The monster roared, furious at my show of weakness. He clawed inside me and a blinding rage encompassed me again.
There was no room for weakness in my life. My heart was cold and lifeless, and it had no right to feel. I did not want to feel anything but anger.
I grabbed her chin in my hand, my fingers digging hard into her cheeks. She moaned in pain and thrashed against my hold.
"Please," she mumbled, her face turning red.
"Why the fuck are you spying for the Italian?" I growled, my voice hard.
She stopped struggling for a moment, seeming surprised, a reaction I hadn't expected. After a few seconds of silence, she shook her head and then started crying again, whispering no over and over.
"Please no. No. I'm not spying. Please. No. No," she said in a rush, shaking her head left and right, her hair covering her sweaty face in the process.
I expected that answer. Who would be stupid enough to accept their betrayal? They would lie until there was nothing left to lie for. Only when they saw their life flashing before their eyes, just before their last breath left their body, only then would they tell the truth.
Letting go of her cheek, I moved my hand downward, prolonging the suspense before grabbing her neck firmly in my hand and squeezing. She choked, sputtered, and flailed, but she couldn't escape my unyielding grip.Her cheeks puffed and she emitted a gurgling sound. When I saw her starting to lose consciousness, I let go of her neck. Her head rolled back and she panted. Alina tried to take a deep breath, but she struggled with it.
Gasping and moaning in pain, she begged again. "Plea…pleas…please. Believe me…" She coughed violently, her chest heaving, drool running down her chin. She shook with wild tremors.
"I'm…te…tell…telling…the…tr…truth." Alina sobbed. "I…did…I didn't do…any…didn't do…anything."
"Don't fucking lie to me." My voice boomed in the sterile, frigid room.
Shaking her head again, Alina looked me straight in the eyes. "Please, Alex. I didn't do it. I don't know what you're talking about." She coughed again, then took a deep breath in, wincing in pain. "Believe me, please. Please, Alex. I didn't spy on you. Alex, please believe me." She kept repeating it over and over again, every word growing fainter as she began to lose her resolve.
Her body fell limp against the chair, and she could barely keep her eyes open.Growling, I raked a hand through my hair. What if she is innocent? Could it be?
Is it worth torturing someone who could be innocent? The nagging voice in my head persisted.
My monster argued. He roared. He wanted death. Kill. Kill. Kill.
She could be the traitor. Don't let her go.
Confused, I turned my back to Alina. I couldn't look at her anymore. Her tears. Her pain. Her vulnerability. The begging. Her voice as she said my name. She made me weak.
It made my heart do a strange thing. It made me…feel.
A sudden pain went through my chest and I hated it.
What's happening to me?
For the first time in my life, I fought against my monster. He wanted to be free, but I pulled him back inside. He fought and roared, but I continued fighting.
Why was I fighting for her?
Looking up, I saw Artur and Phoenix looking at me strangely, their eyes questioning. I glared and bared my teeth at them angrily. Both of them quickly averted their gazes, their faces becoming a mask of impassiveness.
Standing up straighter, I didn't turn around, refusing to look at Alina. I took a deep breath and walked toward the door. Artur and Phoenix followed me outside and the door closed behind us.
"Keep her here and keep questioning her. She will eventually break down."
"Yes, Boss," Phoenix said.
I took a step forward, but then stopped. Turning around, I faced my men and growled in a deadly tone. "No one lays a hand on her."
If anyone dared to go against my order, then they would die. Both Phoenix and Artur seemed surprised, but then nodded.My order took me by surprise too. I didn't know where it came from, but all I knew was that I didn't want anyone touching my kitten. That admission shocked me too.
Without sparing them another glance, I walked away, my stomach in knots. I still felt angry at myself for the weakness I had shown.And then I was angry at Alina.
I didn't have my answers yet. I wanted to believe her, but could I really? My empire was at stake and she was a possible suspect. It didn't matter what I felt for her, or why her pain was my pain. I still had to get answers, and it didn't matter whether I played fair or not.
Slowly, I felt my aching heart return to its unfeeling state. In my bedroom, I took a deep breath and stared at the wall, letting the coldness seep back into my body.
She wouldn't make me weak. I wouldn't let her.
Alina
I didn't know how long they kept me there, and I wasn't sure whether it was day or night. All I knew was that I wanted the pain to end. I couldn't take it anymore. My head pounded and my body felt weak.
My wrists were aching, and every time the rope pressed against my sensitive skin, I whimpered in pain. The skin was scratched raw and I'd been bleeding from my struggles.
"What information did you give the bastards?" Viktor asked again. Viktor, Nikolay, and Phoenix took turns interrogating me, and I was beginning to notice they were exasperated by my answers.
"I didn't do it," I said.
Why would I support monsters like Alberto and my father? I loathed them. But Alex and his men didn't know that, because I hadn't revealed the truth.
My life was already in jeopardy. Admitting I was the daughter of Alfredo and the fiancée of Alberto wouldn't help me.
The truth would put me in more danger. I was Italian and their enemy, so they would never believe me.
No matter how much I begged and sobbed, they wouldn't listen. They refused to let me go. "Alina, damn it! Lying is not going to get you out of here!" Nikolay yelled as he paced the room.
Neither will the truth, I thought as I cried.
Sucking in a deep breath, I winced at my dry throat. "Please…Viktor, Nikolay. I didn't do it. Believe me. I don't know anything," I whispered, my voice scratchy from hours of crying. I could barely even talk from the constant throbbing pain in my throat.
Nikolay stopped pacing and stared at me, his eyes full of pity. I shifted my gaze to Viktor and saw that he was looking at me with the same sympathy.
I knew I was slowly weakening them. They wanted to believe me. They seemed almost convinced that I hadn't done it. I just didn't know how much longer I could stay strong. All I wanted was to go back to my bed and cuddle into my soft covers, forgetting about this nightmare.We were still staring at each other in silence when suddenly the door opened. I blinked several times, trying to get rid of the fog in my eyes. I felt my heart stutter in panic when Alex walked in.He wore his regular three-piece black suit. His hands were bare—no black leather gloves. Alex stared at me for a few seconds, his eyes blank.He stayed at the door and crossed his arms over his chest. Looking at Viktor, he gave him a nod. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion when Viktor got up and came closer to me. Fear clawed its way inside me.
A few seconds later, I felt his hands on the rope. There were a few tugs and I winced at the discomfort and pain.Then my hands were free.They believe me? I didn't know what to do or how to act. Was I being released, or were they going to torture me some more?
"Get up," Alex ordered in a gruff voice. I quickly did as I was told and cradled my wounded hands against my chest.
"Go to your bedroom. You are free," he said in the same emotionless voice. I sucked in a harsh breath, stumbling back against a hard chest. I didn't have to turn around. I knew it was Viktor.
He grasped my shoulders and held me up until my weak legs could support me. I shook so bad that if it hadn't been for Viktor, I would have been on the floor.
"Can you walk?" he asked, his voice strangely soft, as if he was talking to a wounded animal.
I nodded and he let me go. I stumbled forward and slowly walked toward Alex, my legs heavy. My eyes stayed focused on him as I made my way to the door. He didn't move or say anything as he continued to stare at me.
When I walked through the door, Alex's cold voice stopped me dead in my tracks.
"Don't even think of escaping."
I didn't look at him when I nodded. Escaping didn't even pass through my mind. I knew I couldn't escape. There was no point.His men would just catch me, and in the end, I would have to pay for my defiance. I had no desire to come back to this basement or to feel Alex's wrath.
I would live my life as a quiet maid and try to become as invisible as possible.I heard Artur's voice. "Boss, why are you—"
Alex lifted his palm, silencing him. My shoulders sagged and I wanted to cry in relief.
I followed Phoenix as he led the way. We climbed the stairs, bringing us to the main level. I couldn't see anyone and the house was completely silent.
"What time is it?" I asked nervously.
"Two-thirty in the morning," Phoenix replied.My steps faltered. Almost seventeen hours. I had been in that basement for almost seventeen hours.