“Or you took advantage of my good heart and good will, you asshole,” I say now that I’ve finally find my voice.
Samson only laughs. “Yeah, well, look where that good heart and good will got you.” His grin can only be described as malicious, the manipulative bastard. “And look what it’s gotten me. I’m close to destroying Matvei, I have his woman, his men are defecting to me in droves, and soon I’ll have his children, too.”
His grin grows even more cruel and terrifyingly bright, like he’spossessedby some kind of demon. “I’m going to take every fucking thing my brother has, and I’m going to make him watch before I kill him.”
Genny giggles and claps with glee, but I’m still stuck on something Samson said.
“You’re going to what?” I finally manage, sounding half-strangled because all the air has left my lungs as if I’ve been punched in the gut.
“We’re going to raise your twins.” Genny glows with happiness as though I’m a willing participant in the plan. “You’ll stay here until the babies are born. We’ll treat you like the mother goddess you are, of course, then once they’re born, we’ll take them. You’re going to be our surrogate, Sonya! Oh, I’m so happy!” She claps with glee again, then flings her arms around Samson.
“Genny can’t have kids, so I promised her yours.” He says it like he’s expecting congratulations for the upcoming bundles of joy.
“You promised her my—” I croak, but that’s all I can manage, my hand going to my bump as though that will somehow protect my little ones within from this horrible fate.
Anger the likes of which I’ve never felt rises in me. I wouldgoafter the two like a jackal in a second, clawing and screaming, if I wasn’t tied up.
“You fucking bastard! Let me out of here, or I swear I’ll kill you. These aremychildren, not yours!”
Samson just laughs. “Hey, hey, you’ve just been in a car accident. Ease up, will you? We want those kids to be healthy when they’re born. They will be healthy, right?” He turns again to the doctor, still pressed against the wall, his gaze flicking between the bloody body print on the floor and the psychotic couple.
“Y-yes,” he quietly replies.
“Good. Keep it that way.” Samson takes a very thick envelope out of his jacket pocket and holds it out. The doctor takes the money with shaking hands.
When he comes close to gather his ultrasound machine and various implements, I whisper desperately, “Please, help me. Tell someone I’m here. They’re going to take my children.”
The man won’t even make eye contact with me. He pushes the cart with his stuff out the door, the squeaky wheel the only sound until he shuts the door behind him with a finalclickthat seems to seal my fate.
“Samson, please. You can’t do this. You can’t keep me here. You know Matvei will come after?—”
He’s in my face before I can say another word, his expression a mask of rage. He snarls, “Donotsay his name in this house. Do you understand me? You can spend your entire pregnancy in a dark room, all alone, tied to a bed. Is that what you want?”
I shake my head vehemently and shut my mouth.
“Good.”
As he straightens and steps back from the bed, Samson rolls his neck and shrugs his shoulders as though casting off the outward signs of whatever demon has possessed him. I’ve never believed in the supernatural, but his behavior is chilling, and I’m not entirely sure anymore.
“Dad tried to tell me the same thing.” Genevieve stares at the swell of my stomach beneath my sweater as she speaks. “That’s why he had to go. I knew he was going to try to stop me once he became aware of our plan, and I couldn’t have that. He wastalking about all-out war, but I think he was just too afraid of—” her eyes flick to her husband and back to me “—you-know-who.”
“So you’re saying you had to kill your father?” I ask, my voice flat.
“Yep.” She shrugs. “I’ll have to kill you, too, of course. But you don’t have to worry about that for now. Just focus on growing our perfect twins, okay?”
She smiles sweetly, then places a baby monitor beside me. “If you need anything, just call. We’ll have someone checking on you, allowing you to get up and use the bathroom and all that. But don’t try anything. We don’t want to have to make your stay unpleasant, but we will if you don’t do your part.”
Samson gives me a look that promises she’s not exaggerating and I shiver. Then they leave, and I’m alone in a lavishly decorated room, in a mansion somewhere outside of Chicago, pregnant, and tied to a bed. I’m never going to get out of here. Not alive, anyway.
I knew Samson was a terrible person, but I was not aware of the insanity behind the narcissism and anger. I see now that Samson and Genevieve are a match made not in heaven, but in hell.
And I’ve never been so terrified.
30
MATVEI
“Ireally think you should go to the hospital. Evgeny and I will track down whoever's at this address and let you know the details.”