Page 123 of Velvet Chains
Laura
I STARE in horror at little Eli’s body lying on the floor, her eyes closed and her small frame unnaturally still. My jaw tightens as I fight back the urge to scream.
How could he? She’s just a little girl!
The man in front of me, Ivan Vasiliev, looks at me coldly.
He leans against the table, his fingers idly playing with a gleaming knife. His sharp features and stern jaw give him a hardened appearance, while his steely dark eyes assess everything clinically.
“Little girl was too noisy, like her mother,” he says, his voice devoid of emotion.
“You fucking monster!” I shout at him, surprising myself with my newfound bravery. “Let us go now!”
Although I heard what Ivan told Victor on the phone earlier—that he’s going to kill me, my baby, and Victor—I cling to the hope that Victor will find a way to come for us. I need to be brave, braver than I’ve ever been.
I struggle against the grip of the man holding me, a hulking figure who looks more like a bear than a human.
“Let me go!” I yell, thrashing in his grasp.
Ivan gives the man a nod, and he releases me. I rush over to Eli, cradling her head in my lap.
“Eli,” I whisper, my voice breaking. I look up at Ivan, anger burning in my eyes. “You’re a coward, taking the weaker ones. What kind of man are you?”
Ivan chuckles darkly, pushing off the table and stalking closer, the knife still in his hand. “A man who knows how to get what he wants,” he says, his eyes glinting with malice. “Your dear brother-in-law, Dimitry, learned that the hard way.”
I frown, confusion mixing with the fear and rage swirling inside me. “What are you talking about?”
“Poor, stupid Dimitry…” Ivan sighs, shaking his head in mock pity. “Got caught red-handed fucking some underage girls in my BDSM dungeon. Andrey’s golden boy, not so golden after all.”
Nausea rises in my throat, and I fight the urge to vomit.
Dimitry, you sick bastard.
“Andrey would kill him if he found out,” I manage, my voice hoarse.
“Oh, he would,” Ivan agrees, a cruel smile playing on his lips. “But I took care of that little problem. Dimitry’s been quite useful, you know. Planting bugs, getting rid of guards and maids. All to get to you, my dear.”
I shudder, the pieces falling into place. Dimitry’s betrayal, the strange emptiness of the mansion that night. It was all orchestrated by this madman.
“Why?” I whisper, holding Eli closer. “Why are you doing this?”
Ivan’s face darkens, a storm brewing in his eyes. “Because your fucking father-in-law took everything from me,” he snarls, his composure slipping. “He forced Ksenia to marry that worm Dimitry instead of me. Me, who loved her, who would have given her the world.”
He starts pacing the room, the knife glinting menacingly in his hand. “But I was nothing to Andrey then. A nobody, a distant connection. Not good enough for his precious daughter.”
A bitter laugh escapes him, harsh and grating. “Well, look at me now, old man. I’m about to take everything you value. Your son, your grandchild, your legacy. I’m going to burn it all down.”
I stare at him, horrified by the depth of his obsession, his hatred. “You’re insane,” I breathe, my heart pounding. “Victor will stop you. He’ll come for us, and he’ll make you pay.”
Ivan’s head snaps toward me, his eyes blazing. “Victor will die,” he says softly, each word dripping with venom. “He’ll die, and you’ll watch. And then, when he’s gone, when all hope is lost… then I’ll kill you too.”
He smiles, his lips twisting into an ugly grimace. “But not before I rip that baby from your womb and crush its skull beneath my heel.”
A scream lodges in my throat, raw and visceral.
No, God, please, no.
Ivan nods to the bear-like man, his eyes never leaving mine. “Lock them up,” he orders, his voice cold and flat. “And if they try anything, break the girl’s legs.”
