Page 42 of Trapped

“You’ll never see me again.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,kotyonok. Maybe I’m waiting outside your door right now. Or maybe I’m giving you a chance to come to your senses. To be the good girl I know you can be.” An erotic tone entered his voice, flooding me with nausea. “Come to me now, and I’ll go easy on you. I’ll let you pick your punishment.”

“Go to hell.”

“Mhm. I’m at the Hilton in Back Bay in case you change your mind.”

He’s in Boston.

My spine went rigid. “Stay away from me.”

He chuckled. “Still afraid of me, huh?”

The taunt jabbed at me. Our engagement had only lasted a few weeks, but he’d controlled me since the day my father introduced us. Months before we became official. My fatherhadn’t warned me in the slightest about Dimitri. He’d tossed me to a wolf without a second’s hesitation.

“I’m done with you, Dimitri.”

“We both know you can’t run forever.”

“I’ll die before I go back to you.”

A long pause. Then he laughed. “You always were dramatic. You love the thrill of the chase. That’s why you ran, to see if I’d follow.”

My pulse quickened. “I ran because you’re a monster.”

“I might be, but I still own you?—”

I ended the call, throwing the phone onto the bed like it burned my hand. He was too close. I could feel it. If I stayed, he’d find me.

I had to leave.

I grabbed a bag, my mind racing. In went my Fred Perry polos, skirts, and dresses that Dimitri complained were too low-cut. I carefully packed the most valuable vintage pieces and essential documents. Each item stowed away was a piece of the future I was determined to salvage. It killed me to leave behind my vinyl, but I couldn’t fit everything in the bag.

Then I took a taxi to a hotel where Santino had a standing reservation. I raided the minibar as soon as I checked in. Santino would notice it on the bill, but I didn’t care. I needed to steady myself. Once the headache throbbing in my temples disappeared, I dialed Santino.

He picked up on the second ring. “Hey.”

His smoky voice rolled over my ears, calming me instantly.

“Where are you?”

“At an event right now,” he said, the noise in the background dimming. “Boring work thing.”

“Oh, I see.”

Static crackled.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

I bit my lip. “Why does something have to be wrong?”

“I hear it in your voice.”

My heart pounded as Dimitri’s words replayed in my head.Still afraid of me, huh?The bastard was so smug. Like terrorizing women made him such a big man. I didn’t want to run to Santino. I wanted to handle Dimitri myself.

And I knew exactly what to do.

Sighing, I carefully gathered my thoughts. “I don’t like how we left things at the ring. I want to see you.”

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