by S F Draven
I woke yet again to the dark, cold room. The air was much more moist than I was used to, finding it hard to breathe as I desperately attempted to adjust to my surroundings. The sweat left my hair matted to my forehead, as I struggled to push past the pain that I felt in my muscles, and move toward the little iron window at the other end of the room. I knew that I’d never be able to reach it, but to see a small stream of light peeking through would help tide me over until someone decided what to do with me. I could feel the blood crusted between my fingers as I wiped the sweat from the top of my lips, sitting back and remembering that I only had myself to blame for all of this.
If you would’ve just stuck to what you were here to work on, you would’ve been back home in the city in just a few days. Now, there’s a great chance that no one’s ever going to find out what happened to you, and that’s the saddest truth of all. It was my job to bring stories like this to light, to showcase the greater good whenever we learned of cases like this, but I never thought that I’d ever be the subject of one.
I knew that the publication I’d been working for had moved into more mainstream media in order to stay relevant, but that didn’t take away my need for a more substantial livelihood. I always told myself that I would eventually leave that place the moment I had a better offer to finally do what I loved. I couldn’t deny that the job opened up a lot of doors for me that I wouldn’t have been able to reach on my own, but I always knew that I wanted to do more. It broke my heart once I truly realized that I would never get that opportunity again, as I’d put myself in a situation where it was hopelessly snatched from my hands, dangling in front of me even though I’d never be able to reach it.
I wasn’t as scared now as I was angry. I was angry that I was dealing with a man who was so beside himself that he couldn’t see how much of a monster he was. It was people like him who made ordinary individuals afraid to walk the streets or ask a stranger for help. There was something utterly intriguing about the way he conducted himself, the connections he’d made with people all over the world, and how they all had no idea about his extracurricular activities. It was either that or they were too afraid to overstep, worried that they wouldn’t be able to fight him off if he ever challenged one of them. I spent a lot of time covering the elite, especially Manhattan’s elite, and I knew that someone like Roman Carlyle may have acted as though he’d be interested in that sort of thing, but it would eventually send him running.
All of these actors and actresses play these daunting roles, thinking and some honestly believing that they’d know what to do if ever faced with a situation like this, but I know for a fact they wouldn’t. I’ve studied everything there is to know about situations like this, hearing wonderful stories about how people manage to make it out alive, but it all comes down to chance. It’s a game played with time, and time is the one thing I don’t have on my side. Every minute felt like an hour, and I truly didn’t know how fast or slow time was moving. All I knew was that my hunger and thirst was beginning to take a toll on my body, and I was starting to let my body’s weakness overshadow just how determined I promised myself I would be. I didn’t want Dominik to waltz back in here and find me passed out, only to leave me to rot with no attempt at trying to survive this at all.
From all that I’d learned about him thus far, he seemed to be a much more complex man than his companions may have given him credit for. He truly believed that he’d built a revolutionary business which only he could run. Even I saw just how fragile his business was, and if he couldn’t so much as kill me to tie up the loose end of having a story put out about him, he may have been much more fragile than even I had thought. I could feel my throat begin to dry out just as I heard some rustling coming from behind the large iron door. I scooted to the very corner of the room, my heart pounding loudly in my chest, worried that this was the end of the line for me.
I heard the clunky sound of a plate knocking up against a glass, and when my eyes finally adjusted to the light, I noticed that there was a man standing over me, placing what appeared to be a tray at my feet.
“The boss doesn’t want you dead yet, so he’s requested to keep you fed until he decides what to do with you,” said the man, whose voice I instantly recognized.
He made his way over to just outside of the doorframe, where he reached around to fumble for the light switch. I looked up above him at the single lightbulb that was providing my eyes a bit of comfort, as I made out his undeniably familiar features.
“You know, I truly believed that lunch we shared together was going to be your last, but the boss seems to have other plans for you,” said Alexei, bending down to see just how fucked up I must’ve appeared to be. He placed his hand on my cheek, squeezing at my jaw so I’d look him directly in the eyes. He wanted me to fear him, but I knew those tactics weren’t the kind that were going to work on me.
“What do you want me to say, Alexei? Do you want me to apologize for being interested in your boss’s life? Do you want me to say I’m sorry for prying?” I asked, throwing all of that back in his face, upsetting him with every word.
“You better watch your fucking mouth before I kill you myself.”
“Dominik isn’t going to like that very much, but I’ll completely understand. I may even forgive you. What you have to understand, Alexei, is that I dealt with men like you in the better half of my career, when I wasn’t chasing around B-list celebrities. I know how you operate, and if you think that you’re going to instill a healthy level of fear in me, think again. From the moment you locked me in here, I knew that I wasn’t going to be getting out,” I said, and it was the first time I acknowledged that may very well be my future.
Alexei couldn’t say another word, angrily leaving as he slammed the iron door shut, leaving the light on so I could eat. I could tell by his mannerisms that he wasn’t too keen on being at his boss’s beck and call every hour of every day. He was the kind of man to use a job like this as a stepping stone to power for himself, but he was quickly realizing that he’d never receive the same kind of respect while he worked for a man like Dominik. As much as Dominik may have had his own foibles, he still managed to hold his own when need be. He wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, and I could already tell that he wasn’t afraid to act out of character either. I was surprised to find that even after Dominik had me locked up, I still found myself being rather curious as to why he behaved the way he did.
A mind like Dominik’s was one that I’d wanted to study from the very start of my career, and I supposed it was time to live out my fantasy, and at the very least pretend that there was going to be a story that came out of this. I needed to hang onto every detail, learn every characteristic that made Dominik who he was, even if I was never going to have the chance to share that knowledge with the world. As a little girl, I used to carry around a little blue notebook that my mother bought for me for my sixth birthday, running around in the yard pretending to be Nancy Drew. I was always fascinated by the things I couldn’t seem to understand, and I promised myself that I was going to put that little blue book to use someday. I was hunched over the tray of food that Alexei left me, so glad that he wasn’t around to watch, because I dove into that hefty piece of dry bread and soup as though it was the first time I’d ever eaten in my life. I knew I wouldn’t be receiving food often, and I tried to slow myself down and enjoy it as much as possible, but I was absolutely famished.
When the tray was empty, I kicked it away, wishing never to see it until it was full of food again. I sat in the corner of the room, placing my hands on the concrete below me to cool my skin down. It was unbelievably hot, and I would’ve done absolutely anything to have my body completely drenched in water at that point. I crawled over to my corner, sitting there imagining myself sitting at my laptop, as I physically outstretched my hands and pretended to type. If you had the screen in front of you right now, imagine what you’d say, Katerina. I told myself, as I went through all the details of my experiences since I met Dominik Volkov. I
reminded myself that he was a bad man, not simply one who was misunderstood and in need of saving. He was capable of the kinds of evil that most of us would never understand, and here I was, trying to make sense of it myself.
There was something about Dominik that told me his entire life didn’t revolve solely around the money he made, even though that was what he wanted everyone else to believe. He wanted to put himself on such a high pedestal that no one would ever question his authority again. For someone with so much power, he always seems to be so distressed, I thought, wondering why that would be.
I wasn’t quite sure when I had fallen asleep again, but I felt a presence in the room that caused my eyes to finally flutter open. I saw a man standing over me, and I was about to give him a piece of my mind thinking it was Alexei, but I quickly realized that I was mistaken.
“It’s good to see that you’re making such good use of your time in here,” he said, sarcastically.
“Well, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but there really isn’t much else to do in here besides have my eyes shut,” I replied, condescendingly.
“I’m sorry that I can’t be more hospitable to you, Katerina. You really did seem to be a delightful woman, I just have to protect myself and my business first and foremost. Surely, you understand that?”
“What is there to be confused about? You’re constantly manipulating everyone around you, hiding the truth from them all as you take what you believe is rightfully yours. There’s absolutely nothing to question,” I said as he made his way over to the doorway to switch on the light.
It was the first time I really had the chance to get a good look at him. He appeared incredibly exhausted, barely hanging onto his ability to stay awake as he bent down and stared deep into my eyes. I didn’t understand why he even bothered to put me through all of this, and I was very sure that there were other things he could’ve been doing. Although, his fascination with me was intriguing to say the least, and I decided to play right into his hands so I could get to the bottom of what he was trying to do.
“I’m not as bad of a man as you think I am, Katerina.”
“Are you serious? You have me chained up in your basement, Dominik. I’m pretty sure that is the definition of bad. When I first met you, I truly believed that there was an upstanding man somewhere in there, but I see now that you’re nothing but a cowardly man who is desperately trying to hold onto his fortune,”
“There’s a lot about me that you still don’t know, and I’m not even sure it’s worth telling you at this point. Clearly you’ve made up your mind about me,” he said, and the look on his face read genuine hurt, but I couldn’t understand why.
“Let’s cut to the chase, Dominik. Clearly you have it in your head that I can be of some use to you, and that’s the only reason that you’re considering keeping me alive. So, let’s hear it. I’m sure whatever it is, it’ll beat being locked up in here like an animal,” I suggested, wondering if he was going to take the bait.
“I wasn’t sure I would even give you that opportunity, but you have to know that something like this comes with a great deal of ground rules. You act out of line and I will have no choice but to make sure you’re buried in an unmarked grave,” he warned.
“As long as I’ll have access to a bathroom, I’m sure we can meet somewhere in the middle,” I said, watching him decide whether bringing it up was even worth it.
“There is someone that’s been toying with me as of late, and I know that all of the suspicion around me is only causing people to be more afraid. It’s exceptionally bad for business if people think that I’m some sort of thug, and no matter what the truth is, you and I both know it’s only about how we can spin it.”
I nodded at him, waiting for him to continue as I wondered how I could even be of service.
“People spotted us together at the event we both attended, and it would quiet a lot of concerned minds if I had you on my arm. When people start to talk, I’m sure you can run a story that will put everything I need hidden to rest once and for all. Make no mistake, your connection with the outside world and who you were before I took you in is severed. You’re still my prisoner no matter what kind of dress you put on your back or where you sleep, but I can guarantee that the conditions will be much better than this,” he said, and I didn’t even have to think twice about it.
I knew that I wouldn’t ever be given the opportunity to escape if I stayed locked away in his basement, and I had to play along if he was ever going to take me seriously. I had to tell him what he wanted to hear, appear afraid, so I could finally reach the open door I needed to escape this Hell once and for all.
“If it means getting out of this place, I’ll do it,” I said.
“Then so be it, but let me remind you, Katerina Auclair, that we’re now bound together for life. I am not letting you out of my sight. If you try to run, get it through your head that I will find you, and I will kill you myself,” he said, but his words went in one ear and came out the other. He doesn’t have to know what my plans are, nor will he ever find out. Once I see my opening, I’m going to make sure he never finds me again.
“Come to think of it, there is a way that I can be sure that you’re not going to step out on me as we enter into this little agreement,” he said, and I had a feeling I knew what he was about to say. I instantly thought back to the first night we spent together, how much he enjoyed watching me surrender to him, and I knew this time wasn’t going to be any different.
“And what is that?”
“You said that you’d do what you must to get out of this place, correct?” he asked, inching closer to me, as I felt the wet, stickiness of my body begin to heat up.
“Yes,” I said, softly.
“Well, strip,” he instructed, and I hesitated for a moment.
“What?”
“I need to watch you get naked for me, and when you’re done, I’m going to make sure that you’re constantly reminded that you’re under my control now,” he said, and I nodded.
“Don’t worry, Katerina. Your safe word still stands,” he said, and for that I was grateful. I slipped out of my top, wiggling out of my jeans as I unhooked my bra. He stared at me with a fire inside his eyes, focusing at my perky breasts. I slipped my panties off, standing there in front of him naked, growing wetter by the minute at the thought of what he was going to do to me.
“Lay down,” he said, and I obeyed.
He stood over me, with that dominating presence of his that made my insides go wild. I couldn’t believe that I allowed him to have such a hold over me, and I couldn’t quite grasp why I enjoyed it so much. My clothes were hanging off the edge of my bindings, unable to drop to the floor because they were caught on the chains. Dominik undid them for me, tossing my clothes aside as he tied me back up. I thought about what was going to happen if he just left me here like this, if he sent one of his men down to check on me, but the thought of it only made me wetter.
“Spread your legs. Let me see that pussy.”
He ran his fingers along my opening, my mind running wild with all of the possibilities of what he was going to do to me. He laid over me, fully clothed, breathing down my neck as his lips barely touched my skin before he slapped both of my tits. He raised my legs up, taking my ass into his hands as he turned me over on my back, slapping each cheek so hard I knew it had to leave a mark. I could hear him unbuckling his jeans as he lifted my body upright, pulling me into a doggy position so he could take me from behind. As soon as his dick slipped inside of me, I knew I was going to lose my mind. With every thrust came a hard ass-slap to match. I let out a scream, unable to hold it in anymore as he pulled my hair, stretching my neck back into him.
“Shut the fuck up, okay?” He commanded, and I nodded, falling back into my little whimpers, trying not to scream again.
He held my ass, fucking me hard, holding my bound hands behind my back for support as he rammed me with every ounce of energy he had left. It was amazing to feel him rip into me like th
at, and it wasn’t long before I felt his cum fill me up.
“I believe you, Katerina. You really will do anything to get out of here. Alexei will come and help you get dressed, so you’ll be well on your way back up to civilization soon. Just remember what’s going to happen to you if you ever cross me,” he said, and I nodded, clutching my naked body, waiting for the moment I could get out of here.
At that moment, we both stared at each other, and I wondered if what we were about to get ourselves into had been the right move. I knew that my options were limited, but I’d be damned if I let him leave me here for the rest of eternity. I knew that I was going to have to be smart about it, work with him until I’d finally catch sight of my way out.
Chapter Seven: Dominik
She’s absolutely infuriating. For someone that is locked up under my orders, she doesn’t seem to fear me the way she should. It irks me to know that she thinks of me as this chaotic monster whose sole purpose in life is to disrupt those of others. She has no idea what she’s talking about, and the more time we spend together, the more I just want to kill her just like I did those before her. I knew our little arrangements were going to cause problems, but I didn’t think that she’d be so readily willing to follow my terms. I could already tell that she was a headstrong woman, and it was pretty clear that she couldn’t see herself rotting away in my basement. It was something I had to admire about her, because I knew that if I were ever in a similar situation, I’d choose the same option she had.
It was going to be an interesting dynamic to have her work my angles, to spend an inconsiderable amount of time with me until I could decide if she was trustworthy or not. She knew that her life was on the line if she ever acted out, but something told me that she knew very well what she was doing. I don’t think she would’ve taken the deal if she hadn’t. When Alexei finally let her out of her shackles, I honestly thought she would be stupid enough to try to run, but she just stood there waiting for her next direction. I had to say that it made me feel good that she wasn’t trying to betray me so quickly, and I knew that the more time I spent with her, the more I was going to want to understand why she was the way she was. It still boggled my mind that she could come to Moscow with an objective, only to get caught up with the wonderings of what my life was like, and abandon everything she came here to do.
