Page 8 of Maxim (The Syndicates #12)

I have no idea what game this man is playing with me. I am used to my father’s cruel ways. This man has not acted like that at all. I don’t trust it. I don’t trust him. Not at all.

Then he did something I never imagined. He left.

My heart raced as I heard the front door shut. My body begged me to get up and run. Take the chance to get out of here while I can.

I kept that impulse in check, though. I stayed in bed and waited for him to pop his head back in to catch me doing something I shouldn’t.

He didn’t, though, and as time went on, I realized that he might really be gone.

At first, I was relieved. I waited long enough that I figured he wouldn’t be coming back, then I climbed out of bed and walked throughout the house looking for an escape.

All of the doors and windows looked like they would open, but something in my gut kept looking at the security system, thinking it cannot be that easy.

I need the code. I wish I had paid closer attention before. It’s my only way out.

Pulling his jacket around me tighter, I continue to look around the house before I settle in the living room.

I sink into the couch as I think about my brother and sister.

What are they doing right now? Is Daryna fighting sleep like she always does?

I bet she’s sneaking around the house trying to get into trouble.

I always thought it was cute, but without me there, it’s dangerous. Who will protect her from Father?

Then there’s Alek. Father has already gotten his hooks into him, but I’ve been doing my best to instill good qualities in him. Enough to combat all the negative my father is trying to teach him. If I’m not there, will he finally give in to my father and become the heir he always wanted?

Tears fill my eyes as I think about what their lives will be like without me in it. I can only hope Alek is strong enough to take care of himself and his sister.

Daryna.

I let out a sob as I think about Daryna’s future.

If he was so willing to auction me off, what will he do to her?

Will he even wait until she’s eighteen? I heard things backstage before they pushed me up there.

I know there were children there too. I don’t even want to think about what happened to them.

Oh god, I can’t be here. I need to get out. I need to get my siblings and run as far as I can. Father will kill me if he ever catches me, but I cannot sit back and do nothing.

I stand, ready to chance the door when I see the headlights through the windows.

I freeze, knowing I’ve been caught.

Think, Olena. Think.

Wiping my face quickly, I let his jacket fall to the ground. Then I sit on the couch naked, staring at the door waiting.

I would do anything for my siblings. Even play the part with this man so that I can get to them. I only need him to relax enough to fall asleep. Then I make a break for it.

Getting into my father’s home will be harder, but I can do it.

The door clicks open, revealing the man who purchased me. He is attractive, no doubt, but I cannot forget the monster he is. What kind of person exchanges money for another human being? No one I want to be involved with.

I watch as he enters in the code, cursing myself for not hiding and trying to learn it. It doesn’t matter now, though. I need to leave tonight. I cannot leave my siblings with my father for even one night. It’s too dangerous.

When Maxim turns toward the living room, he stops short, staring at me.

Quietly, I stand, walking over to him. Then I drop to my knees.

“How can I please you?”

For a second, he just looks at me. Then his face fills with disgust.

“Get up.”

When I don’t do what he says, he grabs my arm, pulling me up.

“Get dressed. We need to talk about ground rules. Number one being that you are to remain clothed when I am present.” He looks away from me, making me feel ashamed.

I thought this is what he wanted. Why did he buy me if he didn’t want to use me?

“I have no clothes,” I whisper, suddenly feeling like a fool.

“Follow me.”

I do as he asks, following him into the bedroom he said was mine. He shuffles through a couple of drawers, pulling out a T-shirt and sweatpants.

“Put these on, then meet me in the living room.”

He leaves without a word, making me wonder what his game is. How is he cruel?

I put the clothes on quickly before heading back into the living room. I find him standing in the middle of it, staring at the wall. When he turns to face me, his eyes roam my body.

I feel self-conscious. I am covered, but I feel vulnerable anyway. This man controls my life. My plan has fallen apart. I need to get my siblings, but how can I if this man cannot be distracted with my body? What else do I have?

“Sit.”

I do as he asks, waiting for the other shoe to fall.

“I want you to give me your measurements. I will have clothing for you by tomorrow. As for the rest of the rules, there is no leaving this place without me. It is not safe for you. Your father is watching our every move. If he thinks for a second that you aren’t what I claimed you are to me, he will kill us both and likely the two young children at his house too. ”

My heart catches as I gasp. “No.”

Not them. I can’t lose them.

Looking up at the monster, I realize it’s hopeless.

I can’t save anyone.

I can’t even save myself.

Seeing the utter despair on her face was the confirmation I needed that those kids are what is important to her.

She doesn’t care about herself. That much was obvious in the way she offered herself up to me on a silver platter.

She’s a virgin. At least her father said so.

He’s a liar, but he wouldn’t be able to get away with lying about a woman being a virgin.

Any other purchaser would have had her medically checked before they even left the facility.

So I believe she is a virgin. Just like I believe that he had planned to auction her off all along.

I also think that he plans to sell his other daughter at some point.

Olena should feel lucky he waited until she was eighteen.

I know her father has no issues selling off children for profit. I’ve seen it with my own two eyes.

It does make me wonder why he waited so long with her. What benefits did she offer him until she was no longer useful?

“I’m not trying to hurt them. I want to help them. Who are they to you?” I ask.

She looks away from me. She doesn’t trust me. That’s good, but also not. I need her to trust me.

I guess I need to build that trust.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me. I know they are important to you, and they are to me too. If they are living with your father, they are in danger. I know that. I need to know one thing, though. Are you working with your father? Are you supposed to report back to him somehow?”

When she doesn’t look at me, I reach out and cup her cheek, pulling her face so I can look in her eyes.

What I see there breaks my heart. She’s afraid. If he has asked her to spy on whoever bought her, she doesn’t want to. I don’t know if I can trust her yet, but I will.

Together we will learn to trust one another.

I bought her, which I hated to have to do, but in doing so, I decided that I would take care of her.

She doesn’t realize it, but she earned herself a bodyguard for the rest of her life.

Even after all of this is over, I will make sure to set her up so that she never has to want for anything ever again. She will be safe and protected.

I need to take down her father first, though.

“It will all be okay. I will make sure of it. Tell me you understand why you have to stay inside this house. I am likely being watched at all times. That means you are too. I might have gotten you out of his house, but we are both still under his thumb. Do you understand?”

She sucks in a breath, her eyes watering. Then she nods.

I brush my thumb under her eye to catch the tear that falls.

“I will protect you.” I sigh, pulling away from her. “It’s late. You need to get some sleep. I need to go back out for a bit. I’ll be back in a few hours.”

I stand, leaving her sitting on the couch. When I reach the door, I look back over at her.

“I will make sure you are okay.”

She doesn’t believe me. I can see it in the way she watches me, but she needs to hear it.

Typing in my security code, I disarm the system. When I step outside, I hear the beep saying it’s been reengaged. Then I head toward my car.

I don’t want to make the trip, but I have no choice. I need to let Nikolai know what has happened. He will have gotten a report from Alexei, but he needs to know why I did it.

The video game café is nearly full, but there’s always a machine open for me. Nikolai has made sure of it. Heading back to it, I settle in and start up the first-person shooter game. Then I put my headset on and start playing. As soon as I logged in, Alexei was notified.

I only need to wait for him to hack his way onto my team and secure us a line.

It takes three rounds.

“Nice moves there, To the Max.” Alexei’s voice comes over my line using my username.

“Not bad yourself, In the Dark,” I say back to him.

“Saw you got yourself one hell of a prize last night. Did you earn it?” he asks.

I get what he’s asking. Did I need to buy Olena?

“I did. It was a hell of a fight, but I came out victorious. The prize is sweet too. One to keep for a while.”

I can’t say what I want to say. She was in danger, and I needed to save her. He wouldn’t understand.

To them, they all need saving. I agree with them too, but Olena is special. Different. I couldn’t let someone else have her. Not knowing the horrors that she has already faced.

It’s a weak excuse even in my head.

The truth is, something compelled me to buy her. I don’t know what it was, but I refuse to apologize for trusting my gut.

“That’s good. Plan on winning any others any time soon?”

“Nah. Got this new gig. Don’t need to win anything anymore. I got an in,” I inform him.

“That sounds promising.” He hums.

“Yeah. I’m happy about it. I’ll have access to all the prizes.”

“I’m sure the big boss at the end will be happy to hear it.”

He means Nikolai. Nik will be happy to hear that I’ve made some progress. It’s the first real step we have gotten to take in getting rid of this organization.

As the round comes to an end, so does our conversation.

“Great job. You won that round,” Alexei praises me.

I don’t deserve the praise, though. I bought a person. I did what we are trying to stop.

“Doesn’t feel great when you realize what I had to do to secure the win,” I admit.

“You do what you need to do to get the win. It doesn’t matter what lines you have to cross. The ends justify the means.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Truth is, I’m not sure I will survive the concessions I’ve had to make in order to take these people down. I know it’s important to get rid of the evil, but at what point do I become part of that evil?