Page 21 of Savage Little Secret

“Do you believe that or are you just upset that you can’t stand up for yourself against your own family?” I question him, the words bursting out of me before I can stop them.

Dmitri’s face grows stony. “We’re done here. Eat your dinner or don’t. I couldn’t care less anymore.”

“You do care. I know you do!” I tell him as I grab his arm, trying to pull him closer to me.

Dmitri tenses up as our bodies come closer, but he quickly yanks his arm away and grabs another zip tie out of his pocket. “Back. Now.”

A disappointed frown crosses my face. “I know I hurt you, but I’m not your enemy, Dmitri.”

He leans closer, making me forget how to breathe. “Right now, you’re my biggest threat. Go to the headboard. I won’t ask again.”

He’s done with me. That’s it. There’s no care for me in his heart, and I’m a fool for thinking that there was any left after he found out the truth.

So, where does that leave me? His prisoner until he kills me or one of his men does it for him? I’m not stupid enough to believe that my father will do something drastic to save me, unless that can somehow work in his favor.

I’m all alone.

Lowering my eyes, I crawl back toward the headboard, letting him zip tie my other wrist to one of the bars without putting up a fight. I guess there may be one other option, but the odds aren’t great.

I could try to escape. I could try to run away from everyone and disappear forever. That has to be better than death or rotting away somewhere, right?

Dmitri cuts the light. Then the door shuts.

I drop my head as I feel more tears come, but I’m so exhausted and drained that I can’t even sob. I just let the tears tumble from my eyes and hit the pillows, my energy steadily leaving my body until the darkness consumes me.

8

Dmitri

When the vor v zakone call you before the Council, the men who don’t travel unless blood is on the table, you know you’re in deep shit.

I step out of the SUV as my driver drops me off in front of one of the office buildings in the city, the unrelenting Vegas sun beating down on me as I cross the sidewalk.

There’s nothing else for me to do. Not with the Council waiting for me.

I thought that I would be able to handle this mess myself, but it looks like the other Bratva families don’t have the same faith in me. I should’ve known that rumors would spread like wildfire about what happened.

This won’t be a pleasant meeting.

I walk through the lobby, passing by businessmen and women as they go on about their day, completely oblivious to the hell that I’m about to endure. I take the elevator up to the top floor, the sound of my pulse thundering in my head as I get closer.

It feels like I’ve been caught in a nightmare, but I can’t wake up. It doesn’t matter how many times I pinch myself or try to break free. This is my fate.

I step out of the elevator and walk to the conference room. I can already hear low murmuring inside, and I have to fight the urge to walk away and not look back. They won’t shoot me in a conference room.

Outside it? Anything is possible.

The Council members always behave with the utmost respect and decorum while in public. It’s in the shadows of the night, when you’re alone in an alley, where you better watch your back.

After taking a deep breath, I head into the room, my eyes falling on the long conference table full of members. The heads of various Bratva families spread across the country. Those holding the most power and influence make up the Council.

I nod once and take a seat like I’m not walking into a sentencing.

The Bratva aren’t afraid to punish their own if someone goes against the Council. No one wants to be on their collective shit list.

A boss has to receive a unanimous vote from the others to even sit at the table. Together, they’re stronger than any Pakhan, which is why they’re the ones who get to choose who leads the Bratva families’ territories with a majority vote. As far as I know, nobody has met that requirement yet for Vegas.

And I doubt I’m here today because the vote finally went my way.