After minutes of whipping him, I step back. My vision comes back into focus. I hear a sound from the other side of the room and look. It’s Sofiya. She’s covered in her dress, which is almost torn to shreds, and she’s hiding behind the couch, watching me with complete fear in her eyes.

I look back down at the whip in my hands, and all I can think about is the day my son looked at me with that same fear in his eyes.

My son.

Natasha and I had a son, and I lost him after Natasha died. He was only five years old.

The day he died, he saw me lose my temper. He was terrified of me.

And now, I can never make it up to him since he’s dead.

I look back at Sofiya. She gasps when I step toward her. I drop the whip and open my arms wide.

Her eyes flit between Andreis’ prone body on the ground and me. He’s still groaning in pain.

Then she steps from around the couch and approaches me slowly before her breath hitches, and she’s in my arms. I wrap them around her tightly.

She’s shaking and trembling. Andrei hurt her, but I know I share some of the blame.

Picking her up, I carry her to my car and place her in the passenger seat. I even buckle her seatbelt for her. Then I get behind the wheel and drive us home.

Where she belongs.

SOFIYA

I keep looking at Mikhail out of the corner of my eye. “How did you find me?”

His hands tighten on the steering wheel. “Your sisters.”

“They’re ok?”

“They looked fine to me.” Even though he’s answering my questions in a calm voice, there’s a simmering anger underneath. Anger directed at me.

“I’m sorry,” is all I can think to say.

“Why did you leave?”

“I didn’t want to.”

“But you did. So, why did you leave?”

I swallow hard. How can I tell Mikhail what’s on my mind when I don’t even fully understand it myself? “I don’t want to be your trophy.”

He frowns, clear confusion in his eyes. “What?”

“You said you’d only let my sisters stay if I gave you my virginity in front of other people. You want me for my body. I’m not your equal.”

“So, you left because of that?”

“I left because my sisters were going to leave anyway, and I wanted to protect them. We deserve our freedom. You don’t own my body, Mikhail.”

He stops the car so suddenly that I jerk forward in my seat. “I do own you, Sofiya. You’re mine now. And you disobeyed me. Were you trying to hurt me?”

“I …” Hurt him? “I didn’t think you cared about me.”

The laugh that escapes him is without humor. “Care about you? You’re my wife. You’re my everything now. Of course, I fucking care about you.”

I flinch. “I didn’t know.”

He inhales deeply and runs his hand down his face. “I know you’re scared right now. I don’t want you to fear me, but I do want you to respect me. I want you to give me your body because you desire me as I desire you. I never wanted you to leave.” After a painfully quiet moment, he restarts the car.

I stare out the window, watching the houses and apartments zip by. I hurt Mikhail more than I thought I would by leaving.

And that hurts me.

Because I just want to make him proud of me. But I also don’t know how to give him all of me without losing a part of myself. And I can’t lose that part of myself. The part that is intrinsically me.

Mikhail pulls into the parking garage of our apartment building. “Here’s what’s going to happen. We’re going inside. You’re going to check in on your sisters because I know you’ll want to. And then we’re going into my play room, and I’m going to teach you another lesson. I will push your body in ways I haven’t before, Sofiya. You can, of course, say stop at any time. But if you want to feel better about leaving me, then you will do this. It’s the only way we can move forward. I will forgive you afterward.” He pauses, then says, “Your sisters will leave. I will not have them here causing issues. You are partly responsible for this. I am not angry with you. But I am disappointed.”

I flinch again. Hearing that makes me feel a million times worse.

“Now, we’re going inside. Are you ok with all this?”

Seeing as I have no choice? I am. I’m going to lose my sisters again, and that hurts more than anything. But I messed up by trying to leave, and I need to pay the price.

Mikhail opens his door, but before he gets out, I speak. “He didn’t touch me.”

He goes still.

“Andrei,” I explain. “He ripped my dress off, but then he made me lie on the couch. He didn’t touch me yet. I think he was … trying to savor the moment.” I shudder at the memory. The sight of his disgusting, lust-filled face looking down at me. “But he didn’t touch me.”

“Good.” Mikhail doesn’t look at me as he gets out of the car. “Now, let’s go inside.”

My legs tremble as I step out of the car, but they manage to stay strong enough to carry me inside, where my punishment awaits.

Chapter

Eleven

SOFIYA

My eyes meet Vik’s the moment I step through the door. “Are you ok?” I ask, rushing over to her and Mila.

“Are you?” Mila asks.

“I’m fine.” Technically, a lie. I am far from “just fine.” What Andrei did to me has left me shaken, and knowing Mikhail is going to punish me isn’t helping.

Mary stands behind my sisters like she’s a guard and my sisters are her prisoners. The glare she sends my way shakes me to my core.