Chapter 4 - Piotr

I felt shaken by the sudden marriage but knew there was no other way. My protective instincts for her hadn’t changed, and I wanted to keep her safe. My mind was whirling a hundred miles an hour. I wasn’t sure what had happened. I couldn’t explain it even if I tried.

All I knew was that she needed saving, and I needed to get her out as quickly as possible. The urge to beat up the people around us was overwhelming. I didn’t appreciate the way most people were staring at her. She was mine now, and they had no right.

Moving towards the exit, I pushed the people out of our way as I rushed to get out. The looks on their faces were something I’d seen in a pack of scavenger dogs. It made me uncomfortable, but I would continue fighting if that was what it took.

As we were about to enter the corridor leading out, I heard Jones calling out from behind us. “Thanks for taking the dirty wench away from here!” he chuckled and continued. “She’s a useless slut, but maybe you could do something with her!”

Stopping in my tracks, I felt my veins filling with boiling liquid. The volcano within me was about to blow up. Turning slowly, I glared back at Jones. He stood beside the reception desk, smirking. The pain was radiating through all my muscles. But this would not prevent me from taking on the blubber of a man before me.

I felt her soft touch as her fingers closed around my forearm. Alyssa gently pulled on my arm as she leaned closer and whispered. “Let’s just go, please.”

Taking a deep breath, I viewed Jones briefly, turned, and headed out. I had nothing to prove. With a princess on my arm, I felt like I had conquered the world. As we exited the corridor, I concluded that this wasn’t a seamless establishment. It was a problematic place and could never be a good investment for anyone.

Walking my motorbike, I threw my leather jacket over her shoulders. There was a cool breeze coming in from somewhere. Without a second helmet, I couldn’t take her home like this. I took out my phone and called Konstantin.

“Hey Piotr, everything okay?” his calm voice came through the phone.

“Yeah, but I need you to bring me your car and take my bike home,” I replied.

Konstantin coughed and sounded slightly like he was choking before speaking again. “What? Did I hear you right?”

Looking at her, I knew there was no other way. I had never let anyone, not even my family, ride my bike, but I had no choice. “Yes, you heard me; make it quick, though.”

“Sure thing,” he replied just before the line went dead.

I sent him my coordinates while wondering what I would say about my wife. Grinning, I thought of Ashan and Leon. I had now joined the weird men around me.

Placing my phone into my back pocket, I kept an eye on Alyssa as she studied my bike. While we waited, many of the patrons started leaving. I had pushed my bike closer to the exit into a darker area of the garage. I didn’t want the people leaving, gawking and making comments.

Luckily, it didn’t take Konstantin too long to get to us. He pulled in and parked next to my bike. He got out and walked with a hop in his step around the car. He looked curious as he approached us. “Well, then what have we here?” he asked, raising his eyebrows. Stepping closer, he took her hand, leaned over, and kissed it as he continued. “I’m Konstantin.”

“Konstantin, this is Alyssa,” I spat, pushing him back. “She’s my wife, so step back, okay.”

Konstantin’s eyes widened, and his mouth fell open. He stood staring as if I had just smacked his brains out. Taking the keys dangling in his fingers, I placed mine in his hand. Closing my hand over his, I leaned closer and spoke softly. “If you scratch her, I’ll kill you.”

Glancing down at his hand, Konstantin looked like he was about to say something. Taking Alyssa’s hand, I pulled her to the car and opened the passenger side door. As she slid in past me, I could smell her sweetness. It was like the fragrance brought in by the wind on an early spring morning. It was filled with the scent of blooming wildflowers. It was a big contrast to the odor inside the place.

Closing my eyes for a second, I was filled with a deep desire to explore all she had to offer. I shut the door once she was in. Shaking my head, I tried to clear the images invading my mind. Turning back to Konstantin, I uttered. “We’ll talk about this later, now get home.”

He nodded, pulled on my helmet, and took off. I walked around and got in on the driver’s side. Taking hold of the steering wheel, I glanced at her. I felt possessed by her beauty. Never in my life had I ever experienced such a strong attraction. It was messing with my mind and my senses.

Pulling out of the underground car park, the night sky was a welcoming friend. Stars shone brightly against the black sky. The late-night air was cool but refreshing. I was eager to learn more about Alyssa but unsure where to start. This night had turned out to be much more than I had expected.

I took the back roads home, trying to miss as much traffic as possible. The last section before entering the old side road leading to the mansion would take us through a quiet part of town. This area didn’t hold many houses or businesses but wasn’t as secluded as where we lived.

Pulling up to the last stop before the old road. I heard Alyssa’s door open. Turning to her, she was already out of the car and sprinting down the road. I killed the engine and jumped out. As I ran after her, I felt my worked muscles contracting. My legs and arms felt stiff as I had cooled down severely after the fight.

My blood was boiling. I didn’t understand what was up with this woman. Why was she running? I noticed that Jones was a sleaze of a man and the way he treated her. If I was her, I would have run from him. But running from me, it made no sense.

Alyssa glanced back over her shoulder as I closed in on her. Her eyes were wild, filled with fear. My mind swirled as I battled to understand. I would never hurt her, and wondered what she had endured that could make her so fearful. My lungs burned from the running. But my heart ached for her. I wanted to console her and protect her, and I would.

As I closed in on her, I grabbed her arm carefully. I intended to stop her without hurting her. Alyssa swung around at me and threw a punch. Her tiny fist collided with my shoulder, sending a small pinching sensation through my arm.

She was out of breath. Her skin was cold, and she appeared white as a sheet. “Alyssa,” I said, pulling her closer. “Please, I am not going to hurt you.”

Her eyes were glazed from the tears she was trying to hold back. Lifting my hand, I tried wiping the stranglers rolling down her cheeks. She turned away as she pulled back. Taking her by the shoulders, I tried to look into her beautiful eyes as I spoke. “Why are you running, princess? I would never hurt you.”

I felt her muscles tense as she gazed at me. Her eyes were filled with fear and a deep sadness. Continuing to speak, I kept my tone calm and less dominating than usual. I didn’t want her to notice my frustration at the situation. “You agreed to this marriage, didn’t you?”

Her eyes filled with what seemed to be dismay. I noticed her voice was sharp enough to cut glass as she replied. “I never wanted any of this! I just wanted out.”

Confusion mulled through my mind as I studied her for a moment. “Then why didn’t you say anything?”

Looking down at her feet, her voice fell away into a whisper. I had to listen carefully to make out what she was saying. “I had no choice in the matter.” I felt her shoulders relax as she slumped them forward.

“No, we all have choices, princess. Tell me what happened, please?” I spoke gently as I placed an arm around her shoulder. Pulling her with me, I started moving back towards the car.

Once back at the car, I had her sit down and knelt before her. “Please talk to me?” I asked softly.

Alyssa studied me for a bit before replying. Her tone was calmer. “My mother passed and left me in the care of that man.”

“Jones?” I inquired.

Tears made their way lazily down her cheeks as she replied. “Yes, Jones, my stepfather. He forced me into this marriage; I only wanted out. I wanted to live my own life.”

Handing her my handkerchief, I nodded for her to continue. She took a couple of deep breaths and then carried on. “I was making deals on the side to gather some cash. I finally had enough and was going to run away tonight.”

She breathed in and out slowly. I waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts. “Jones caught me. He took my money and told me if I didn’t comply, he would have me killed.”

Standing, I surveyed the area. It was so quiet. I could hear my heart racing. I wasn’t sure what to do with the information she had just provided. But she was married to me now, and I couldn’t take the chance of Jones finding her. I had to protect her from the likes of him.

Clearing my throat, I spoke out. I was furious at Jones, confused and overwhelmed with tons of emotions I couldn’t quite place. “I’m sorry for the predicament. But we are married now, and I want to help you.”

The words had barely left my mouth when she bounced up and shoved me back hard. I fell backward as she went running again. This can’t be happening, I thought as I sprinted after her again.

This time, I grabbed her around the waist. Turning her to face me, I took hold of her arms. “What are you thinking? We’re in the middle of nowhere! You have no place to run to princess; stop this ridiculousness.” I spat at her, feeling my anger flaring.