

“But I never asked him to save me! I don’t want Nico dead.”

Natalya gives me a look that’s full of so much pity, it pisses me of. “He’s also going after Nico because Nico tried to kill me. I think that’s the reason he’s going so hard at this.”

“I can’t stand back and let it happen. What happens when Nico finds Mikhail? There’s a chance Mikhail could die too and I know you don’t want that.” I head for the front door but Natalya stops me.

“We can’t. It’s just safer here if we stay.”

“Safer for you, maybe. But Nico won’t hurt me. I’m leaving.” I yank open the door before Natalya can stop me and walk right past the guards on duty.

One of the guards tries to stop me. “Mikhail gave us strict orders that no one is to leave.”

“What are you going to do? Shoot me into staying? You can’t stop me.” I run past the guard and onto the street. Unsurprisingly, he chases me.

But what does surprise me is that Natalya chases him.

“Stop!” she calls out. “Gregor. Stop. Let my sister go. She doesn’t want to stay here.”

That makes me stop in my tracks. “You’re really going to let me go?”

“Yes. Clearly, you care for Nico. And all I’ve wanted was to keep you safe and if you say that Nico can do that… I don’t trust him when it comes to me or my husband. But if he cares for you…”

“I want to have you in my life,” I tell her honestly. “I don’t want Nico or Mikhail to keep us apart. But Nico is my husband and I couldn’t stand it if you got hurt because he was trying to get me back. It’s safer for everyone if I return to him. And if I’m being honest… I do care for him. It doesn’t make sense but I do.”

“Then I’m not going to stop you. I’m not going to be like our uncle and control your life. But you have to promise me that you’ll be safe.”

I look my sister right in the eyes. “I promise.”

She inhales sharply. “All right. If you want to go so bad, then you can go. But just know that I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Gregor looks between us before pulling out his phone. “I need to call Mikhail and let him know.”

“No,” Natalya says. “He’ll demand that Sasha stay. If she wants to leave, then she can leave. She’s not a prisoner here.”

Before Gregor can respond, a car comes careening down the road and stops right next to me. My gut tells me to back away but before I can, four men jump out of the car and grab me, hauling me inside.

“Let me go!” I shout.

“Do you work for Nico?” Natalya asks but the men grab her and shove her inside with me.