Aleks
I strained at my injured wrist that were taking much of the burden from my weight as I was suspended from the ceiling.
Either Alandra is a real jealous bitch or she wasn't as careful as she thought when she gave me that knife, I thought.
At this point the situation seemed to escalate as the days passed by. It had been three days since my capture, grandfather, father, Nikolai, and Enzo surely have figured out what happened.
I looked around my small cell, unsure if they even had the resources to find my location so deep in Spain.
Maybe my husband to be could help them find me in Spain, I scoffed just thinking about the idea of my brother arranging this marriage—it was certainly a distraction from the throbbing pain in my wrists and the aching bruises on my legs and chest.
I had heard of Ismael Santos before, maybe I'd even seen him before. But an arranged marriage?
"Am I interrupting your thoughts, Aleksandra?"
I instantly perked up my head, only for my eyes to lay upon none other that Guillermo himself.
"Oh, Guillermo," I said smiling at his obviously bandaged ribs, "I hear broken ribs make it very painful to breath," I smirked, "If only I had punctured a lung."
He laughed, "I didn't come all this way to be killed by the likes of you. I've been dodging death from before you were born, child."
I rolled my eyes, "Don't be so sad, when I get out of this I'll introduce you to a grave."
"When all of this is done—when those bruises my men gave you heal, you will be married to my son," he shrugged simply, "You're family will die of course, don't worry."
"I've had much worse than a few bruises, I can promise you that. And as for marrying your son, I'd sooner join you in the grave," I said scowling at him.
"I wouldn't be so sure Aleksandra," he said with a smug smile, "You're grandmothers life is in your hands, after all."
My eyes widened and my heart dropped into my stomach: He had my grandmother Diana?
"Taking my fathers mother is big mistake, I promise you. My grandfather will kill you—
"Let me stop you right there," he said cutting me off, "I'm not talking about Diana. She's too heavily fortified by Mikhail. So, I took the better alternative," he started, "It seems as if no one thought to protect your mothers parents."
I furrowed my eyebrows, "I barely know Adama. She hates me, from my understanding. Why would I marry anyone for her sake?"
"Because she's your family Aleksandra," he said definitively, "It's not her fault your grandfather is a stubborn son of a bitch."
I stared at him, aware that my face looked as defeated as I felt. There wasn't a way out of this one. She was their leverage against me. Now there's nothing standing between me and a marriage union to the son of the man I despised most.
"Don't look so sad Aleksandra," he said beaming, clearly impressed with himself, "After you give my son an heir or two, you'll be sure to meet that grave you're so fond of."
______
Aiya
"This isn't the time, Val," I started, "You're too young to go."
"Too young," she exclaimed sitting next to, clearly angry, "Aleks was my age when she started this shit! If you really expect me to stay behind when you go get her-
"I do," I said raising my voice, "There are only three people who are truly needed for this mission little sister."
"I don't care about any of that! I'm tired of all of this Aiya. I want mama to come home. I want papa to come home. I want Aleks to come home!" she screamed just before slamming the door.
I sighed, I couldn't blame her for the way she was feeling. I wanted all three of them to come home too.
I ran a frustrated hand through my hair as I picked up my ringing phone, "What is it Nik?"
"Ismael and his father are boarding a plane and will arrive tomorrow. We will decide tomorrow the best way to sneak mama and Lorenzo into Spain," he said.
"Tomorrow?" I sighed, "I was hoping they'd be here by today. She's been there for three days already."
He took a deep breath, "I know. Trust me, this is the fastest I could get them on a plane. I wasn't expecting them to drop anything, they're not family. This is business."
"Business," I scoffed, "Ismael is engaged to our sister, I think that qualifies as family— and don't think I didn't pick up on that when you were talking to Lorenzo. An arranged marriage Nik? Are you kidding me?"
"Don't start, Aiya. This isn't a decision I took lightly. I wouldn't have done this if it wasn't necessary," he said.
"Of course it was," I said taking a deep breath, "Just another hard decision the boss had to make," I said hanging up the phone.
God, I thought, growing up I never would've thought that our relationship with Nik would be so rocky once he became acting boss.
Suddenly my bedroom door opened and out came Matias. Almost instantly I felt at ease.
"How are you, mi amor," he said lightly kissing my forehead.
"A few hours away from killing my brother," I said sighing.
He laughed, the way only he could, "This situation is very stressful. I can't imagine how you feel," he took my hand.
I kissed him on the lips, "Thank you for being here."
"Of course," he said kissing me again.
_______
Mikhail
I sat in a chair as Lorenzo and Adalia looked over the blueprints to the compound.
"We could enter from the ventilation system here," she said point towards the eastern side of the castle.
Lorenzo paused for a moment, "I don't think I can fit through a vent."
Adalia laughed, then looked at him, "I forget how much bigger you've gotten over the last four years."
"It's certainly been a long three years," he said smiling, then he turned to me, "Do you have any ideas on how to breach the compound Nonno."
I stood up and walked over to the table pausing to look at the blueprints, "This mission is a stealth one, which makes precision key. If we don't know where they're holding Aleksandra it will be hard, nearly impossible, to have a clean extraction."
"I remember there's a dungeon in the castle," Adalia started, "They may be keeping her there."
"Or he could be keeping her close," Lorenzo said.
A silence fell over us, as we all started to think, "This is all about behavior, yes."
"Da," Lorenzo said.
"If I were Guillermo, would I keep Aleks close or heavily guarded in a cell?" Adalia said, thinking aloud.
"She'd probably be closer to Juan Carlos than anyone else," I said, "If we believe she's not in the dungeon."
"Maybe we're thinking about this the wrong way," Lorenzo said running a frustrated hand through his hair, "If I were Aleksandra, I would've already attempted an attack on either Juan Carlos or Guillermo," he said, "Aleksandra is too clever and too dangerous to keep so close."
"I have yet to see her skills," Adalia turned to me, "What do you think Mikhail?"
"Lately, Enzo has been closer to Aleks than anyone else. He has your fighting skills and my wit, my gut tells me to trust him," I turned to him, "What do you think we should do?"
He paused for a moment, then moved his finger firmly pressing on the blueprint, "We go here. I know they're keeping her in the dungeon."
- - End Of Chapter - -