It’s hard not to fidget while Viktor undresses me for the third time in the space of ten hours.
This time when he pulls my panties down, his palms brush all the way down my legs before coming back up to settle on my hips.
His fingers dig into my skin, and a growl rumbles from his chest. “This is the sweetest fucking torture.”
My gaze goes to the bathtub. “I can really do it myself.”
“Fuck no. I’m not missing out on the opportunity to bathe you.”
Viktor takes hold of my left hand. “Get in, moya Malen’kaya Roza.”
Holding onto him, I climb into the balmy water and sit down. Viktor rolls his shirt’s sleeves up to his elbows, exposing the veins snaking beneath his skin.
Why is that so damn attractive?
Viktor crouches next to the tub, and grabbing a loofah, he squirts body wash onto it. He starts to wash my back and shoulders while I focus on keeping the cast braced on the side of the tub so it won’t get wet.
It feels nice having his attention on me until the loofah slides down my abdomen to between my legs. My body immediately tenses, and I divert my gaze to the cast.
From the corner of my eye, I see Viktor tilting his head, his movements growing slower. “Why did you tense up?”
My mind races to think of an acceptable lie. My tongue darts out to wet my lips. “Ah… I’m just tired.”
I can feel his eyes burning on me. His hand with the loofah stills between my legs, then he orders, “Look at me.”
Destructive emotions spiral into my chest as I shake my head.
“Hey, talk to me,” his tone is too gentle for me to handle right now.
Not caring about my right arm, I climb to my feet and scramble out of the bath. Sharp pains shoot through my arm, and I bite my bottom lip to suppress the groan.
Grabbing a towel, I wrap it around me and leave a trail of wet footprints all the way to the walk-in closet.
“Rosalie,” Viktor snaps, his voice filled with brutality and tension. “What the fuck happened while you were with the Cosa Nostra?”
I do a poor job of drying my body, and when I try to step into my underwear, I fall to my side. Before my right arm can slam into a set of drawers, Viktor grabs hold of me, yanking me back onto my feet. He forces me to turn to him, then pins me with a stare that’s filled with rage.
“What the fuck happened?”
My voice is shaky as I say, “I already told you.”
The expression on his face darkens until he looks like death itself. “You’re lying to me.”
Pulling free from his hands, I step back. I close my eyes and whisper, “You’re scaring me.”
I hear him suck in a couple of deep breaths, then he gently pulls me to his chest. There’s so much worry in his voice when he says, “Please tell me.”
The humiliation is too fresh, and I don’t know how Viktor will react. He’s no longer the only man who’s touched me.
“I’m just tired,” I groan. “Let me get dressed so I can sleep. Please.”
He lets out a deep sigh, then grabs my underwear and crouches by my feet. “Left leg.” I place my trembling hand on his shoulder and step into the panties.
While Viktor dresses me, exhaustion sinks into my bones. Everything inside me feels black and blue, and with every passing minute, the trauma sinks its claws into me.
While I had to fight for my life, there was no time to process anything, but now that I’m safe, it’s all flooding me like a tsunami, hell-bent on drowning me.
When I’m dressed, Viktor frames my face and leans down to capture my eyes. “We’ll talk once you’ve had some sleep.”
I nod, thankful that he won’t push the subject right now.
He presses a kiss to my forehead. “Get in bed, moya Malen’kaya Roza. I’m just going to shower, then I’ll join you.”
He tugs me to the bed and throws the covers back. When I lie down, he gently tucks me in and presses another kiss to my temple.
“Night,” I whisper.
“G’night, baby.”
I quickly close my eyes, the term of endearment threatening to make the tears come.
I listen as Viktor moves around the room and the water running in the shower. When he comes out of the bathroom, the bed dips under his weight. He pushes an arm beneath my head and pulls me back until I’m cradled against his body.
I keep my eyes tightly shut and my breaths as even as possible, hoping he’ll think I’m already asleep.
“Ya lyublyu tebya, moya Malen’kaya Roza,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my hair.
I think I know what the words mean and focus on how safe they make me feel.
No one can hurt you anymore.
You’re safe in Viktor’s arms.
Walking through a field, I’m surrounded by giant buildings that reach into the clouds.
Suddenly a tornado warning fills the air, the sound sending a wave of alarm through me. Shadows start to form from the clouds, then they take the shape of the five heads of the Cosa Nostra.
“Die,” Mr. Messina hisses.
“Die,” Mr. Amato echoes him.
The tornado warning grows louder, and I frantically glance around for a place to take shelter. A door opens in one of the buildings, and I run to it. When I dart inside, lights flicker on, showing a great hall. There’s a stage where my grandfather, father, and uncle are seated.
Uncle Ricco’s eyes rove over me. “She’ll go for a good price.”
“No!” I cry, my heart splintering into a million pieces. “Why did you do this to me?”
“I’ll pay ten million,” Mr. Greco’s voice booms through the hall.
I open my mouth to scream, but nothing comes out.
“She’s a child, only seventeen,” my grandfather roars.
“Nonno,” I sob. “Help me.”
“She has to pay our debt,” my father demands.
Mr. Greco’s fist comes flying at me, then I’m grabbed by Alessandro. I start to fight with all my strength, screaming and sobbing for them to let me go.
Shooting upright, arms lock around me. My body is inundated with panic and fear, and I slap at a solid chest as I struggle to get free.
“Rosalie!” Viktor’s voice yanks me back to reality so fast that my body jerks.
Desperately, I gasp for air as the remnants of the nightmare shudder through me.
Another gasp, then I crumble like a house of cards.
“Christ,” Viktor snaps harshly. His arms tighten around me, and he engulfs me. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
Broken cries spill from me, my tears falling between my cheek and his chest.
It felt so real.
“Viktor,” I whimper, unable to carry the trauma by myself.
My family were sex traffickers. Because of them, I’ve been through hell. I’ve been beaten and violated, and I can’t handle it.
“I’m here, baby. Talk to me.”
In the safety of his arms, I force my humiliation over my lips, “T-the one g-guard t-t-touched me.”
There’s a dangerous tone to Viktor’s voice as he asks, “What do you mean he touched you?”
I hunch my shoulders and cower against his solid chest, then whisper, “Between my legs.”
The air shifts as Viktor tenses, then it starts to feel as if every particle in the room is vibrating from the rage coming off him.
“Which guard?” he grits the words out through clenched teeth.
I shake my head. “You already killed him.”
“Blyadʹ,” he curses.
I swallow hard and attempt to squash the emotions deep down, but I can’t, and they spill from me in the form of sobs.
“Shh…” He presses a kiss to my temple. “I’m so fucking sorry I didn’t get to you sooner.”
My voice is broken and hoarse as I whisper, “I’m sorry you’re not the only man who’s touched me.”
“Jesus, Rosalie. Don’t fucking apologize, baby.” He pushes me back and frames my face. Leaning down, he locks eyes with me. “None of this was your fault. Do you understand me?”
I nod in his hold, tears still spilling down my cheeks. My voice is small as I ask, “You’re not disgusted with me?”
It looks like he’s in physical pain, his eyebrows drawing together. “Why would you think that?”
“B-because…” I shake my head and try to pull away.
Viktor tightens his hold on me. “Why?”
I lower my eyes to his chest. “I’m disgusted with myself.” Intense shame threatens to overpower me. “And I’m disgusted with my family.”
Although rage still burns in his eyes, his features soften. “Moya Malen’kaya Roza, you’re not your family. What they did bears no reflection on you.” His gaze bores into mine. “And what that fucker did to you…” He has to take a calming breath, a shudder raking through his body, “Jesus, I wish I didn’t give him such a quick death. If I had known, he’d be choking on his fucking dick.”
God.
Viktor’s thumbs brush over my cheeks, and the longer he stares at me, the softer his gaze becomes until I see the love in his eyes.
“As for me, yes, I’m angry as fuck, but not at you.” He shakes his head. “I can never be disgusted with you, moya Malen’kaya Roza. If you knew…” The corner of his mouth lifts slightly, “I love you, Rosalie. I love every-fucking-thing about you. How petite you are. How gentle and pure your nature is. How fucking exquisite every inch of you is.” He leans closer, pressing his forehead to mine. “I love you so fucking fiercely and will never let you go. It’s you and me for life.”
My eyebrows draw together, and my face crumbles as my love for him grows so much it feels like it will burst from me. With a sob sputtering from me, I say, “I’m so glad you kidnapped me.”
Viktor lets out a chuckle. “There’s something I never thought I’d hear.”
A tear spirals down my cheek, which he captures on his thumb. When he licks it off, it looks freaking hot and no longer sinister.
“Why do you do that?”
The corner of his mouth lifts. “Because I want to possess every part of you, moya Malen’kaya Roza. Even your tears.”
Holy shit.
I feel his breaths on my lips as I whisper, “Do you want to hear the truth?”
He nods, his eyes locked on mine. “No more lies.”
With my entire heart, I say, “I love you, Viktor.”
