Page 64 of Paved in Hate

“He’s broken her, but she’s still alive, and that’s the most important thing. We can get her the help she needs when we get her back. Matvey will spend the rest of his life making sure she’s safe and taken care of. We just need to get her home.”

He keeps holding me for several more minutes, lost in his own misery, imagining all the horrible things that I unfortunately know for a fact have been done to Roman’s sister. Even in his own pain, he keeps stroking my hair and kissing my head, reminding me again and again that I’m safe with him and that he’ll always make damn sure I stay that way.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper against his chest.

“You have nothing to apologize for, baby.”

“Your brothers are going to hate me.” I tighten my arms around his waist as my body starts to shake. “Matvey will never forgive me, and how will I ever face Alina?”

“My brothers could never hate you, and Matvey would only be angry if you did something to put Alina’s life in danger, and you didn’t,ptichka. You did everything you knew how to do to keep her safe. No one blames you for this, and as far as Alina goes, I’m guessing she knows better than anyone what a monster your brother can be. She’ll understand why you didn’t say anything, baby.”

I nod against his chest while he keeps me wrapped in a tight hug. He waits until he’s sure I’m okay before he gives a deep sigh and says, “I need to tell my brothers about this.”

“How do you think Matvey is going to take the news?”

He grabs his phone from the nightstand and shakes his head. “No way in fuck am I telling him right now. I’ll tell the others first.”

I watch him send a few texts before tossing his phone on the bed and throwing on a pair of jeans.

“Here, baby, put these on.” He hands me my pajama pants, and then steps closer, buttoning the most likely ruined white shirt that I’m still wearing.

“I’m really sorry I ruined this.”

He gives me a soft smile and drags the back of his knuckles along my check. “Baby, you can ruin every damn shirt I own. I don’t give a fuck about anything but you.”

When he’s satisfied I’m covered up enough, he kisses my forehead right as there’s a soft knock at our door. Keeping my hand in his, he walks with me across the room. As soon as the door is opened, Lev and Danil walk in. Lev looks around, and his worried look makes it obvious that he’s expecting something bad. When everything looks to be in place, he runs his eyes over me and Vitaly. Obviously confused, he scrubs a hand over his mouth, giving his lip ring a soft tug before crossing his arms over his chest.

“What the fuck’s going on?” he finally asks.

Danil gives me a smile and shuts the door as Vitaly motions for them to come further in. He watches Vitaly, a worried look on his face as he sits in one of the chairs and waits to see what the hell is going on.

“Seriously,” Lev says, too antsy to sit. “What the fuck is going on? Why aren’t Roman and Matvey here?” He runs a frustrated hand through his hair before resting his light blue eyes on mine. Whatever he sees has his face paling. He shakes his head and starts to pace. Pointing a finger at Vitaly while his feet keep moving, he says, “Don’t you fucking say it.”

The pain in his voice has me quickly shaking my head. “No, it’s not what you think. Well, not really anyway.”

Vitaly squeezes my hand in anit’s okay, babykind of way, reminding me yet again how damn grateful I am to have him, to have someone I can count on, someone who will always support me and have my back. I return the squeeze before he reaches down and grabs my sketchbook.

“She’s alive,” he tells them.

Danil jumps up, both he and Lev asking questions at once until Vitaly holds up a hand and says, “I can’t fucking answer everything at once. Just hang on and I’ll tell you.”

When Lev and Danil quiet down, Vitaly sighs and holds the sketchpad out to them. “You might not want to see this, but Alina is Konstantin’s pet. Katya had no idea it was Alina. No one ever calls her by her name.”

Danil takes the pad and starts flipping through it. Both men pale at the images covering every single page.

“Fucking hell,” Lev groans, turning away when he gets to the picture where Alina is naked and chained under the table, a plate of food just out of reach.

Danil lifts his eyes to mine. “Why did you draw this?”

“I have a lot of nightmares, and drawing the things I see helps me get them out of my head.”

He nods like he understands the urge to clear my mind of unsavory things and hands the sketchpad back to me. When I grab it, he keeps his hands on it for a second, waiting until I meet his eyes again.

“Don’t let Matvey see this until after we get her back. It’ll drive him insane.”

“I won’t.” I take the sketchpad when he releases it and bury it back at the bottom of my backpack in the closet.

“I don’t understand,” Lev says. “She’s been his pet the whole time?”

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