Chapter 7 - Arina

I cannot believe he handcuffed me. I'm not his damn slave. Then he throws me over his shoulder and carries me upstairs. I feel every muscle working with every step he takes.

I look down at the entrance hall, where everyone is scattered after he ends the wedding party.

"Time for you to see your new bedroom," he says as he walks.

"I am not sleeping with you. I'd rather die," I choke out.

"That can be arranged," he says, but I know it's an empty threat. He is obsessed with me for some reason.

He carries me down the hall and into the master bedroom, tossing me onto the bed.

The bed itself is a large four-poster bed with black curtains hanging around it. The room is antique-looking, with half wood paneling and half paint on the walls. There is an armchair in the corner, and I can see a door leading to what I can only assume is either a walk-in closet or an en-suite bathroom.

I glare up at Igor, my curly hair a mess around me.

"There are going to be some ground rules while you live here," he says. "And you will abide by them or spend all your time locked in here."

I don't say anything, keeping stoic on the bed. He nods.

"First of all, you're going to stop running away. We're married now. It's done. You are not undoing that."

"So, I could undo it if I want to," I threaten.

"But you won't because I command it," he growls.

I stare up at him, our eyes locking. I hope it hurt like hell when I kneed him in the balls. Fucking asshole is stealing my life away from me.

"Second rule, you apologize properly to Yvonne. Some guards can take you two out shopping, and you make it up to her. You don't want to be on her bad side, as sweet as she seems." He holds his hands out. "And no more kneeing me, kicking me, or anything like that. I won't hit you or hurt you, so you don't need to do it to me."

"I will fight you every step of the way," I say angrily.

"Then you will be tied up every step of the way." He crosses the room and sits down on the armchair.

"When you're ready to be civil, I will remove the cuffs so you can get changed." He crosses his legs and arms and watches me. I refuse to give him any satisfaction.

"This is ridiculous," I say. "I don't even have anything to change into."

"I'm sure one of my T-shirts will fit you fine for now. I'll have Yvonne find your address and get your things." He gives me a sinister-looking smile, and I can only assume he is picturing me naked.

"Go to hell." I rest back and look away from him, trying my best to be comfortable in the position I'm in. This day has exhausted me, that's for sure.

I don't remember much else because I doze off, and when I startle myself awake, I'm curled up in my gown on the bed. I must have been sleeping soundly.

I look around. I can't see Igor anywhere.

I move my hands and immediately notice the cuffs are off. I sit up straight as the door opens, and Yvonne walks in.

I swallow hard and watch as she sets down some clothes on the armchair. "So, you can change."

"Yvonne, I'm sorry," I say quietly. "I shouldn't have done that."

"I can't trust you," she says, looking over at me coldly. "Why should I forgive you?"

"I promise I won't use you like that again. Please? Maybe we can go shopping together?"

"Just another trick to try and escape," she says. "I have better things to do than try to aid in your dramatics." She sweeps from the room, and I feel a twang of guilt in my chest.

I get up, and two servants come in. They stand to the side.

"What are you here for?" I ask curiously.

The person on the left answers, "To help you out of your wedding dress and to pack it away."

I nod and turn around. "Okay then."

They come to me and start undoing the bow and then the bodice. Once everything is loose enough, I get it off and look around. "Where is the bathroom?"

"Through that door. Can we run you a bath?" the younger of the two servants asks.

"Is there a shower?" I ask.

"Yes, ma'am, let me turn it on for you."

"I…"

She hurries off, and I follow her. The bathroom is black and sleek. The bath is in one corner and takes up a good deal of the room. It is sunken into the floor, so you step down into it like a small pool.

There is a black toilet in one corner, and one wall has two black basins that are free-standing.

Then the shower is near the bath, a large open area with a drain in the floor.

The servant turns the water on hot and scatters salts on the floor, which look like little blocks.

"Ah, what are those?" I ask.

"Shower steamers to open up your pores." She smiles. "Mr. Sidorov said we are to give you every luxury."

I feel like I'm in one of those olden-day series I watch on Saturdays. Who even has servants now?

The woman leaves after saying quietly, "I'll be just outside."

I strip off my underwear and step into the shower. It's piping hot, and these shower steamers smell divine. I pick up the bar of soap on the side of the shower and start to soap up my body before I rinse it off.

Then I wash my hair, washing it with the shampoo and conditioner two-in-one combo I find in the shower. I wish they'd brought me the ones from the other room.

When I'm finished, I simply stay in the shower for some time, letting the hot water relax my body before I climb out and brush my teeth with my finger. I'll have to ask them to bring me those things from the other bathroom.

I rinse off, and with a towel wrapped around me, I step into the bedroom where the two women are waiting.

"What am I going to do once I'm dressed? Where does he want me?" I ask.

"He said to take you to breakfast but that he won't be joining this morning because he has work to do," the older servant says.

"What are your names please?" I ask.

"Olga," the older one says. "And this is Marie."

"Thank you for helping me out. You can let me be. Please, just bring me the toiletries from the guestroom." They look at each other, and Olga shakes her head.

"We can only leave you once you're having breakfast. Then the guard will watch over you." She bows her head, and I sigh. I take the clothes into the bathroom, dry off, and dress. The clothes fit a little loosely, but they'll do.

I think of my apartment uptown and how it's filled with my things—not some stranger dressing me, but my clothes.

Olga leads me out of the room. The tiled floor is cold to my bare feet. Marie follows behind us, and falling into line behind her is a beefy man.

No doubt he's the guard assigned to me to ensure I don't try to escape again.

They take me to the dining area, and I sit down on the left side of the table. Yvonne is sitting opposite me.

"You took forever," she comments. "Olga, Marie. Please bring out breakfast."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were waiting for me." I watch as Olga and Marie leave. "Yvonne, I really am honestly sorry. You tried to befriend me when I had no one, and I abused that. Please try and forgive me."

She looks at me hesitantly and sniffs. "We'll see how you behave. If you stop trying to run away, then perhaps we can try to be friends again."

I give her a small smile. "Thanks."

A plan is formulating in my mind. Perhaps this little tryst with Igor isn't the worst thing that can happen to me. After all, the Milovs are a powerful mafia family, and I was just going to screw them with some bad property sales. This way, I might have more of a reach to them.

Breakfast is brought out, and my mouth waters. A plate is set in front of me with bacon, fried eggs on toast, and what looks like hash browns. Then, a bowl is set above that with freshly cut fruit and a bowl next to that with what looks like piping hot porridge. Oats, from what I can see, with a spoonful of butter on top.

First, I pick up the small bowl of oats and mix in some sugar with the melting butter. Then, I taste it.

"This is so good," I murmur. I take another mouthful and hashasha as it's hot in my mouth.

Yvonne shakes her head. "Eat some fruit while it cools, then it's easier to eat."

I set it down and picked up the fruit bowl. "What types of fruit are these?"

"Melon, kiwi, and dragon fruit," she says as she eats from her own bowl. "I'm saving the pomegranate for lunch."

I nod and start to eat. The fruit is cool and sweet, definitely fresh.

Coming from a background where my family fed me scraps, this is certainly a change. It is strange to be so easily accepted into this family and then fed and treated well.

"If you give me your apartment address, I will send someone to fetch your things," Yvonne says as she starts on her main plate of food.

I set the fruit bowl down. "I can't even go there?" I ask quietly.

"No," Yvonne says sternly. "Igor says you're not to leave the house until you learn to behave. Unless it is with him, of course."

An awkward silence befalls us, and I finish breakfast hurriedly, ending with the now tolerable but warm porridge. Yvonne gets up and leaves before I can say anything, and I look around the room.

I'm unsure what to do, so I turn to the guard. "What's your name?"

"Alfie," he says, his hands clasped in front of him.

"What am I allowed to do, Alfie?" I ask. "In the house, I mean."

"You can look around. You're just not allowed out yet."

"So, like a puppy," I say coldly.

He shrugs. "I don't work for you. Take it as you will, and if you have a problem, take it up with the boss."

I stand up and walk out of the room, and Alfie follows. I walk toward the secret hallway but see a guard standing outside the door.

I didn't think it would be available anyway.

I wander around the downstairs section of the house, which seems to be the more social part.

Large dining halls, dancing halls, and entertainment rooms. Even a home theater.

The whole time I'm moving around, I think about the Milovs and how Igor seems to want revenge as much as I do. Perhaps this can work out in my favor.

I look at Alfie. "Is the boss in?"

"He's in his home office, in the library," Alfie says.

"Excellent, let's go see him."

Alfie follows me quickly. "I don't think it's wise to disturb him."

"I think he'll want to hear my proposal, Alfie, so don't be scared. He won't kill us."

"He might not kill you, but I'm expendable," Alfie says, stepping in front of me.

"Did he say I could wander around the entire house or not?" I put my hands on my hips.

Alfie looks at me and sighs.

"Where's the library?" I ask.

Alfie motions down a corridor. "At the end to the right."

I pass by him and pat his arm. "Don't worry, everything is going to be okay. I have an excellent deal to propose."