Page 115 of Twisted Proposal

So instead of ending the night deep inside her like I planned, I slid on a pair of sweatpants and just held her while she slept.

Now she was gone, and this house was compromised.

Keeping her safe was my top priority, and I had failed.

I moved silently across the bedroom, praying to any god that would listen that she was in the bathroom.

Finally, someone above was paying attention.

I opened the bathroom door to a disheveled and scared Viktoria.

"What was that noise?" she asked, even though she knew. Her eyes were wide and scared, her fists balled in the hem of the oversized T-shirt I had put on her to sleep in. Even now there was something so satisfying about seeing her wear my shirt.

I placed my finger on my lips to tell her to be silent as I grabbed her hand.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked in a hushed, tense voice.

I didn't answer her. There wasn't time to talk this out and ask her what she would like to do. I needed her to be quiet and to understand. She wanted information, she wanted to fight, and I just didn't have the time to give either to her.

Viktoria needed to understand that when I had the luxury of time, I would explain my decisions to her. When I didn't, she needed to follow orders and trust that I would give her an explanation when it was time.

I pulled her back into the bedroom, opening the massive walk-in closet. She fought me harder, but I didn't care. With the hand that still held the gun, I moved aside a picture frame and typed in the security code.

This was why I had chosen this room to be the master. The rooms upstairs had better views, more luxurious bathrooms with soaking tubs and even sitting areas I knew Viktoria would have loved.

However, this was the bedroom that had the closet with the faux back that held the panic room.

"What are you doing? We need to call the police, we need to—" Her words were cut off when I pushed her into the small room. It was large enough to hold a small table and provisions if she needed. Best of all—it could only be opened from the outside.

She tried to push her way out, but I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close.

"I'll come and get you as soon as it's clear."

"And what if you're dead?"

"The second I lock the door, Gregor's security team will be notified that someone is in the safe room. If I die, they'll come get you."

She opened her mouth to say something else, so I kissed her hard on the mouth.

I kissed her like it was the last time I'd ever get a taste of the indignation on her sweet lips.

I poured every ounce of love I had for this woman into it.

"Let me protect you, princess," I said, pressing my forehead to hers when I broke the kiss. "I can't fight these men if I don't know you are safe. Please stay here."

I didn't know how many men were downstairs. I didn't know how quickly backup would get to me. My cousins had to secure their families before they could come help me. While my brothers should have still been on the compound, Marina was Kostya's priority, and I had no idea if Pavel was even here.

She gave me a loaded look that told me she had so many things to say and she was not happy. But she took a step back, her arms crossed over her chest as she sat on the wooden chair.

"Thank you," I said with relief as I closed the heavy iron door and tapped in the code to lock it.

Now that she was secure, I had business to attend to.

There were more pops of gunfire in the house, probably against the men that I had guarding it, and maybe even the first round of help from Gregor's men.

I sucked in a deep breath, pushing down my fear for Viktoria, my anxiety for what could happen, and the anger at myself for telling Gregor's men to kill Solovyov's men on the property, knowing they would track their phones.

Then I pushed down the white fiery rage at the intruders' audacity in attacking the Ivanov family in their own home.