Page 82 of Darkest Sin

“Don’t let him hear you call it that. It’s his office now and he made sure everyone knows it. He… he hit Ana when she tried to back talk him about it.”

I grip my phone tighter. “He hit her?”

“On the back of her head. She’s fine. But I know it rattled her. It rattled all of us. I swear, Mom tried to kill Denis right then and there but his guards pulled her away before she could do any damage. None of us have been brave enough to say anything since then.”

“I have to get you out of there.”

“I know. Denis was pissed after we almost escaped. He’s kept us all locked up. But I was invited into his office because he wanted to wish me congratulations.”

“Congratulations on what?” Dread is sitting like heavy cement on my stomach.

“On my upcoming marriage.”

“What? To who?”

“I don’t know,” she says. “He wouldn’t give me a name. Just that he plans on me marrying someone of his choosing in the next few months. If I don’t make it out of here, Natalya, I’m stuck. I’ll be forced to marry someone Denis chooses, which will bind me to him for all of eternity. I’ll never be free of him.”

“Do you think I can help you?”

She pauses. “Well… that’s why I called.”

“Oh, Sasha. I want to help you. I will try. I know Mikhail’s been working on a plan to get you all out of there. But… I have no way I can help. I can’t sneak into our house with that many guards around. If you give me a name, I can have Mikhail find that man and… kill him. So that way you don’t have to marry anyone. That’s how I can help. For right now.”

She lets out a shaky breath. “Ok. I’ll try to get a name. It was hard enough stealing the phone. He left my phone on the desk, taunting me, but when he had his back turned, I swiped it. I’ll have to put it back before he notices it missing or things are going to be worse for me.”

“As soon as you have a name, tell me. Mikhail will help. Ok? And stay safe. Stay strong. We’re working on a way to get you out of there.”

“Ok.” Her voice sounds thick. It takes me a moment to realize that she’s crying. Sasha rarely cries. Usually Irina and Ana are the criers of the four of us. As the youngest two, they’ve been able to be more vulnerable whereas Sasha and I – as the two oldest – have had to be stronger.

“Sasha?” I ask.

“Irina misses you. I mean, so does Ana and Mom, but Irina misses you the most, I think. I know you two had your ballet connection.”

“Is she still dancing?”

“No. Denis doesn’t want her practicing. He hasn’t let her attend any of her classes. He hasn’t let any of us leave the house in over a week.”

“Are you ok?” I ask.

She sucks in a breath. “You never ask me that.”

“I’m asking now. Are you ok?”

“I’m… scared,” she admits. “I’m really scared, Natalya. I don’t know how you did it. Marrying a man you barely knew. I’m sorry I hesitated.”

“Hesitated?”

“When you and Mikhail tried to save us. I was the one who hesitated. I was the one who questioned if we could trust Mikhail. But if we had just kept walking, then maybe Uncle Denis wouldn’t have found us. Maybe we’d be safe with you.”

A tear slips down my face. “Oh, Sasha. Don’t beat yourself up over that. You didn’t know Mikhail. How could you have trusted him? It’s ok. Just stay strong. Tell Irina and Ana that I love them. Mom too. And… I love you as well. You know that.”

“I haven’t always known that.”

I flinch. “Well, you know that now. I love you. Stay strong. I will find a way to save you from marrying a man Denis chooses.”

“Thank you. And I will get you a name as soon as I have it. I have to go now.” She hangs up before either of us can say goodbye.

Mikhail