My heels dig into the unforgiving wall behind me, and I’m not sure if it’s sweat or blood that’s making them sticky.
“Leave me alone, you asshole. What do you want from me?” I scream, but I know he can’t hear me. It’s all in my head. They’ve drugged me.
He takes a step forward. Anger, rage, and wickedness morphing his ugly, wrinkly face. As soon as he’s inches away from me, his lips quirk up in a devilish smile. He grips the nape of my neck and brings his face closer to mine. He smells of cigars, money and corruption. I wince and shut my eyes as tears begin to fill them. I hate him just as much as I hate everything that’s happening to me right now.
He breathes heavily, and I can feel the heat caused by his anger radiating from his body.
“It’s been a while, little one. Did you miss your uncle?”
I open my eyes slowly and find him studying me. It feels weird to stand before the man who destroyed me and made my life a miserable hell. To think I used to love him as a kid causes bile to rise up my throat. He didn’t change much physically, besides growing a couple more white hairs on the top of his head. But the fire in his eyes blazes stronger now. He’s soulless and pitiful. He has nothing to lose, and he certainly won’t give up until he destroys that last sparkle of hope that flickers somewhere deep inside of me.
“I will end you, but not before I make you drop to the ground on your knees, kiss my feet, and beg for my mercy.” He hisses through clenched teeth right before he disappears and the ghosts of my affliction take over again, hurling me back into oblivion as the darkness expands and the soothing voice of Maksim echoes in the darkest corners of my mind.
“Elena? Where are you?”
Maksim
Three mornings ago, she disappeared. No sign of her yet. I’ve been waiting impatiently for the phone to ring. Maybe Leonardo would want something from me in exchange for her in return. But I’m stupid to think he will reach out to me after our long, bad history. He’s after blood just as much as I am.
My head pounds with a strong headache, and despite not having any food in my system, my adrenalin is way too high for me to feel weak. I open the fourth file in the drive that Daniel gave me the day she disappeared. I’ve been studying this drive for the past few days and dedicating my nights to going out and searching for her. Just like a vampire who cannot stand the light.
A knock comes at the door, followed by Aleksandr holding a plate of food in one hand and a can of Pepsi in the other. He walks toward me and places the plate and the can in front of me.
“You need to eat. You can’t go on like this forever.” He says, pushing the plate closer to me.
I sigh deeply and lean back in my chair.
“You need your strength if you want to find her. When was the last time you ate?”
“I’m not hungry.” I blurt out.
He takes a seat across from my desk and rubs his forehead with his hand. I know he’s running out of patience with me. I’ve been nothing but a mess ever since they took her away from me.
Aleksandr and I came to this cabin that I own the same day she disappeared. I needed to be far away from my house and the toxic environment that I live in because that’s what got me into this mess in the first place. The cabin is located in the mountains and was originally owned by my grandfather, who passed it along to my father, and now it’s mine. It was the only place that both of them used to come to in order to hide from their responsibilities and to have a taste of peace and freedom – something that the nature of their jobs didn’t allow them.
“Anything interesting in that drive?” asks Aleksandr.
“Just stupid documents and agreements so far.”
“You should have given it to one of the guys why go through shit tons of files by yourself?”
“I don’t trust a fucking soul with this shit. As long as he has her, my soul will not rest until I have her back.”
I get up and walk over to the window. I stare through the glass at the trees and the view that I once considered therapy to my soul. Now all I see is nothingness. A deserted, haunted place. A world in which I feel so fucking small and unworthy. I swallow the lump in my throat and force myself to enjoy the emptiness and the dejection that I feel on the inside. Simply because I deserve it. I didn’t protect her like I had promised. I failed miserably, and to be going through this hardship is a light sentence given to an ignorant brute like me.
“Where do you think he’s keeping her?” asks Aleksandr.
I turn around slowly and face him.
“Elena mentioned something about a tunnel. I have to find it. I don’t think he took her outside of the country.”
“Right. Mikhail is taking care of figuring out where Elena’s family originally lived.”
He rises from his seat and continues. “I just find it odd that there’s absolutely nothing about her past. Or, more specifically, there’s nothing about her life before Leonardo took custody of her.”
“And that’s what I’m trying to figure out. Even the drive that Daniel gave me doesn’t mention anything about her parent's address. It’s driving me fucking insane to not know anything about her or what they must be doing to her as we speak.”
A pang of anger mixed with dejection hits me. I ball my fists so hard my nails dig into my flesh, and my knuckles turn white. A pulse starts kicking somewhere in the back of my neck, making me wanna break, torture and crush Leonardo and his empire with my bare hands.
I walk back to my desk and start going through the drive again. I blink my eyes a couple of times to ease the tiredness that’s starting to consume them and continue looking.
“You need sleep. When was the last time you slept? Or at least maybe try to take a nap.”
I shoot daggers at Aleksandr, and he doesn’t say another word but exists the room quietly. I don’t need sleep. I need Elena. This time, I’m not hiding behind my security men and letting them do the job. I’m done protecting my damn self. I’m the one that’s gonna look for her. I’m gonna bring her home safe and sound and I will eliminate everything about her uncle from her brain. I will make sure she’s safe and I will never allow danger around her again.
Hot tears burn the back of my throat, and they threaten to come out. I frown and struggle to hold them there stubbornly as my body starts shaking and every sinew in it tightens.
Without my permission, the tears flow and pour down my cheeks uncontrollably. I haven’t cried like this ever since my father died. I wipe the tears away with my sleeves and run my fingers through my tangled hair.
I get up and head over to the shower. I strip off my clothes and get underneath the shower head. Hoping the water would ease some of the pain that’s eating me up and ripping me to shreds.
I lean my forehead against the cold wall before me and allow the memory to consume my thoughts. My father’s voice rings out in the corners of my head.
“Men like us, son, are not to have wives or girlfriends that we love. We cannot live that normal life.”
He sucks on his cigar and blows out the smoke slowly. I watch attentively as the smoke steams into the air.
“Because once your enemy knows about your weakness, they will use them as targets. And once you lose the woman you love the most, you become ruthless and soulless just like a beast.”
I wince at the words as they feel like a sharp knife to my swollen heart. Now I know what he meant. Back then, I didn’t understand what kind of message he was trying to convey. I was young and I remember thinking about his words deeply that night when sleep wouldn’t come knocking at my door, and the only thing I was able to come out with is that somebody must have hurt my mother because they found out she was my father’s weakness.
My father loved her so much, and he did everything in his power to protect her and me from harm. He had a lot of enemies and included himself in a lot of shady businesses with many powerful men who knew nothing about mercy. I was able to link his words to my mother’s sudden death.
That night, everything in me changed.
Elena
“Hold my hand, and don’t you dare let go.” Says Mommy as she grips my hand and guides me through the crowd and into the washroom. She picks me up and places me on top of the counter. She runs her tender fingers through the water and starts cleaning the chocolate off my face.
“Enough chocolate cake for the day.”
I nod my approval and realize that her eyes are red as if she’s been crying. I place my small hand on her warm cheek and feel a pang of sadness hitting me when she closes her eyes, and a tear rolls down her temple.
“What is it, Mommy? You don’t like the party?” I ask.
She manages to chuckle and shakes her head slowly. She opens her eyes and places a soft kiss on my forehead.
“It’s nothing darling, I love the party.”
She searches her small purse and pulls out her bright red lipstick. A small spark of happiness fills me from within as I’m about to watch her apply it. I love watching Mama put makeup on. I wanna be like her when I get older. She doesn’t know that sometimes I go inside her bedroom and play around with her makeup. I even like to wear her clothes and her high-heel shoes.
She purses her lips once she finishes applying the lipstick and stares at herself in the mirror for a moment. A flash of dejection crosses her lovely face. I’m about to ask her if she’s okay when the door swings open savagely, making both me and Mommy flinch.
My uncle walks in. His nostrils flare as soon as our eyes meet. He is tall, and he has hazel eyes that look exactly like mine. He slides his hands in his pockets and leans against the wall. Mommy’s breath comes in frantic pants and her eyes widen with fear. I frown at the intrusion and realize that Uncle is in the ladies' washroom. He’s not supposed to be here.
“Uncle. This is the ladies' washroom. You cannot be in here.” I say playfully and wait for him to walk over to me and stroke my hair gently like he always does. Except for this time, he doesn’t. His annoyance flares as seconds go by and his piercing eyes don’t leave my mother.
Her hands grip my forearm, and she shakes her head as she stares at him, frightened.
“Leonardo. Please not here.” She begs softly.
“I have men standing in each corner outside this washroom. Nobody’s coming in. Get the kid out of here.” He says sternly.
“Please...”
He takes a few steps toward us and stops only when he’s standing right in front of my mother. She lifts her head up to look at him, and I watch as his gaze drifts to her lips. Strong fire blazes in his eyes, making the air tense around us.
Another tear rolls down my mother’s cheek. He drags his thumb across her cheek, wiping the tear away.
“Mommy...”
“Go and wait outside, sweetheart. Mommy and I have some stuff to go over.” Says my uncle without even sparing me a glance. His eyes are still pinned on Mommy.
Suddenly, a rush of hot blood runs through my veins at what he’s doing to her. She’s not happy, and I know it’s because of him.
I cross my arms over my chest and scowl at him. “No. I want Mommy to come with me.”
He sighs deeply and turns his attention to me. He half-smiles before drifting his gaze to my mother.
“Stubborn. Just like her uncle.” He says with a dangerously calm voice and starts laughing when my mother’s eyes grow two sizes bigger, and her cheeks turn a shade of pink.
She lifts me off the counter and places me back on the floor. She tugs a lock of hair behind my ear and smiles warmly at me. Her eyes are watery, and her hands are cold and shaky. “Can you wait outside sweetie? Uncle and I just want to talk about boring adult stuff.”
“I want you to come with me, Mommy.” I say, pouting.
“I won’t be long, I promise you, sweetheart. Then we can go feed the birds at the lake. Didn’t you tell me you wanted to get out of this boring, adult party? We can do that right after.”
I nod my head frantically and grin widely. She leans forward and places a soft kiss on my cheek. I hug her neck tightly and feel sparkles of happiness bloom inside of me. I cannot wait to feed the birds. I love Mama so much.
Without saying another word, I run out the door and wait for her in the hallway. Loud music fills the atmosphere in the other room where the event is taking place. I look at the two security men standing by the washroom door and scowl at one of them when his eyes land on mine. I stick my tongue out and make a face at him. He chuckles softly and remains standing still like a statue. I don’t like Uncle anymore. He always hurts Mama, and I’m tired of it.
Frigid water pours down on my face. I open my eyes widely and gasp for air. It feels like ten knives have sliced through my skin. I take a moment to assess my surroundings. My body is shaking, and my head is pounding with a headache that causes me to suffer from unbearable pain. Two tall men tower over me. One of them is smoking a stinky cigarette and the other one is holding an empty bucket in his hands.
“Good morning.” The man holding the bucket says. “We brought you breakfast.”
He throws a sandwich at me, and it lands on my lap. With shaky hands, I rip the aluminum wrap off and take a bite. I eat savagely and with such a rush as they stand still, laughing at me and enjoying their sight. I haven’t eaten in days. And sometimes I feel Maksim’s hand on me. Sometimes I hear my mother’s voice. And my mind cannot seem to focus on anything anymore. My thoughts are all jumbled up in my head. I can’t seem to focus on one thing before something else comes and distracts me.
I take the last bite off my sandwich, and right before I ask if I could have another one, a firm hand yanks me by my forearm. I rise to my feet. My body is limp, and my eyes are hazy.
“Elena? Where are you?”
“I’m right here, Maksim. Please come and find me.”
I respond to his soothing voice. My voice is loud and clear in my head, but my jaw is still tense and unmoving.
“You need to take a shower, slut. You stink.” One of the men says as the other one unlocks the cell.
They drag me down an empty hallway to a room all the way at the end.
“Strip.” One of the men orders.
Obediently, I struggle to take off my clothes. Once I’m fully naked, I bring my arms to my chest and cover my nakedness.
No warning is given to me before they splash water on me from a distance. They throw a soaked sponge at me, and I pick it up off the floor and begin to scrub myself. Especially my arms because that’s where the insects always crawl.
“Elena? Where are you?”
“That’s enough.” One of the men orders.
I stop in my tracks, shivering as he wraps a towel over my body.
“Should we give her more?” The other man asks.
“No. She looks fucked up already. We should give her some time, so the drugs work their magic. Don’t worry. She will be begging for more once they wear off.”
The man grips my forearm and pulls me toward him. I follow silently and submissively. They lead me back into my cell and dress me up in leggings and a white shirt. The clothes smell fresh and better than the dirty dress I was wearing. I don’t know how many times I peed myself in the past few days, but I was due for a shower.
The man who was holding a cigarette in his hand earlier leans in closer until his lips are inches away from mine. His tongue comes out to lick his bottom lip.
A stupid grin plays at his lips as he whispers in my ear. “I think you’re ready for your first mission.”
Elena
“Just hold on tight, baby. I’m coming.”
I see Maksim’s face light up in the darkness. He is dressed in one of his neat, tailored suits. He looks as usual – tall, handsome, and powerful. He smiles softly at me and my heart feels light at the common sensation of peace and safety that I have missed so much.
“I’m waiting for you,” I tell him before he disappears into the darkness.
“Giver her another four hours at least before giving her more.”
I follow the voice and turn to my right.
The darkness starts fading slowly until I’m able to see my uncle’s face. I subconsciously take a step back.
“L – let – me – go.”
My eyes grow two sizes bigger when I realize that the words are finally coming out of my mouth. I move my jaw up and down and left to right. I’m finally able to move it.
My uncle smirks mischievously at the realization. He quirks an eyebrow up and says, “There, there. Look who can finally speak.”
He takes a step forward and runs his fingers through my hair. When he reaches my shoulder, he frowns.
“Why did you cut your hair?”
I push his hand away from my shoulder and take a step back. I come across a hard, strong chest. I look behind me and find one of the security guards glaring down at me. He’s as tall and built like a wrestler.
“You look a lot like your mother.”
I turn around and look deeply into my uncle’s eyes. Fury rises within me at the mention of my mother. How dare he mention her?
“Don’t men – mention my – mother.”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “Come with me. I have a lot of things to show you.”
He walks ahead of me and opens a big, black door that leads into a dark hallway with no end. My gut rages with fear as I walk behind my uncle, knowing that I can’t escape. One man ahead of me and two behind me. Insects begin to crawl down my legs this time, and as much as I want to scratch my skin, I ignore it. My body’s starting to crave whatever drugs they’ve been feeding me for the past few days.
We reach a dark cell where a woman is lying naked on the ground. Her hair is tangled and spread all over the dirty ground. A gasp escapes my lips, and tears instantly fill my eyes.
I run toward the jail cell and curl my fingers around its bars. I begin to pull and push but to no avail. Tears stream down my cheeks like a waterfall.
“Open!” I scream at the top of my lungs. But I’m not sure if it’s as loud as I hear it in my own head.
His To Keep: Beasts In The Dark (Book 2) Page 3
