Page 25 of Sinful Promise

There is a man standing at the end of my bed, admiring the dress that I’ve laid out for dinner.

He’s huge, six foot four at a minimum, and easily over two hundred pounds, with a shaved head that is covered in tattoos.

My heart pounds in my chest as I realize there’s no way I’ll be able to fight this guy off. And there is still over an hour to go before dinner, so I’m all alone. No one will be here in a while, and I have no idea how I’ll be able to ditch this guy or even save myself.

Looking at him, it is clear locking myself in the bathroom would not stop him from taking me. He’d just blow the door away, like some big, bad wolf wannabe.

I don’t know if the security system Dimitri installed has some kind of alarm that is triggered by screaming, but I guess I’m about to find out.

“Get the fuck out of my apartment!”

He glances over his shoulder at me and grins when he notices my lack of clothing.

“I don’t think I will.” His voice has a heavy Russian accent, and he turns to face me completely.

Before I have a chance to scream again, he grabs me by the arm and yanks me toward him.

His fingers are calloused, and I squirm against his touch as he tightens his grip on me.

“You’re coming with me.” His hot breath scorches my face.

He reeks of sweat, and I fight the urge to vomit.

“Get the fuck off me?—”

The sound of knocking on my front door causes us both to freeze.

Oh, thank god.

I tear up as I realize help is here.

“That’s my father who’s a cop, or my brother-in-law who’s a bratva boss. It’s up to you if you want to stay or not.”

He narrows his gray eyes at me, as if trying to decide if what I’m saying is bullshit, but I don’t back down.

My life is literally in his hands, and I’m not about to give it up easily.

It seems whoever is waiting on the other side of my door poses enough of a threat to this guy that he releases his hold on me.

“You’ll be seeing me again.” He bolts for the open window.

My entire body sags as I watch him disappear out the fire escape into the night.

It’s a warm evening, and I didn’t want my room to get stuffy with the steam from the shower, but I should have known better than to leave my window wide open. Especially considering the fact that someone broke in only a few days ago.

The knocking sounds again, and I jump. I had almost forgotten that someone was waiting outside my door.

I only hope it’s not my father.

I stagger out of my room toward my front door and when I peer through the peephole to see Zara and Dimitri waiting on the other side, a strangled sob escapes me.

“There was a man,” I gasp the moment I open the door. “He was in my room?—”

Dimitri doesn’t even wait for me to finish before he storms into my apartment and heads straight for my room.

Zara’s eyes widen as she takes in my lack of clothing, as well as the dark red mark around my arm. “Emily? What happened?”

I pull her inside and shut the door. “You need to call Mom and Dad and cancel dinner. Tell them I’m sick or something. I-I can’t face them like this.”

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