Page 78 of Love Me in the Dark

"Go and check the kitchen," Viktor snapped at him.

Nik mumbled something about “Mother Hubbard’s cupboard”, but I didn’t understand what he meant, so perhaps I translated it wrong.

Viktor climbed the stairs, and the air froze in my lungs.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere you can get clean and rest."

I searched his face, but he was watching the stairs. He brought me into a large room. There was a four-poster bed and an open bathroom door. Double doors ahead led to a darkened balcony.

He set me on the edge of the bed and crouched in front of me.

"I might have been at that auction, but I am not like those bastards. I wasn't there to buy a woman, but I couldn't leave without you."

His words stole the breath from my lungs. What did that mean?

"I didn’t plan any of this, which is why the house looks this way, but it has running water, and I'd imagine you want to wash today off your body."

"I don't have any clothes."

He frowned but then removed his suit jacket. I watched breathlessly as he undid his waistcoat and began unbuttoning his shirt. A spider flashed on the back of his hand, and tattoos came into view as he undid buttons. A spider web covered his throat and upper chest, and flowers crawled across part of his chest.

He removed his top entirely and exposed a sleeve of tattoos on one arm that ran from black and white to colourful as they approached his wrist.

"Put this on after your shower." He held out his shirt, and my gaze stuck on his muscular chest. “I'll get you clothes tomorrow, but this will do to sleep in."

Was it a trick? I reached out my hand from the blanket and grasped the warm material.

He stood up and walked towards the door.

"I'll bring you some food shortly," he said as he closed the door, and my gut sank as I heard the lock click.

I was still a prisoner, even if his behaviour had confused me. Against my better judgment, I brought the shirt to my nose, inhaling the scent of his cologne and something uniquely masculine. I told myself I was checking whether it was clean, but that was a lie. Feeling guilty, I thrust the material away from myface, and I noticed a fleck of blood on the front, which reminded me why I'd called him a dark-haired devil.

7

Angelina

Wakingup was difficult because it was so warm. My body was heavy—too heavy. The arm around me tightened, and I snapped awake. The fancy wallpaper across from me and the muscular limb around me were unfamiliar. For a moment, I studied the artistry of the colourful tattoos on his arm, admiring the bold lines, before reality crashed in.

"What are you doing?" I gasped.

"You had a nightmare, and I settled you back to sleep." His growly voice was close to my ear, and I shivered.

I vaguely remember waking up and Viktor reassuring me to go back to sleep. Last night, after my shower, I’d found food in my room, which I ate rapidly, changing into Viktor’s shirt as I didn’t want to sleep naked or wear that awful slip again. I’d waited nervously for him to return, but eventually I’d crawled under the bed's covers and fallen asleep.

This morning, the borrowed shirt had ridden up, leaving my backside bare except for my thong, and it was snug against his groin where I could feel the unmistakable outline of his erection.I froze, waiting for revulsion that never came. I mentally shook myself, because it shouldn't feel this comfortable to wake in my captor’s arms. He rolled away from me, but I remained rigidly on my side.

"There are some clothes on the dresser. Nik has breakfast downstairs."

This time, the door closed, but there was no lock click. I sat up quickly and looked around. The room was bare aside from the bed and a single chest of drawers. On top was a pile of clothes that looked more significant than the slip. I darted out of bed and picked them up. It was a pair of leggings, a T-shirt, a sweater, and a pair of ballet pumps. No underwear. The sizes were unfamiliar, but I pulled them on quickly and was grateful to see they fit reasonably well; even the ballet pumps were a close fit.

Cautiously, I opened the door and peered out into the hallway. No one was out there, so I shuffled towards the stairs. The sweeping wooden stair rail guided me down, and voices pulled me towards the back of the house. The walls were relatively bare and were begging for paintings to cheer them up. I shook the stupid idea of decorating my kidnapper’s house away and paused outside the kitchen, looking towards the front door. Should I try it? Could I get away?

I decided against it. I needed to find out if these men could help me find Rada. If they'd taken me from the auction and set the other girls free, they could find her, and I was willing to negotiate.

I’d spent time last night thinking things over. It was clear Viktor was attracted to me, and my virginity held value; otherwise, those people back there wouldn’t have been trying to sell it. Rada often said I lived in a make-believe world where I created my paintings, which was partly true. My imagination helped me through the dark times at home, caring for mymother and father, but I had no romantic notions about my first time.