Chapter 17 - Arseny

I drive the truck back to the cabin and take the keys out. "We can't stay here. The townsfolk and their sheriff will be looking for us. Get out. We'll take my car."

I put the truck into gear and let it roll back down the hill. Boohoo for the asshole it belonged to.

We get into my car, and I follow the road back down the mountain. There are emergency supplies in the trunk in case I need to make a run for it. It's a good thing, too, because we need to get back to the city. Emery is expecting me to arrange a meeting with him to discuss Elena's release.

I don't want to release her. I want to keep her and possess her. I want her to be mine. I know Emery won't negotiate that, though. Not when he hates my family, and I just kidnapped his daughter.

We need to find a place to lay low. I know a motel that won't ask any questions. Elena doesn't say anything as we drive down the mountain. I take another route to avoid the town, and soon, we're on the road to the motel and back toward the city.

"Thank you for saving me." Her voice is so soft I almost mistake it for the wind. I thought I imagined her speaking.

I shake my head. "I will always protect you."

I mean it—every word. I will still protect her even once I hand her over to Emery. I feel connected to her in a way I've never been connected to anyone else, not even my family.

She rolls down the window, and the wind whips her hair back.

"Last night…" I start to say.

She looks at me, and I fall silent. I don't know what I want to say or how to explain my feelings toward her. All I know is that if anyone touches her, they are as good as dead, even if that someone is from my family.

My brothers have their wives. They can leave Elena to me without hassle. I wonder what Kervyn would say? Would he disapprove because she's the enemy?

None of them took Mafia brides. They were all civilians with no ties to the underworld. They were all normal, sweet girls, but that's not what I want. I want Elena's fiery spirit. I like her tenacity. I enjoy her drive. And I want her lips wrapped around my cock while I fuck her throat and have her begging for me to take her.

I shift in my seat, pushing that thought out of my mind. Now is definitely not the time, not after what those guys nearly put her through. I can't expect her to do anything sexual after that. It must be in her own time.

We're silent for the long drive back to Vegas, which is made longer by the constant detours I take to confuse Elena and anyone following us. It comes to an end when I pull into the parking lot of the no-tell motel I picked out. We often send people to stay here when they need to lie low. This place is practically a second home to me.

I check us into a room, slipping the owner an extra hundred dollars for his silence. He gives me the key, and I lead Elena into the room.

It's smells musty in here. The sheets probably haven't been changed since the seventies, and who knows when they were last washed. The wallpaper is peeling off the wall in long, wide strips, revealing the bad paint job underneath. There's a small television in the corner of the room, along with an electric kettle and two mugs. It isn't the Ritz, but it'll do for a few nights.

I take out the cuffs, and while Elena inspects the room, I throw one around her wrist and lock it before attaching the other to myself.

"Seriously?" she asks, tugging on the cuff. "I thought we were past this."

"That was before you made an escape in the middle of the night," I retaliate. "I trusted you when I shouldn't have."

She eyes me and then says, "Can we sit down at least? I'm still sore from running down the mountain to that stupid town."

"You're lucky you didn't get eaten by a bear or a mountain lion," I say as I follow her to the bed. I leave a space between us as I sit down. "What would you have done then? I could have found you dead."

"I freaked out, okay."

"You freaked out?" I growl. "Freaked out doesn't cover this, Elena. You put your life in harm"s way. What if I hadn't found you when that guy grabbed you? What if he'd raped you? I'd never be able to live with myself. You say you have a business mind and make good decisions, but that was stupid."

"I let my mind get carried away. We had sex," she says. "We shouldn't have gotten that intimate, considering our families are enemies."

I wave her off, and she shifts closer to me. "Please don't be mad."

"No amount of pandering to me is going to get you out of my bad books," I snip.

She sighs and leans back. "Fine. Are you at least going to tell me why our families hate each other so much?"

I sigh. "Our fathers used to be close friends until they had a huge falling out."

She looks up at me, and I meet her gaze. "One betrayed the other, and the rivalry started."

I glance at the time. Before I put my phone away, I take out my cell phone and order some Chinese takeaway to be delivered to the room. "I hope you like Chinese."

"I'll eat anything right now. I'm starving."

"Well, I got two sweat and sour porks with fried rice and an extra serving of noodles. Two beef chow meins, and even though it's a Chinese place, I got some sushi. They make it all right." I rest my arms on my legs, and we sit in an uncomfortable silence.

"Want me to turn the TV on?" I offer.

"Probably nothing good to watch," she says. She rearranges herself and lies on the bed. "I wish you'd trust me."

"You broke my trust," I say. "I did trust you, and you betrayed me."

She looks contrite, so I stop myself from saying more. I uncuff my cuff and cuff her to the bed frame.

"I'm going to shower, don't go anywhere."

"I won't. I won't," she says exasperated.

I go to the bathroom, but I leave the door open. I strip and get into the shower, letting the hot water run over me. There's a cheap mini bar of soap that I use to lather myself up.

I wash and rinse off before towel drying my body and getting dressed. I don't have emergency clothes for Elena, so I'll have to think of something.

There's a knock at the door, and I walk out to answer it, obscuring the room with my body. If Elena makes a sound, I'm done for.

It's a delivery kid with the food. I pay him, and he hurries off, pleased with the fifty-dollar tip.

I come back into the room, set the food down on the bed, and handcuff Elena back to me.

"You could have left me tied to the bed," she comments as I start opening containers.

"I'm not leaving anything to chance," I explain, handing her some chopsticks.

We sit facing each other as we eat. Elena picks at her sweet and sour pork while I all but shovel the food down my throat. I'm starving from all the exercise today, and I don't care if I look like a pig right now.

She actually smiles, and I raise an eyebrow. "What?"

"You have sauce all over your face. Here." She reaches over with a paper napkin and wipes my face.

"It's just going to happen again," I say as I mix my food around with my chopsticks.

"So I'll wipe it again," she says, eating her food in small, petite bites.

I smirk and put some noodles in my container along with my rice and pork. I take a big bite, and for a moment, we just eat in silence, sitting in each other"s company. When we're done, I pack up the containers, and Elena catches my face and wipes the food from it.

"Cute," I murmur. "Can I wipe that smile off yours?"

"How would you like to do that?" she asks.

I lean down and kiss her gently. "Like that."

"We shouldn't," she says. "We can't be together. We're in opposite worlds."

"We're in the same world, just different sides of the river," I say.

"Let's get some sleep," she finally says. She kicks off her shoes and lies on top of the blanket with her back to me.

I climb on top of the bed and lie facing her before I slowly snake an arm around her and move forward so I can spoon her. "Why resist it while we have the time? If you really want me to stop, I will, but I don't want you to. I want you to know that."

She puts her hand over mine and whispers. "I don't believe you, you know?"

"That I want this?" I ask.

"That you don't have any life goals or dreams. Everyone wants something out of life," she turns in my arms to face me. "Even you."

"I think I just hadn't met what I wanted until I found you," I say quietly. "Now, all I want is you. You're mine, and I want it to stay that way."

"We can't, though. You must know that." She looks forlorn, and I kiss her forehead.

"We don't have to decide right now, do we?" I ask.

"What will you do with the butchers once you get them back?" She watches my reaction, and I keep it neutral.

"Give it back to the owners so they can continue to run them," I say. "I want a place to go, not a business to run."

"You'd be good at it—that or something related to knives. I've never seen someone so skilled with a blade. You must practice a lot." She traces the scars on my arm. "Did you inflict these yourself?"

"Times I was tortured by other families when I was caught. I don't really get caught anymore, not if I can help it." I sigh and relax to her touch. "Do you have any scars?"

"One, I'm surprised you didn't notice." She points next to her crotch on the inside of her thigh. "Playing with my brothers, I jumped over a spiked fence and slipped. Almost made it right through me."

"That must have been painful," I say. "I'm not surprised I missed it. I was a bit preoccupied." I smile evilly, and she smacks my chest.

"Not that I'm complaining." She blushes and looks down.

I tilt her face up. "We don't have to have sex, but I'd like to kiss you again."

"Okay,"

We kiss for a few minutes before she settles against my chest and closes her eyes.

I try and stay awake, wanting to keep an eye on her. She's a lot smarter than I gave her credit for, and I believe she could slip the cuff if I'm off guard.

I can't resist the lull of sleep, though, especially with her body warming me up. I wrap my arm around her and drift off, wondering if she'll be there in the morning.

I sit up. I had a dream that Elena was hurt.

"Huh?" she says, jostled by my movements.

"Sorry," I mumble. I look around the motel room as she sits up, rubbing her eyes.

"What time is it?"

I look at my watch. "Seven."

"So are we just going to hang out here until my father calls?" she asks.

I feel a pang of guilt and admit the truth to her. "Your father called me yesterday. He wants me to arrange a meeting to discuss what I want in exchange for you. I think it's time I did that."