Page 132 of Sinful Promise

I can’t stop the memories playing of those two men beating Danil over and over in my head. I can still hear the phantom sounds of him grunting ringing in my ears as I screw my eyes shut to try and block out the fact that I’m tied up in a basement.

But maybe that will be my punishment—to relive that moment over and over for the rest of my life, however long that will be. Because there’s no way that Igor had his men drag Danil out of here to do anything other than kill him, and I deserve to be reminded of what I did to Danil for as long as I live. If I even live through this.

After all, this is all my fault.

If Danil dies, his blood will be on my hands.

The thought has me leaning over and emptying the contents of my stomach on the concrete beside me. Vomit runs down mychin, but I can’t wipe it away with my hands tied behind my back.

My shoulders are aching from having my arms bound behind me, and my hands are starting to go numb from the cold as well as from the ropes, which are bound so tightly around my wrists.

I’ve long given up trying to wriggle my hands free. It’s just a waste of energy.

“Please,” I whimper to myself. “Just let me die…”

It’s selfish of me to wish for death, but I’m not sure I will be able to live with the guilt of knowing that Danil is going to pay the price for my mistake.

That is, if he hasn’t already.

“Danil,” I croak.

I’m glad the room is pitch black, so I don’t have to see the evidence of Danil’s pain splattered all over the concrete floor.

“I’m so sorry,” I sob into the darkness.

I lean back against the cold wall and try not to breathe through my nose. The smell of the vomit beside me mixed with the lingering smell of Danil’s blood in the air has my stomach clenching.

I had thought that Igor would torture me in front of Danil in order to get him to talk, but it seems I’ve underestimated the bratva Pahkan once again. The Koslovs tried their best to warn me, but I was too stubborn to listen.

I thought I knew what was best, but my ignorance has likely cost me the love of my life.

My heart feels like it’s been ripped out of my chest as my mouth opens in a silent scream. I don’t have the energy left in me to fight, and I want nothing more than to sleep. But every time my eyes grow heavy with exhaustion, Danil’s voice sounds in my head.

Are you asking me to be your boyfriend, Emily Mullens?

I never answered him.

Another sob builds in my throat as I realize I might not ever get the chance to tell Danil how much I love him. How I want him to be so much more than just my boyfriend.

He’s myeverything,and he’ll never know.

My spiraling thoughts are getting darker and darker with each minute that passes.

I’m not sure how much time has passed, but it feels like I’ve been locked in this basement for days.

I was so sure that Danil’s brothers would have found us by now, but I’m starting to lose hope.

Besides, I’m not sure I want to be alive when they realize what has happened to Danil.

My body trembles from the cold, and my jaw aches from how badly my teeth are chattering. If only I could have a blanket to put around my bare shoulders to protect me from the bite in the air.

But this is how men like Igor break people like me.

Being left alone with my own thoughts is a different kind of torture. One that I know Igor is likely going to take advantage of.

The skin of my cheeks feels stiff from where my tears have dried, and I wince as I swallow. My throat feels like sandpaper from screaming for Danil, not that my cries made any difference. If anything, they probably only added to the amusement of Igor’s guards. After all, these men find pleasure in the pain of others.

When the sound of heavy footsteps approaches once more, my pulse quickens.

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