Something in my expression must give me away because Alexei narrows his eyes and stares at me with a confusion and a slow eagerness that terrifies me. “Unless… Nikolai hasn’t fucked you yet.”
“What?”
“Has he claimed you? You’re young. Are you a virgin?”
I swallow hard. Something tells me I shouldn’t say a word. I can’t give Alexei any more ammunition.
He huffs and backs away from me. “I guess I’ll find out when I fuck you.”
In one quick motion, he swipes the gun against my temple, hitting me so hard, I immediately slump against the mattress. Alexei gets on top of me and punches me in the stomach.
I groan and cough but otherwise, I can’t make a sound. It’s like my throat has seized up. From the hit to my head, my eyes have gone woozy. I can’t make sense of the room.
Alexei punches me in the stomach again. This hurts so much more than Nikolai’s spanking did. Nikolai only did that as a warning but Alexei is hurting me to seriously hurt me.
I’m going to die here.
I can’t let that happen. Not after how my father treated me. Not after everything I’ve been through this past week. It can’t end like this.
That’s when I see a dirty plate on the ground near the mattress. When Alexei raises his hand to hit me again, I dive for the plate, grab it, and smash it against his head. He flinches back and that gives me the chance.
Using the adrenaline inside my body, I kick him in the stomach and scramble to my feet. Alexei is right behind me as I run from the bedroom, towards the front door. He grabs me around the waist. One of his hands clamps over my mouth but I only bite down. With a hiss, he lets me go and I run with everything inside of me towards the front door.
I storm outside but Alexei only catches me. That’s when I scream and scream and scream. A neighbor opens their front door.
“What’s going on out here?” It’s an older man. Frail looking. But he doesn’t hesitate to run over to me when he sees Alexei trying to drag me back into the house. “Let her go. Now.”
“Stay out of this old man,” Alexei hisses.
“Help me. Please,” I beg.
“I’m calling the police.”
At the mention of the police, Alexei lets me go and runs to his car. He drives away in an instant.
I slump to the ground. “Thank you. Thank you.”
“Are you all right?” the old man asks.
“No. I’m not all right. I need my husband.”
“Can I call him for you?”
“I…” I don’t even know his number. “Just call me a taxi. I can get home.” I do know his address, fortunately. It’s my new home after all.
The old man stays by my side as we wait for the taxi to come. “Who was that man who tried hurting you?”
“I don’t know,” I lie. It’s better to not involve this man in mafia business. “It will all just be better once I get home.”
The man pays for the taxi after it arrives.
“You don’t have to do that,” I say.
He gives me a kind grin. “I want to help.”
In an instant, tears stream down my face. I forgot how kind some people can be in this world.
I make it back home and limp inside. It’s hard to walk with my stomach in pain. I fall onto the couch and sleep overtakes me in an instant.