Mila nods back imperceptibly.

“What are you saying?” Boris snaps, making us jump. He grabs Mila and drags her into the elevator with him. I follow behind.

“I was just telling my sister everything will be fine,” I lie.

“Everything will be fine. I’m not going to hurt her.” Boris sneers down at me. “What kind of man do you think I am?”

The kind who’s kidnapping us. But Boris is so delusional that he would never accept that narrative.

“I can’t wait to give you to Andrei,” Boris continues. “You need to be put in your place. All of you Morozova women need to be.”

“Not Mila. Mila has never hurt you.”

Boris gazes down at my sister while she fights not to flinch. “You’re right. Mila is good.” He runs his finger down her cheek. I fight the urge to vomit, and I know Mila is doing the same.

We reach the lobby of the apartment, and my eyes land on the security guard behind his desk. If anyone could help …

Taking a risk, I run over to him, screaming, “Help!”

The guard jerks up and narrows his eyes at me.

“Help!” I slam my hands against his desk. “We’re being kidnapped!”

He responds in Russian, shaking his head. He doesn’t understand me.

I point at Boris, hoping the guard will understand my nonverbal cues. He looks between Boris and me. Once again, Mila is frozen.

“You bitch,” Boris hisses, grabbing his gun again.

The security guard’s eyes widen, and he scrambles for the taser at his waist, but Boris pulls the trigger, killing him instantly.

I scream and jump back, but I’m not fast enough. Some of the guard’s blood splatters onto my face.

No one else is in the lobby, meaning there’s no one else to help.

Boris grabs my arm and hauls me away. “You shouldn’t have done that. You’re responsible for that man’s death. If you don’t want more people killed, then don’t run.”

I let Boris drag me outside, but the moment my feet touch the sidewalk, I run to Mila, grab her hand, and take off running.

“Damn it!” Boris hisses, chasing after us.

“Where are we going?” Mila asks, panting heavily.

“Just run!”

We make it to the end of the street, when a van pulls up beside us, blocking our way. I start to run around it, but the passenger door opens, and Andrei jumps out. He grabs me before I get the chance to make it far.

“Let me go!” I scream as he shoves me into the van.

“Sofiya!” Mila shouts, right as Boris reaches her and pushes her into the van beside me. Boris gets into the back with us, pointing his gun right at me.

My eyes land on Andrei, as he stands before the door, smiling down at me. “You’re mine now, Sofiya.” He slams the door shut, locking me inside.

Mila and I huddle together while Boris keeps an eye on us. Andrei sits in the front beside the driver—a man I don’t recognize. Every so often, Andrei glances at me. He’s wearing sunglasses, and I know Mikhail hurt his eyes, so I’m amazed he can even see me.

I just have to hope Mikhail will find and save us. The one good thing is that Vik is back home. She can call Mikhail. She can tell him what happened.

“Where are you taking us?” I ask.

“Shut up,” Boris growls.

“No,” Andrei says. “They have the right to know.” He looks back at me. It’s unsettling with his sunglasses on. I can’t see his eyes. I’m cut off from his expression to give me an indicator of how he’s feeling. “I’m taking you someplace Mikhail won’t ever find you. Boris will take Mila back to New York with him. And you …”

“What about me?”

“You’ll stay here, in Moscow, with me. I’ll finally get the chance to touch you. I’ll get to have what Mikhail has had many times before. I’ll fuck you so hard you’ll forget all about him.”

I clamp my legs closer together, only feeling coldness down below. Andrei never touched me before. He’s well past that now. Mikhail made a fool of him when he blinded him, and now, he’s going to hurt Mikhail by hurting me.

“Please, Boris,” Mila whispers, surprising me. He glances at her, his eyes softening. That’s a good thing. He doesn’t hate Mila like he hates Vik and me. Maybe we can use that to our advantage. “Please let me go.”

“Not until we’re back in New York, and you’re married to me.”

“But I don’t want to marry you.”

Boris’s eyes turn hard, and I know Mila made a mistake. “You don’t know what you want. You’re young. But I’ll teach you.”

She physically recoils into me.

I need to get her through this, or Boris will hurt her. She’s too innocent to know how to charm him. How to manipulate him.

But I had my innocence ripped away from me when Mikhail came into my life.

I may still have a lot to learn, but one thing I do understand better is men. Boris and Andrei need to believe we want to be with them. If we can trick them, then maybe we can get the upper hand.

I just need to find a quiet moment to tell Mila this.

“Thank you, Boris,” I blurt out before I lose my nerve. “For not killing Vik.”

He shifts around on his seat and shrugs, sniffing once. “Well, it was the least I could do.”

“We’re so grateful. Mila and me.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” His eyes turn softer again. Good. “You see, I never wanted to hurt either of you girls. It was always Viktoriya who had a mouth on her.”

“She’s a bitch,” Andrei agrees. “Turned me down without a second thought.”