Page 26 of The Bratva's Virgin

“Do I need to force you to speak?”

I flinched. “Uh, no...no, you don’t have to. It’s just, um, I was thinking, since I’m obviously going to be here for a while, I would like to have some books?”

He stayed quiet, and I had the sudden urge to flee and never look back.

“I don’t...” I stuttered, nervous. “I don’t think you’ve ever been kidnapped before but, as a current hostage, let me tell you: it gets pretty boring sitting in a room and gazing out the window like some locked-up princess in a tower.”

The sound of my voice made me cringe.

Whaton earth was I doing requesting books from a man that set ourfreakinghouse on fire?

He eyed me, and just the heat of his gaze had my breath hitching and my heart racing at the same time.

“So, you want me to send youbooks,” he paused, saying each word with deep concentration like he was tasting each letter before uttering it. The sight of his thick furrowed brows and pursed lips was...hot.

“To your room?”

My head bobbed up and down. “Yes,” I croaked out.

“Okay.” My eyes grew big. He agreed. “Give a list to Arseni. And next time, have Sarah deliver your message herself.”

I released a breath I didn’t even know I held. I was surprised he even listened through my rambling. “Thank you.”

A second passed.

He looked up. “Why the fuck are you still here then?”

“Uh, the décor?” my throat tightened. “You have a lovely room.”

That had to be the moststupidthing a person could say to a man like him.

His eyes lit up. Irritation. Anger. “You have three seconds to tell me why you...”

I hated it when he did countdowns. It was like tossing me in a straitjacket and forcing me to bend to his will.

“Three, two...”

“My father.” I blurted.

I was not sure where the boldness came from, but my toes curled on the soft carpet as I approached him. I stopped, standing a few inches away, but positioned between his legs.

“I need to know…” because I really needed to know. The silence ate me from the inside out. “Has he reached out? What’s his reaction? Will he send you the money?”

Silence.

He took his eyes off me and busied himself with the straps of the silver Rolex on his wrist. One second ticked by.

“Um, hello...” I tilted my head to the side, hoping to get his attention. “Alexei?”

As his name crossed my lips, he gave me a distant stare, then, … Silence.

It was my turn to count down.

Three.

Two.

One.