Possess Me by Michelle Heard
Chapter 7
Alek
While Vincent and Everleigh are taken out of the room, Prodi trains his gun on me. When I hear movement behind me, I keep my eyes locked on Prodi.
My arms are grabbed, and I’m yanked backward. Forced to sit down on a chair, Prodi’s men strap my forearms to the armrests.
Only then does Prodi place his gun on his lap. Removing a packet of cigarettes, he lights one before he says, “I hear your father attacked Ivanov’s place. He thought you were taken in retaliation for trying to kidnap Svetlana.”
He’s not holding us for information. Fuck. That means he’ll kill us once he’s had his fun.
“As you know, my father is against the mafia and bratva working together. For fun, we sent a ransom note to your father. We’re not asking much. Just one euro for you and Vincent. It’s a bargain.”
There’s no way my father will pay for our release. Prodi is playing a mind game with him.
“As an incentive, we’ll send your father recordings and proof of life. For your sake, I hope he swallows his pride.”
That will never happen.
Prodi takes a deep pull of his cigarette then slowly blows out the smoke. “Who is this Everleigh Adams, and what is she to you?”
I’m not telling this man shit and just stare at him.
He gestures to one of the men, my hand is grabbed, and a knife is plunged through my skin and bone.
I can’t keep myself from groaning as the sharp pain tears through my hand. “Mater' Bozh'ya.” A threatening chuckle escapes me. “I’m going to kill you.”
“Who’s the girl?” Prodi asks again.
I clench my jaw while sucking in a deep breath of air.
This is exactly like the training I’ll receive at St. Monarch’s next year. If I can’t survive a little torture, I won’t make it during training.
“If she means nothing to you, she’s of no use to me,” Prodi threatens.
Fuck.
I should let them kill her. It will be merciful compared to what lies ahead.
I stare at Prodi, and as he gestures to one of the men to take care of Everleigh, I hiss, “She’s my girlfriend.”
What the fuck are you doing?
Prodi gives a skeptical look, then orders, “Go get the girl.”
He doesn’t believe the lie we’ve told him.
I keep my expression neutral, and when Everleigh is dragged back into the room, she’s also shoved down on a chair, and her wrists are strapped to the armrests.
Her eyes are wide on the knife embedded into the back of my hand, and it looks like she’s going to puke.
“How long have you been in a relationship?” Prodi asks.
“Just over a year,” I answer so Everleigh doesn’t fuck things up.
“Don’t you like Russian pussy?” he asks.
“I like my women exotic,” I mutter. “If it weren’t for Everleigh, I’d try some Italian pussy.”
The knife is ripped from my hand, and a curse bursts from me, “Iisus Khristos.” I shake my head and chuckle darkly because, so help me God, I will kill Riccardo Prodi.
One of Prodi’s men walks to Everleigh, and grabbing her hair, he yanks her head back and presses the knife to her pulse. She makes a squeaking sound, her terrified gaze darting to me.
I’ve seen fear before but nothing like the horror in her amber eyes.
Christ, you’re going to get yourself killed for a woman you don’t know.
“Tell me about your girlfriend,” Prodi says as he lights another cigarette.
“She’s from Ohio. She recently lost her parents, so she only has me.” I hate lying, but I’m fucking good at it. “She just finished school and came to Russia to be with me. We’re going to elope so I can keep her here with me.”
Prodi tilts his head, his eyes flicking between us. “You don’t look in love.”
“No fucking shit,” I mutter. “This isn’t the honeymoon I envisioned for us.”
“You didn’t seem to mind when your brother ripped off her nail,” he mentions. He gestures to his men, then says, “Choose who will take the beating from my men.”
Fuck my life.
I shake my head as I let out a chuckle, “Of course, it will be me.”
He nods, and a soldier comes to unstrap my forearms, and I’m pulled to a standing position. It’s only then I notice the pool of blood that’s formed by the leg of the chair.
If Prodi doesn’t kill us, infection will. I doubt the man is going to provide us with first aid.
Another soldier comes to yank my arms behind my back, and cable ties are used to restrain me.
Everleigh’s breathless with fear, her eyes still glued to me.
The men attack all at once, and with my wrists tied, I can’t do much to defend myself. I take punch after punch and hear Everleigh cry, “Please stop! You’re going to kill him.”
I stagger a step back while a grin spreads over my face, “It will take a hell of a lot more than this to kill me, sweetheart.”
The next punch to my nose drops my ass to the floor. The men start to kick, and when a boot slams into my head, everything goes black.
It’s our first day on the job, and I give Misha a nervous look.
We’ve been assigned to Rodin, a low-level boss, and we have no idea what’s in store for us. We only know not to disappoint Papa.
“If Vincent could do it, so can we,” I whisper.
Misha nods. “At least we’re together.”
We’re standing outside a warehouse where we were told to meet Rodin, and as he and ten of his men climb out of SUVs, I straighten my spine.
These are the men we’ll have to impress if we want to work our way up to boss level.
When Rodin pulls a bat out of the SUV, my muscles tighten.
Blood in, blood out.
