“You should watch it around these men. Before one of them tries hurting you.”
I try to keep my expression neutral, but his words shock me. “Why would they try to hurt me?”
He shakes his head with a small smile. “You’re naive. But if you want to survive in this world, don’t make the men angry.”
I stand up straighter. “I’ll get as angry as I want.”
“Then you won’t like the consequences.”
“Is that a threat?”
“No. It’s a warning. Be careful. Some of these men have anger issues. I’d hate to see a pretty face go to waste.” With those words, he walks away.
I look after him, my mouth gaping open. I turn to the closest man next to me. “Who’s he? That man?” I point after him.
“That’s Aleksander.”
Aleksander. Who does he think he is that he can speak to me that way? I bet he’s just a worker bee to Mikhail. Not worth my time.
Though, I find myself sneaking another glance at him before I look away.
The man next to me eyes me up and down. “What to get out of here?”
I gasp and hurry away. These men. I could slap them.
I just need to find Mila and get out of this penthouse.
SOFIYA
Mikhail is practically ignoring me as he speaks to his men in Russian. I thought this party was supposed to be a celebration of our marriage, but Mikhail is treating it more like a business meeting.
“I’m going to get a drink,” I tell him, nodding toward the kitchen.
He nods, barely glancing at me.
I sigh and walk off. Mary is in the kitchen when I enter, busy making enough food to feed all these people. “It’s crowded out there,” I say, leaning on the counter.
“So? You shouldn’t be in here. I’m cooking. You’ll get in my way.” She shoos me away.
“Can’t I stay in here? I mean, I’m married to Mikhail. Don’t I have free rein of the house?”
Mary stares at me for a moment before she starts laughing hysterically. I cross my arms. “You are the wife. You do not have free rein.”
“Did Natasha have free rein?”
“Natasha was different. Mr. Ivanov was young. They both were.”
“So, you were nicer to them back then?”
“Yes,” she states bluntly. Leave it to Mary to not sugarcoat anything.
“You can just say you don’t like me.”
“Fine.” She sets the bowl in her hands down on the counter. “I don’t like you. Happy? Now, get out of my kitchen.”
Without a word, I leave. When I enter the living room again, I don’t see Mikhail anywhere. He left me alone in a room full of men I don’t know other than Andrei, and frankly, Andrei weirds me out.
I sit on the couch, thinking I won’t get in the way of anyone that way, when Andrei approaches me.
“Stand up,” he barks, making me so startled that I do as he says. The other men in the vicinity look over at us with curious expressions. “You shouldn’t be sitting. Good submissive girls don’t sit down.”
“What are you talking about? Where’s Mikhail?”
“A sub doesn’t question her dom.”
I jerk back. “Andrei, stop this. Stop talking to me like this.”
There’s a darkness in his eyes that reminds me of Boris. “Get on your hands and knees.” A few men laugh. A few others whoop and holler. My face burns with heat.
“I’m not going to do that,” I say.
Andrei steps right up to me so we’re nose to nose. I stare up at him and try to step back, but I’m trapped between him and the couch. “You’re being naughty. I might have to spank you for that.” He grabs my shoulders and pushes me to the ground. I cry out, but he covers my mouth. Where is Mikhail? Surely, he wouldn’t approve of this?
Andrei forces me to my hands and knees. “Stay there, or I’ll give you a spanking.”
“Give her a spanking anyway,” a man says.
I look up, but all I see is a sea of male faces I don’t know. I’m all alone. I’m all alone.
