13. LEIGH

Chapter 13

LEIGH

The door to my private sitting room clicks shut behind me. I take a deep breath, trying to shake off the overwhelming sense of being trapped in a gilded cage. Sure, it’s a cage with a private balcony, and luxurious furnishings, and probably costs more than I’d make in three lifetimes, but it’s still a cage.

I notice the adjoining bathroom Radomir mentioned and step inside, locking the door behind me. My heart races as I pull my phone from its hiding spot where Tracy told me she hid it. Relief floods through me when I see that Sabrina has finally answered. Her message flashes on the screen:

Call me ASAP.

I hit the call button, and she picks up almost instantly.

“Leigh? Are you okay? Where the hell are you?” Sabrina’s voice is a frantic whisper.

“I’m alive, for now,” I joke, though even I can hear the hollowness in my voice. “Rina, I’m not in the city anymore. Radomir brought me to his... estate.”

‘Estate?’ she repeats incredulously.

“Yeah, it’s like a Bond villain’s lair—only with more landscaping.”

“Jesus. What’s the plan?”

I hesitate, gripping the phone tighter. “I don’t know yet. I need your help with one. In the meantime, I’m trying to figure out the layout. See if there’s any way out.”

“Good. Message me often, so I know you’re okay,” Sabrina says, her voice soft with concern. “Leigh… are you okay? I mean, really okay?”

Heat creeps up my neck as memories of last night and this morning flood my mind. “I… uh, let’s just say I’m not an old maid anymore.”

There’s a pause, followed by Sabrina’s gasp. “You slept with him?”

“Yeah. More than once.” My voice is barely above a whisper. “And before you say anything, it wasn’t like I had much choice.”

“Fuck Leigh…” Her tone is a mix of concern and disbelief. “Did he… did he rape you?”

“No, no!” I interrupt, trying to find the words. “More like he seduced me.” I swallow hard. “He was… I don’t know how to explain it. Gentle, thoughtful even. And he made me feel things I didn’t think my body was capable of feeling.”

“Goddamn,” Sabrina mutters. “I always pegged him as the dark, sexy type who’d know his way around a woman’s body.”

A surprised laugh escapes me, cutting through the tension. “Yeah, well, you were right.”

Her laughter joins mine for a brief moment before we both fall silent, the weight of reality settling back in.

“Just hang tight, Leigh,” Sabrina says finally. “I’ll think of something. In the meantime, don’t do anything reckless, okay?”

“Okay,” I promise, even though I know it’s a lie. “This place, from the little I’ve seen so far, is like Fort Knox. Every layer of security reminds me just how outmatched I am, but I’ll figure out a way.”

“Then please, don’t try anything, Leigh.” Sabrina goes quiet for a few seconds. “Don’t alert him that you’re thinking of an escape, or he’ll double down on security. Especially if he’s not willing to let you go.”

After a few more words and my promise not to do anything dumb, we hang up. I find a new hiding spot for my phone, take a deep breath, and unlock the door. Determined to keep my cool, I step out.

Glancing out the windows, I decide to take a tour of the grounds and get a feel for the layout of the land. I walk through the large, masculine room, deliberately avoiding the sight of the big bed dominating it, or the vivid memories it stirs about a similar bed. I yank the bedroom door open.

Outside my door, Fredrik stands like a sentinel—not that I’m surprised to see him there.

“Oh, hello,” I say, arching an eyebrow. “Are you my human pit bull now? My very own Bratva guard dog!”

The corner of his mouth twitches with a hint of a smile. “Something like that.”

“Awesome!” I start to walk down the hallway, and Fredrik follows closely behind me.

He tilts his head. “Where are you headed?”

I shrug and start to turn back toward the room. “If you give me a minute, I’ll write up an itinerary for you.”

He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “I’m with you regardless of where you’re going. I just thought I’d ask. You know, making conversation.”

“I’m going for a walk around the gardens,” I tell him.

“Let me guess. You’re staking out weaknesses to escape?”

My heart skips a beat, but I recover quickly, forcing a laugh. “As if. I wouldn’t even know where to start in this fortress.”

Fredrik chuckles, his knowing look saying more than words could.

“Actually, I was going to map out a running route,” I lie, then frown. “As my shadow, you might as well make yourself useful and give me the grand tour.” I grin sweetly. “Maybe you even know of a good running path. You look like a fit guy.”

Fredrik leads me through sprawling, movie-worthy grounds—manicured gardens, sunlit fountains, and timeless sculptures. There’s an outdoor heated pool surrounded by luxury cabanas, equestrian stables with sleek, powerful horses, and even a private vineyard.

But it’s the security that catches my attention. Discreet cameras are tucked into the corners of the grounds, and motion sensors blink faintly along the pathways. Guards patrol the perimeter. Their presence is subtle but undeniable.

“So, this is how the other half lives,” I mutter, more to myself than Fredrik.

“Well, the Bratva other half.” He grins. “While the other estates dotted around this area have good security, I can assure you they’re not as heavily guarded as this place.”

“Is that a subtle warning, Freddie?”

“It’s the truth wrapped in a gentle warning,” Fredrik corrects me.

“I think I’ll take a dip in the pool later,” I tell him.

“Then I suggest you use the indoor pool,” he advises. “I don’t think the boss will take too kindly to you being skimpily clad in front of his men.”

“Why?” My brows rise with my ire. “Haven’t they seen women before?”

Fredrik sighs and shakes his head again. “Can I give you some advice?”

“Would it stop you if I said no?”

“No,” Fredrik admits with a laugh. “The boss has a soft spot for you, but don’t push him, and if you stop fighting him, you may just start enjoying your new life.”

“Is that your form of pep talk, Freddie?” I pat his solid shoulder. “You might want to work on it. Because everything you just said had the exact opposite effect that you were going for.”

Fredrik rolls his eyes again. “Come on. Let’s map out a running path for you.”

“Do I need to wear a suit of armor to avoid titillating one of the boss’s men?” I quip, falling into step behind him.

By the time we return to the house for lunch, my head buzzes with information—far more than I expected to learn about the estate. The security here is tight, almost impenetrable, but I’ve noted a few potential vulnerabilities. Whether I can exploit them is another matter entirely.

Radomir waits for me in the dining room, seated at the head of a long, polished table. The spread before him is enough to feed a small army, and my stomach growls embarrassingly loud at the sight.

“Enjoy your tour?” His tone is casual, but his sharp gaze cuts through me.

“It was enlightening,” I reply, sliding into the chair beside him. “I’m sure Freddie is already typing up a full report for you.”

His jaw tightens, but he says nothing, letting the tension hang in the air between us.

I focus on the food, trying to ignore the way his gaze feels like a physical weight on me. The meal is decadent—truffle pasta, roasted vegetables, fresh bread—but it tastes like ash in my mouth with Radomir sitting there, silently watching my every move.

Halfway through the meal, his phone buzzes. He glances at the screen and then stands abruptly. “I have to take this.” He glances at me. “Enjoy the rest of your meal and afternoon.”

He strides out, leaving me alone at the table.

After lunch, I decide to explore the house.

The interior is as opulently extravagant as the exterior, dripping with obscene wealth. I wander through a ballroom with glittering chandeliers, a private cinema with plush reclining seats, and a state-of-the-art gym near an indoor pool and sauna.

The pool catches my attention, its crystal-clear water shimmering under the soft overhead lights.

Back in the bedroom, I find the walk-in dressing room Radomir mentioned earlier. It’s filled with brand-new clothes, all in my size. My fingers trail over the soft fabrics, and I pull out a pink and blue bikini that’s almost too pretty to wear.

I slip into the bikini. Its fabric cool against my skin as I tie the strings behind my neck. I drape a robe over my shoulders before heading toward the pool area. The air feels heavy with humidity as I walk through corridors adorned with art that speaks of wealth and history. My footsteps echo on the polished marble floors until I reach the pool room.

The pool glimmers under soft lights, its surface smooth as liquid glass, inviting me to dive into its warm embrace. Eager for distraction, I dive in; the water envelops me in an embrace that quiets the noise in my mind. Stroke after stroke, I cut through the pool’s length, focusing on the simple rhythm until my tense muscles relax.

Eventually, I find solace in the spa pool on one side. The jets work wonders on the knots of tension in my muscles, each bubble rising to the surface as if carrying my stress away. Closing my eyes helps me detach from reality for brief moments where worries can’t reach me.

That tranquil bubble bursts when Radomir’s voice slices through—deep like distant thunder yet near enough to send ripples across both water and my nerves.

“Mind if I join you?”

My eyes snap open, instinct jolting me upright so quickly that waves crest around where I floated serenely. Radomir stands at the poolside, clad only in swim trunks perfectly fitted over powerful legs, and his chest and arm muscles ripple beneath his skin.

The man is fucking gorgeous, and as hard as I try, I can’t stop the way my skin and other more intimate parts of me respond to him. My skin prickles as Radomir wades closer, the water rippling around him like a predator circling its prey.

His words are soft, but the weight behind them is anything but. “You look nervous, Leigh. But you don’t need to be… unless you’re hiding something.” His gaze pierces me, sharp and unrelenting, and I realize there’s no hiding anything from this man—not for long.