Chapter 5 - Clara

All I wanted to do was get out of the house and dance a little. I wanted to unwind and get rid of all the tension my uncle created when he mentioned marrying that idiot Brandon. There is no fucking way that I will be marrying him. Not a fucking chance.

But my idea of just getting out for a bit turned south really quickly.

I only barely made it off my uncle's property when someone grabbed me.

I scream again and kick my bare feet against the inside of the car trunk. My lungs are hurting. My throat feels raw and painful. The music is so loud it's hurting my head as it thrums from the bass speakers.

I take a deep breath, panic flooding me, tears streaming down my cheeks.

I don't know who it is who took me. I didn't have time to see his face. There was only one guy—a freaking tall and really strong guy. He didn't even say a word.

It was so surreal, because he felt familiar to me, but I can't place who it would be. Maybe one of my uncle's pissed off rivals, planning to contact him in a day or two and demand payment or ransom or some deal.

Okay. Okay.

I need to calm down. I need to start focusing. I don't even know which direction we went in after he threw me in the car. Shit, I am so bad at this.

How could I get kidnapped twice? Who does that? For fuck's sake.

As soon as the trunk opens I am going to run.

It's the only thing I can think of doing.

Maybe I'll pretend to be passed out until whoever this is lifts me out of here and then I'll just run.

I stop screaming, stop kicking, and just wait.

I'm still crying, but there is nothing I can actually do about that. I am so terrified.

I hold up my hand right in front of my face because there is very little space in the trunk, and in the faint red back light of the car I can see how badly I'm shaking.

Adrenaline. Fear. Whatever.

We drive for ages. At one point, I start feeling like I might even fall asleep, but I can't. I have to stay alert.

This dress is not keeping me warm at all, and I am so freaking happy I put my leather jacket on as well.

The sound of the road changes from pavement to gravel. I tense.

My entire body goes rigid.

Are we close?

Are we at our destination or is this just another corner and another long road?

When the music goes softer, I know we are finally where we've been headed.

Wherever that is.

The car stops, and a minute later the engine turns off.

The silence is so sudden that my ears feel like they're going to pop from the pressure and weight of it.

I listen, wait, hold my breath.

Heavy footsteps move around outside, crunching on the ground.

The boot opens, and every plan I had, every idea or notion of running, just freezes in my head.

"Alexei?" I say in a heavy whisper, the word barely making it out of my mouth.

"We still have a bit to go. I thought you might be more comfortable in the front of the car."

"Is this a joke?"

"Is what a joke?" he says calmly, staring down at me laying in the trunk.

I push myself up and try to sit up, but he grabs my arm. "Don't get any ideas," he warns me.

"Is this a fucking joke? Did you just fucking kidnap me again ?" All of my panic has turned to anger. What the fuck kind of game is this?

He reaches into the trunk and lifts me out, my bare feet landing on the cold, damp ground. We are pulled off on the side of the road, massive trees looming over us.

"Alexei, this isn't funny. Take me home right now," I snap.

I make a move to run and he grabs my arm again, this time harder. He yanks me up against his body and growls into my face. "Don't test me, little fox."

I gasp at how angry he looks.

My insides freeze up in a moment of fear.

He reaches into the trunk and pulls out some rope. Then, grabbing my wrists, he begins to tie them together behind my back.

Tears start running down my cheeks again as I come to the conclusion that this is not a joke. He is really kidnapping me.

"Why are you doing this? Did my uncle do something again?" I sob.

"No," he says blandly.

"Please tell me why."

He lifts me in his arms and carries me to the passenger door, tossing me inside the car, then slamming the door behind me.

I wriggle against the restraints.

They are too tight, cutting into my wrists.

"This is really hurting me," I complain when Alexei gets into the driver's side and starts the car again.

"It's not much further to go now."

He pulls back out onto the road, gravel crunching loudly.

It's so dark outside, I know we are really far away from any city lights, and I haven't seen another car drive past since I got put into the passenger seat.

Alexei is focused on the road, so I start wiggling more and more.

I manage to shift my tied wrists under my butt, then slide my legs through so that the restraint is now in front of me.

I look out the window at how fast the ground is moving past the car.

I have to do this.

It's going to hurt, but I have to try.

I take a deep breath, plucking up the courage, then I push the passenger door open and get ready to roll out of the moving car.

The breaks slam and I am thrown against the back of the driver's seat. The door slams shut, my head smacks into the headrest, and I blink back tears of pain.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?" Alexei shouts.

He climbs out and grabs my door, pulling it open again.

But I am already on the other side of the car and pulling open the opposite door.

Then I run.

I run faster than I even knew I could.

I speed past the tree line into the really dark and ominous looking forest. The loud thud of boots running behind me pushes me forward. My feet are aching against the raw ground. I feel twigs and rocks stabbing into me.

Holding my tied hands up in front of my face, I manage to stop the low branches from scratching at my eyes. And then I skid, the muddy ground like a slip and slide under my bare feet.

I see it too late.

The steep drop.

The seemingly endless fall as I tip over the edge, screaming a high-pitched sound that even I don't recognize as my own.

I'm going to die.

I'm going to topple right over the edge and my body will smash against whatever lies way at the bottom in the pitch black. Rocks. Trees.

I close my eyes because I can't bear to watch my own death.

Strong hands grab the back of my jacket and yank me away from the edge of the cliff.

My body slams into a solid muscular chest and we both topple to the ground.

Solid ground.

I'm not falling.

I'm lying in Alexei's arms and his chest is heaving up and down.

I try to say something, but all I do is squeak, a pitiful sound filled with shock and horror and fear and more relief than I have ever felt in my life.

Alexei wraps both of his arms around me and holds me so tightly I am struggling to breathe.

I wiggle, gasping a little, a soft, dry cough because my throat is raw from screaming. My hands are still bound in front of me, so I'm kind of stuck.

"Are you okay?" Alexei asks, his voice deep and gentle.

I blink in confusion.

"I'm. Um. I'm."

He grabs my face in his hands and pulls it towards his so that he can see me in the darkness. "Are you okay, Clara?"

The concern in his eyes catches me off guard.

"I'm okay," I nod, his hands moving over my face.

"Fuck, I almost lost you."

Yes, idiot, losing the person you kidnapped before you get the money you're after.

I huff in anger.

"Maybe if you hadn't been chasing me—"

"Maybe if you hadn't been stupid enough to try and jump out of a moving car—"

"Maybe if you hadn't kidnapped me and thrown me in the trunk—"

"Maybe you should just shut up before I am forced to gag you," he snarls.

I open my mouth but then close it again.

The look in his eyes says he means it.

My throat hurts so much as it is. I really don't want to be gagged.

Alexei stands up and pulls me to my feet.

I wince as I realize how much damage I have done to my bare feet running through this fucking forest.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" he asks, again filled with concern.

"Why? You worried my uncle will pay less if I'm damaged goods?" I sass back.

"Are you hurt, Clara?"

"Dammit, stop shouting at me. My feet. I hurt my feet running on the forest floor."

I turn away from him, ready to walk back the way we came, but suddenly his arms are around me and he's lifted me up to his chest, cradling me against him like a baby.

I feel humiliated.

And incredibly turned on.

Which is so ridiculous, because what the fuck is going on?

"Put me down," I demand.

"No, you'll walk too slowly, and we'll never get back to the car."

Effortlessly, he carries me over the fallen trees, rocks, branches, and mushy pathways of the wild forest. I shake my head, trying not to breathe in the scent of him, or feel the heat of his body against me.

I'm furious, but the tingling between my legs is telling me in no uncertain terms that my body is betraying me right now.

Alexei puts me in the front seat, strapping me in, then switching on the damn child lock inside his car door.

I roll my eyes and sigh loudly.

He climbs into the driver's seat and throws me a look that says I dare you try anything else.

I bite my lip.

I will.

As soon as I get another chance.

He starts the car up again and the heater blasts over my aching feet. I close my eyes in relief as the warm air soothes my toes. He glances at me. I know he is doing that on purpose, but I am not going to say thank you.

He can go to hell. He's the reason I am in this mess and he's the reason I'm in pain.

We drive through the dark night as the silhouette of the forest grows thicker on either side of us.

"Where are you taking me, Alexei?"

"I bought a little place in the forest. We are going to stay there for a while. It's far from anything and anyone. No one will hear you, and there is nowhere for you to go, so don't get any ideas."

I don't reply for a long time.

"I never knew you had a place in the forest." He just doesn't seem like that kind of guy. He seems like the kind of guy who loves the city, clubbing, being surrounded by hot half-naked women.

"I imagine there is a lot about me you don't know."

Finally, I see it in the distance.

A double story mansion. It is very modern, with big glass walls spilling warm light out into the space around the house. A natural pool is brightly lit in the garden in front of the house, with a big balcony overlooking it from the second story.

The place is gorgeous.

And it's nighttime now. I wonder how it will look in the daylight.

The glass walls must welcome the reflection of the trees blending with all of this beautiful nature around it.

This is exactly the kind of house I would dream of living in.

I notice that my mouth has dropped open as I stare at it.

Alexei is watching me, so I snap it closed and look away from the house, pretending not to care.

I won't be here long, anyway.

"Can you walk?" he asks as he pulls my door open for me.

"Of course I can. Get your hands off me."

I step out of the car. My foot buckles in pain and I fall flat on my face because my stupid hands are still tied up.

He chuckles.

Then he lifts me up again, this time, he throws me over his shoulder, and I squeal with anger at the indignity of it.

"Alexei—" I shout.

"Come on, I've got some fresh clothes for you inside. You can change out of this muddy dress."

"I'm not wearing one of your hooker girlfriends' leftover clothes," I snap.

"It's all brand new. In fact, you are my very first guests here."

What the fuck is going on?

He opens the front door, and we walk into the warm and welcoming space. He carries me over to the sofa and sets me down on it, making sure to lock the door behind us.

My eyes are constantly roaming, searching, taking everything in. Every door, every window, every opportunity to escape.

He is watching me closely.

"All of these doors are coded. You won't get them open without me," he says calmly. "I am going to get the first aid kit and then we can take a look at your feet. Although I think you might want to have a hot shower or a bath first before we disinfect them."

He nods, his mind made up already.

He leans down at scoops me up again.

"Just let me walk," I complain. "And untie my hands."

"I'll untie your hands in a minute. But if I let you walk, you are going to get blood on my floors. I think you cut your foot badly."

He carries me into one of the upstairs bedrooms and sets me on the edge of the bath. While he is busy tapping the bath, I pull my foot onto my lap and look at the sole.

Shit.

It's pretty bad.

Maybe it just looks bad because it's so dirty, too.

The bathroom starts to warm up as steam fills the air and Alexei tosses aromatherapy oils into the water.

Is he really going to try and tell me he's never had another woman here? Why would he have essential oils?