Pushing those thoughts from my mind, I looked at Hubert as he put the cell phone to his ear. I step back and take a deep breath.
Am Ia prisoner? Are they still planning to kill me?
I don’t listen to Hubert as he talks to who I assume is my husband. I’m still in shock that I can’t just leave when I want to.
I am a prisoner.
I thought about the cell phone Rage had tried to give to me and what Iconfessed to Ivan. Should I have kept it? Would it have been able to grant me my freedom?”We can go,” Hubert said.
I ignore him, but follow as he takes the lead. Hubert isn’t my bodyguard. He’s my prison guard. We step onto the elevator, and I watch himclick the bottom button to take us to the underground parking lot. I go through the motions as he opens the car door and sits in the back. I take a seat, and put the seat belt on before he’s even gotten behind the wheel. He doesn’t ask where I want to go, but within seconds, we’re out of the building and joining the many cars congesting the roads. Neither of us talks as he navigates the traffic.
I’m a prisoner.
For seven days I’d been locked up in the penthouse apartment, waiting for Ive to return home. Each night, he wanted me ready at seven, and we went to different restaurants each evening. My favorite so far had been the Mexican one. I loved the food, the spice, the sensuous atmosphere. Ive never showed a preference. Each night, he ordered our food. He’d change the drinks from wine or beer to whiskey and water. Some nights he didn’t drink the whiskey. I had to wonder if it was a bad day at the office when he did.
Stuff had to be happening. He was part of the Volkov Bratva. You don’t get ignored all your life without hearing bad stuff about a lot of people.
He climbed out of the car and opened my door for me. I stepped out beside him, aware of his hand going toward his waist. He had a gun there. I’d seen it a few times, but then I knew what I was looking for.
Picking up the menu, I saw there were mostly breakfast items. I wasn’t on a diet, so I was going to order hash browns, bacon, mushrooms, and a few grilled tomatoes. It was a breakfast I couldn’t wait to enjoy.
Hubert tookmy order and approached the counter. Sitting back in my chair, he returned with a couple of cups of coffee. He placed one in front of me, and took a seat opposite. This was new. Hubert didn’t do anything with me. He rarely spoke to me, even back at the country home. I think he tolerated me.
“Yes.”
“If I tried to run away, would you stop me?”
Hubert frowned and nodded.
“Have you been toldto kill me if I approach a police officer?”
“I cannot kill you.”
“Would that be Ive’s job?” I asked.
Hubert’s frown deepened.
If I wasn’t so hungry, I’d demand he take me back to the penthouse suite, or better yet, back to the country house where I could pretend to be free. I felt tears fill my eyes, and I quickly glanced down at the table. I felt anger. No, I felt rage. The rings on my finger were nothing but a joke.
The waitress Hubert had spoken to brought us our food. I was about to tell her to takeit back, but the scent of the hash browns and bacon was too good. I wouldn’t eat it all, I promised myself. Fifteen minutes later, the breakfast was finished, and I did eat bread and butter. I was that hungry. However, my rage hadn’t dissipated.
“Take me to Ive,” I said to Hubert. “Crap, how do I pay?” I had no money.”It’s already paid for. This is owned by Mr. Yahontov.”
“Of course it is. Well, my order still stands. Take me to him.” That felt so stupid to say, ordering my prison guard to take me to my captor. The one I’m freaking married to.
I shouldn’t bepissed off, but I am. No, not just pissed off, I’m angry and upset. This time I don’t wait for Hubert to open the car door, I do that all by myself, because I am capable.
Sitting in the back seat, I watch as Hubert sits behind the wheel.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked.
“Take me to my husband.” I don’t care where he is, but I need to talk to him. No, that’s wrong. I need to yell at him.
I didn’t know how long the journey took, but we arrived at some kind of casino. My anger had subsided, but I was still annoyed, only now it was mixed with sickness.
Hubertparked the car around the back, and before he’d even put on the hand brake, I climbed out and headed toward the entrance. Hubert caught up with me and placed a hand at the base of my back.
“Mrs. Yahontov, youmust be careful.”
“My name’s Charlotte, or Lottie. Either of those will do just fine.” I didn’t feel like a Yahontov. I wasn’t a wife. A wife didn’t have to ask permission to go anywhere. They were not prisoners.
I notice Hubert tried to shield me as we stepped into the main casino, and he moved me toward the elevator.
“I’m not a child. You don’t have to hide the dangerous gambling from me.” I felt like a damn child with the way he treated me.
I was a full-grown woman. Okay, I was eighteen, and I knew that to many that made me a child, but I had never felt like a child. I’d never had childish experiences. Growing up afraid of making silly noises or attracting too much attention would do that to you, and that’s exactly what happened to me.
Again, I pushed those thoughts aside as Hubert clicked the button and the elevator moved up. I saw the lights change as we traveled toward the top floor. What was it about my husband and being at the top floor of everything? Was it a status thing? It was a good thing I wasn’t afraid of heights. Steppingfrom the elevator, we passed several more guards, none of which I recognized. Then Hubert knocked on the door, and I heard Ive’s request for us to enter. The moment we entered Ive’s office, Hubert stepped out of my way, and I looked at my husband. He was sitting behind his desk, and he looked in complete control. He also didn’t look surprised to see us. Hubert had told him I was coming.
“Leave us,” Ive said.