Page 18 of Her Russian Master
Even though rationally she knew Yuri would jump to deal with her before the others did, his words sent a dagger of ice through the center of her, freezing away the tenuous bond they’d developed.
He looked every bit the ferocious mobster as he stalked swiftly to her side and clapped a hand over her mouth.But then he slid an arm under her back and shifted her into a sitting position, taking the terrible pressure off her arms.
She whimpered at the sting of the blood rushing back into them and he absently helped her rub them, but they both strained to listen to the conversation in the other room.
“The boss isn’t gonna like that, Jakey-boy.We gave you a deadline to produce the cash.It’s tomorrow night.”
“I just need a little more time.I’ll have to take a loan out from the bank against the business.It might take a few days.”She’d never heard Jake so panicked.“Let Lucy go.She has nothing to do with this.”
“You see, that’s where we disagree.She has plenty to do with this, because it’s her life on the line, Jakey-boy.But I’ll tell you what.I’ll ask the boss if maybe he’ll give you that loan against the business instead.He’s been interested in getting into the nightclub scene for a while now.”
“O-okay.That would work,” Jake said in a voice that plainly said it wouldn’t.
This was what she’d feared.If he accepted that loan, he’d be owned by Don Diego for the rest of his life.Once you get involved with the mob, the only way you get out is with a pair of cement shoes for a swim in the ocean.
Fuck.
“Where are you, Jake?”Freddo demanded.“I’m gonna need you to bring yourself in.”
“If I come in, will you let Lucy go?”
“Yeah.”
She looked at Yuri, but he wouldn’t look back, his mouth set in a tight line.Right.They probably weren’t going to let her go.She tried to wrestle her head away from Yuri to yell at Jake not to come, but he immediately clapped a hand to the back of her head and held it like a vise.
Anger suddenly spiked.Whatever twisted game he’d been playing, pretending to keep her safe, was bullshit.He may have been interested in fucking her, but she couldn’t rely on him for anything.She’d be nuts if she thought she could.
She fought uselessly against his hold, tears of anger popping into her eyes when it became apparent how helpless she really was.
“No, you stay there.We’ll come and get you.And Jakey… if you’re not there when we come… your sister’s dead.Got it?”Freddo finished the call in the other room.
Yuri released her head and mouth, staring at the tears dripping down her cheeks with a haunted look.
“Get away from me,” she whispered.
He scrubbed a hand across his face and stood up.“I’ll get away from you,” he muttered, as if to himself.His strong shoulders were bunched up as he stalked out of the bedroom to the suite.
She immediately wished he’d stayed.Somehow, being tied to a hotel bed was much worse alone.She yanked her hands, but they didn’t budge.Bending and twisting her head, she tried her teeth on the tape.
Another phone conversation ensued between Freddo and someone else—probably the don.
“I’ll stay with the girl,” she heard Yuri growl when Freddo got off.
“No, Tommy stays with the girl.You come with me.Boss says to bring him to the Blue Turtle.”
She strained her ears but heard no reply from Yuri.A low roar started in her ears, accompanied by a gripping and twisting in the center of her gut.
He wouldn’t leave her here alone with Tommy, would he?He’d promised to keep her safe.
She gnawed frantically at the duct tape around her wrists, but her teeth couldn’t seem to cut through it.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
The hallway door to the suite opened and shut.
Please, no.The roaring grew louder, blocking out all other sound.
Yuri left?No!The bastard.
