Page 27 of Kidnapped By the Mafia Boss
And I have to uphold my part in this, and leave as I said I would.
Voronov rolls out of bed.
“Shoes,” he orders tersely as he tugs on boots.
I scramble to slip on the little sneakers I wore yesterday. He snatches up my bag and phone and is out of the room before I can ask what’s going on.
He’s obviously annoyed. By the time I catch up with him, he’s outside, the front door swinging wide, and he’s chucked my bag into an SUV.
But he slams the door shut on it, and calls, “This way, zayka, if you want freedom.”
Nerves curl in my stomach as he strides towards the garden that leads to the wood where we walked yesterday. Why are we heading away from the car?
He comes to an abrupt halt at the top of a slight slope of grass.
I stand next to him, goose pimples raising the hairs on my arms in the cool of the morning.
“You remember the path?”
I nod.
“Good.” He pulls out his phone from his pocket and holds it out.
“Boss?” a sleepy voice answers, coming from the tinny speakers.
“Arkadi. Take my car from out front of the house to the corner of the drive. I’ll send coordinates in a moment. Remain in the vehicle and keep youreyes to yourself. When someone gets into the back of the car, you are to leave. Immediately. Take her wherever she requests and defend her with your life. You will continue in my employment but answer only to her. Do you understand?” Voronov gives the commands quickly, and I’m struggling to keep up.
“Yes, boss.” There’s a note of confusion in his tone, and frankly I don’t blame him. I am also baffled.
“Good. You’re not to take any more orders from me, only her.”
“Yes, b—” He cuts himself off. “I understand.”
Voronov hangs up and with a few taps has a map up and sends a dropped pin. Then he pockets the phone and stares down at me, grim faced.
“Here’s the deal. If you want to leave, I’ll let you go. Arkadi is the most trusted of my men. He will guard you until I find that svolach. You’ll be safe.”
There’s a “but” coming, I can hear it. His Russian accent has thickened with emotion. How do I know that after only a day together? I look up, and his expression is full of barely-repressed feelings.
“If you reach the end of the drive, Arkadi will be waiting.”
“If?” I snag on the word.
“You don’t think I’ll just let you go, without a struggle, do you?” His brows lower further.
I stare at him, surprise rendering my brain a mush.
“What’s your safeword?”
“Red,” I squeak.
“Red,” he repeats, nodding. “That stops everything, zayka. Orange if you need to rest. The game ischase.”
My heart bounces with excitement. Oh my god. That idyllic wood we walked through yesterday? Where I imagined him holding me down? He’s going to hunt me.
“All you have to do to be free is get to where Arkadi is waiting,” he continues. “But I’ll be chasing you. And every time I catch you, I can take something from you.”
The air thickens to the point that I can’t breathe. I said I wanted to leave, and this is what I have to pay to escape.
