Page 13 of Bratva Prisoner
“Besides,” he continues in a more practical tone, “staying here makes financial sense for you. You’re bleeding money on hotels and meals. Here, you’ll have everything you need without spending a dime. You could actually start rebuilding your savings instead of burning through what’s left.”
The argument is compelling because it’s true. I’ve been so focused on immediate survival that I haven’t thought about what comes after. Staying here would give me that breathing room.
“What happens when this is over?” I ask. “When Troy is dealt with, and I don’t need protection anymore?”
Something moves across his face too quick for me to interpret, but intense enough to make my heart skip. “We’ll figure that out when the time comes.”
“And if I want to leave before then?”
“You won’t.”
The confidence in his voice makes me want to argue, to prove that I’m not some helpless damsel who can be swept off her feet by wealth and protection. But the truth is, I don’t want to leave. Not yet. For the first time in weeks, I feel safe, and that’s a luxury I’m not ready to give up.
“Okay,” I whisper. “I’ll stay. At least until this situation with Troy is resolved.”
His shoulders drop, and he lets out a long breath before he reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Good little kitten,” he mumbles. “Now, let me show you the bathroom. I think you’ll appreciate the soaking tub.”
The tour of the en suite bathroom is almost as overwhelming as the rest of the house. Marble surfaces, gold fixtures, and a bathtub that’s practically a small swimming pool. There’s also a shower with multiple heads and more bottles of expensive toiletries than most spas.
“I don’t have any of my things,” I realize aloud. “Everything I own is in a hotel room across town.”
“We’ll retrieve your belongings tomorrow. Tonight, I’ll have Harrison pick up whatever you need to be comfortable.” Maksim pulls out his phone. “Clothes, toiletries, anything else you can think of.”
“I can’t ask you to—”
“Again, you’re not asking, Alyssa. I’m offering.” He’s already scrolling through his contacts. “Besides, it’s not safe for you to go back to that hotel. Troy probably has someone watching it.”
The reminder of my stalker sends a chill through me, but it settles almost immediately. I’m not facing this alone anymore. I have Maksim, with his fortress of a house and his quiet confidence that he can handle anything Troy throws at us.
“Are you hungry?” he asks after sending what I assume is a message to Harrison. “I can have the chef prepare something, or we could order takeout if you prefer.”
“You have a chef?”
“I have a lot of things.” His smile is equal parts charming and dangerous. “Most of which are now at your disposal.”
“Thank you,” I tell him, and I mean it more than he probably realizes. “For all of this. The protection, the room, the kindness. You’re being incredibly generous to someone you barely know.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” he says, moving toward the door. “Thank me after I deal with your Troy problem.”
He pauses with his hand on the handle, turning back to look at me with eyes that seem to burn with some inner fire. “Oh, and Alyssa? If you need anything—anything at all—just ask. My room is at the end of the hall. Visit me anytime.”
The way he says it, combined with the heated look he gives me, makes my imagination run wild with possibilities and memories. I’m here for protection, nothing more. Getting involved with Maksim beyond that would complicate an already absurd situation in ways I’m not prepared to handle.
But as the door closes behind him, leaving me alone in this palace of a bedroom, I can’t shake the image of what might happen if I did find myself knocking on his door later tonight.
The thought terrifies and thrills me in equal measure.
For the first time in weeks, I’m safe. The question is whether I’m safe from Troy, or if I’ve just traded one dangerous situation for another.
Either way, I’m no longer running.
And that has to count for something.
Chapter 5 - Maksim
Watching a woman discover luxury for the first time through security cameras shouldn’t be this addictive, but here I am.
