A Treacherous Killer-Dark Bratva Romance

thirty seven

Nadia

I brace myself against the side of the trunk as we make a wide turn again.

We've been driving for what seems like hours. The conditions of the roads changed a few miles back, going from what I would assumed highways to now gravel. I can hear the tiny rocks hitting the side of the car as we fly down the road.

I don't know where Emil is planning to take me. He had never mentioned him owning any other properties besides his flat in the city. I had no way of alerting anyone to my location since Emil broke my phone and left it in pieces back at my house.

I can't imagine what he's planning. Why had he taken me with force? Was our marriage arrangement that important to him? He couldn't possibly be doing all of this in spite of Maks.

I feel the car slowing before coming to a complete stop. Moments later I hear Emil slam the door shut and hear his foot steps walking over the gravel headed for the trunk. I hear a clicking sound and the next moment the trunk is popped open. Streams of sunlight momentarily blind me from being in the dark trunk for a while.

I think about kicking out with my feet hoping to make contact with some part of Emil's body but he flashes a gun in my face and I immediately tense up.

"Get out," he orders. I do as he says even though my fear threatens to immobilize me. When I exit the trunk, I revel in the feeling of my muscles stretching. Being cramped in a small trunk is a bitch. Then I quickly take in my surroundings.

We're standing in front of an old abandoned building located right near a river. The building has no identification, but it looks like it hasn't been used in years. The windows are boarded up and the sides of it are covered in ivy.

"Let's go," Emil demands. He nudges me forward with his elbow and we walk to what looks like an old loading dock. Emil fishes a pair of keys out of his pocket but instead of coming around me to open the door he hands me the keys.

"Open it." I take the keys from him with shaky hands and manage to unlock the door on the second try. The inside of the building is dark, with the windows boarded up no sunlight can fight through. Emil reaches over to the side and flips a switch. Floodlights turn on to reveal an almost empty space.

"Over there," he motions with the gun. There's a small door in the distance and I make my way over toward it. "It's unlocked," Emil states. I open the door and find myself standing in front of a flight of stairs. Emil nudges me again and I start walking down them.

There are small light fixtures on the walls that help me see where I'm going but I still stumble a few times out of fear. I need to find a way out of this. I don't have a weapon and I don't have the means to overpower Emil. My only defense is to try and level with him.

"Why are you doing this Emil?" I say calmly. He doesn't reply, he just nudges me forward again this time with the end of the gun. I swallow the lump in my throat and try again. "Will you please talk to me?" We're nearing the end of the stairs and entering into what I would assume is a basement. It reminds me of the basement beneath the Beyala Roza. I have never stepped foot down there but this is what I imagined it to look like. Cold, dank and empty. The perfect place to hold someone hostage. 

"I'll explain everything to you Nadia but first I need to make sure you can't get away from me," he says demonically. I release a breath and will the tears in my eyes away. I needed to be strong if I wanted to make it out of here alive.

I don't have time to reply to him before I feel a pinch in my neck and everything goes dark.
***
When I awake, I find myself chained to a chair in a small room. My head is pounding and my vision is blurry. I try to lift my head up but my head feels like it's too heavy for my neck to support.

"Good, you're awake." With the sudden sound of Emil's voice in front of me I find the strength to lift my head. "I gave you a little something to calm you down," he says. He pats my face and gives me an evil grin.

"What is going on?" My voice is weak and it stings my throat to talk.

"Kitten," Emil calls out. "Go fetch my fiancé some water." A few moments later, a tall blonde woman slinks her way into the room. She hands Emil the water bottle and leans over to press a kiss to his lips. What the fuck?

"Klara, I'd like to officially introduce you to Nadia." Emil's tone is almost playful, as though he were enjoying this interaction.

"She looked prettier in the photos," Klara sneers. I suddenly remember Maks admitting he had seen a naked woman in Emil's bed the day he snuck into his house. I had no doubt the blonde staring daggers at me was indeed her.

"Now Kitten, what did I tell you about playing nice?" Emil smirks. Klara paws at Emil's arm apologetically but Emil brushes her off. "Go get the cameras," he orders. Klara scowls at him but exits the room leaving me alone with Emil.

"Cameras?" I question. Emil uncaps the water bottle and tilts my head back. I don't know if I should trust that the water is clean but I have no choice but to drink it when Emil pours it in my mouth.

"We're going to send your boyfriend a little message," he says. He steps back as Klara comes back into the room hauling a camera mounted on a tripod and a laptop.

"Maks?" I question. Emil doesn't answer as he takes the laptop from Klara and opens it up. I watch as Klara moves the tripod until it's positioned in front of me.

"I think we need to rough her up a bit, don't you think baby?" Klara suggests.

"Good idea. You do have the honors." Before I can even prepare myself, Klara strikes out at my face with her fist. My head reels back and I can feel blood seeping from my nose. Klara hits me again, this time in the jaw.

Emil laughs as Klara reaches her arm back to hit me again. "I think she's roughed up enough Kitten," he says darkly. "I've got the video call set up. Turn the camera on," he orders. Klara goes around the camera and presses a button.

The sound of the call connecting fills the space and I immediately perk up when I hear the sound of Maks's voice on the other end.