I remember the mug in my hand. Lifting it to my lips to hide their shaking, I take a sip, burning my tongue in the process. At least I won’t have to be in my room while talking to a man I don’t know from anywhere. I can feel the panic starting to rise, but I push it down.
I must be strong; I know this man has been called here to protect me. When I finish my coffee, I hand the mug over to Mrs. Smit, who has been chatting away but I haven’t heard one single word.
As Mrs. Smit makes her way out of the room, I reluctantly join her. We walk down the corridor and to the left where the dining room is. When we walk in, I stop. There is a man standing before the wide windows—a very large man. At our arrival, he turns, and I tense. A very handsome large man at that, and one who breathes danger. His eyes travel over my body encased in jeans and a T-shirt now. I can’t tell what his thoughts are when his eyes finally clash with mine. Very magnetic eyes that seem to see right into my soul.
“Ruby.” His voice, like his eyes, has a deadly quality to it. “My name is Dimitri. I’m here to protect you.”
The first thought that crosses my mind is who’s going to protect me from him? I can feel my insides fluttering in nervousness. My hands are clammy, and my heart is racing. I try to hold it together. Just because he’s a man doesn’t mean he will hurt me, and he’s here to help me. Stop being such a baby, he’s not going to hurt you, I keep telling myself that as soon as he takes a step towards me. I take a step back, and he stops.
A frown now adorns his handsome face, but I have learnt that the handsome ones think they can get away with everything. I won’t have a chance if he ever decides to attack me. His chest, even though covered in a crisp light-grey shirt and a charcoal-grey suit, still shows its impressive width and hints to its muscular strength below.
“I know this is a difficult time for you. I promise I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, but for that, I’m going to need you to listen to everything I say until we are safe.” He takes another step towards me and then stops again. “I want to leave early tomorrow morning; you will be ready.”
I tense. What does he mean leave early?
“Where are we going?” I hate that my voice is wobbly, but the fact that I’m in the presence of a man I don’t know and apparently am going to be in his company until all this is resolved is reason enough to send me into a panic.
“It’s safer that you don’t know, but don’t worry, you will be safe where we’re going.”
What does he mean? Why can’t I know? “Why can’t we stay here?” Maybe I can convince him to stay here. I don’t want to leave. I don’t know him, and I sure as hell don’t want to go anywhere where I’ll be alone with him. He turns his head, and only then do I realize that Mrs. Smit is standing just a few feet away, looking at both of us with a curious look on her face.
“Thank you, Mrs. Smit,” he says in his gravelly voice, a pointed look in her direction.
“Of course. Would you like any coffee, Dimitri?” Mrs. Smit asks, a tone of care in her voice. It seems Mrs. Smit has a soft spot for him.
“No, thank you,” he says politely with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes but still changes his dangerously handsome face into a more approachable look. When his eyes return to me, I realize that Mrs. Smit has left. I must really start to concentrate; I know I’m under intense pressure with everything that has happened, but I still can’t let myself get into a situation that I won’t be able to get away from later. He might be here to help me, but why would he? He doesn’t even know me or my family.
“Ruby, I know you have had a difficult couple of days and this doesn’t help, having to trust someone you don’t know, but if I’m going to keep you safe, you are going to have to try to trust me.”
Trust him? Even if I wanted to, that is the last thing I will ever be able to do.
Since what happened, I have tried to see the good in people, to trust others and get closer, but something in me keeps me from being able to. It wasn’t just my body that was violated that day, but my emotions seem to have been affected to a point where I will never get them back to normal again. I mistrust everyone who comes into contact with me, always looking for ulterior motives. The only people I trusted died a few days ago. My parents were my north, and now I’m without direction.
“I don’t even know you,” I say. I know he was tasked with looking after me, but I’m sure he can understand that I don’t feel comfortable enough to be around him.
“Well, the only way to get to know me is to be around me, don’t you think?” he says, and I see his eyebrow lift in query. “Ruby, I wish I could give you time to get to know me at your leisure, but unfortunately, we don’t have time. Therefore, we are leaving tomorrow morning.” I realize I’m standing here with my mouth open, and hurriedly snap my mouth shut. “Be ready at eight. I will meet you here.” With those words, he nods to me and strolls away.
I’m still standing here five minutes later, looking at the door he walked out of. I wish I could tell him to go take a hike, but I know I have no say in what happens to me. When you are born into the mafia, there isn’t much you can say if the boss decides he wants something. I know he’s trying to protect me from whoever killed my family, but I don’t want him to protect me. I just want to be away from all the danger. I want to have a normal life, free from being scared all the time.
What happened to me before was because of the Bratva. Everything is because of the Bratva. Unknowing to me, my father had ordered the death of Cristina and Chris father when they were younger. He died in a car accident, but it was provoked by the Bratva. The reason Chris raped me was revenge on my father. Even though I hate Chris for what he did, I understand his hate and thirst for revenge on the man responsible for his father’s death.
I loved my father, but I knew he had a hard and unforgiving side to him. The death of my family is also the Bratva’s fault, and the reason I now must run and hide. That I must go away with a man I don’t know or trust, a man way too handsome and therefore will think that whatever he wants he can have.
“Ruby.” I jump in fright, as I didn’t hear anyone approaching. Turning, I see the boss standing in the doorway, a frown marring his face. “Are you okay?”
This man frightens me the most. He has the power of life and death in his hands. I know he is trying to protect me from who is after me, but if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have been in this predicament and my family wouldn’t have been killed.
“Where is he taking me?”
He inclines his head towards a chair as he walks nearer. “It is safer that you don’t know, but don’t worry, Ruby, Dimitri is one of the best. He will keep you safe, and he will do right by you.”
“What do you mean he will do right by me?”
He hesitates before he starts to speak again.
“All you need to know at this moment is that Dimitri is a good man. He has been through his own heartaches. He will do everything in his power to keep you safe. I want you to listen and obey him in everything. If for some reason, you believe he is putting you in danger in any way, you should contact me.”
Like that will help. He will just pawn me off to someone else.
“I have ensured that you will be seen to. I know this might all be overwhelming for you right now, but trust me when I say that I have done the best thing for you. You will be safe, and with time, you will come to see that the decisions taken were the best ones.” He leans forward in his chair, which brings him closer to me, making my stomach lurch with nerves.
“I ask that you give Dimitri a chance, and I know it might be difficult for you, but trust me.”
I wouldn’t trust this man with a pair of shoes. He wants me to trust him on his word. Well, I will judge for myself, and hopefully what he says is true and I will come to feel safe with Dimitri, but for now, the only person I can depend on is myself.
I nod my head, not answering him, as I don’t know what to say. With that, I stand and make my way towards my room, leaving him i
n his chair. Entering my room, I look around, feeling the same emptiness that has plagued me ever since Chris attacked me. No matter the amount of therapy I went through to help get through what happened, or the different things my father bought me to make me forget, or the different places I have visited since. This incessant feeling of emptiness is embedded in my soul, and no matter what I try or do, it doesn’t go away.
Like every other girl out there, I had dreams of meeting someone I loved and living happily ever after. That died the day I was violated, as a part of me was stolen, defiled. No man will ever want a half woman, a woman who can’t bear to be touched, a woman who still wakes up at night in cold sweats.
When I think about it, I wonder what the purpose of all this is. I am no use to anyone, not even myself. I don’t have a career that could motivate me. I don’t have anyone who loves or cares for me any longer. I don’t have anything to look forward to. This is pointless, trying to keep me safe. What am I being kept safe for? No one will miss me if I die.
I walk towards the king-sized bed and sit down, looking around at the lavish room. It’s beautiful, right down to the rugs on the floor, but it’s cold and empty, just like the man talking to me but a few minutes ago. No matter how much I think about it, I can’t find a way out or a reason for even wanting to have anyone protecting me. Would it be so bad if whoever is trying to kill me succeeded?
I lie back on the bed and close my eyes. I’m tired of thinking, tired of everything. I just want peace, no thoughts running through my mind incessantly.
I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I know, Mrs. Smit is standing next to the bed with a smile on her face and a cup of coffee in her hand. “Good morning. I came to check on you last night, but you seemed so peaceful, I left you sleeping. I’m sure you’re hungry, though, as you missed dinner.” With that, she places the coffee cup on the bedside table and walks to the far side of the room, where I notice she has placed a tray with breakfast. “Your breakfast is here, and I’m going to run you a bath while you eat.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Smit. You very good to me.” She has been friendly and kind since I arrived, and I appreciate her chatter, as it gets me away from my thoughts most of the time.
“Of course I’m kind. You’re not one of those grumpy bears who walk through this house at all times of the day,” she says, pulling a face as she talks, heading for the bathroom to run the water for my bath. “Now come on, get up and have a bite to eat. You eat less than a bird.” She disappears into the bathroom.
The last thing I feel like doing is getting up and facing another day, but like always, I push myself to fight ahead. Standing, I realize I’m still wearing yesterday’s clothes. Shaking my head in irritation, I walk towards the table and take a seat. Looking down at the plate, I can smell the golden scrambled eggs and the two slices of toast next to it. It smells wonderful, but since everything happened, I feel knots in my stomach and the food just won’t go down my throat. I have no appetite whatsoever, and the thought of eating makes me nauseous, but after the trouble Mrs. Smit went to to make me breakfast the least I can do is try to swallow a few forkfuls.
I’ve taken a couple forkfuls and am now chewing a bite of toast when Mrs. Smit comes back out and shakes her head when she sees my plate is nearly the same as when she left.
“If you don’t start eating soon, you are going to disappear,” she mutters as she moves towards the bed and starts to straighten it out. “I’m not going to push you, because soon, Dimitri will be coming to find you, but I’m going to warn him to keep an eye on you and make you eat.”
That’s all I need, that man forcing me to eat. Laying down my fork, I stand and make my way towards the bathroom. Even though there is a shower in here, I prefer to bathe. There is nothing like relaxing in a hot water bath while I lay back my head, close my eyes, and try not to think of anything. It also relaxes the muscles on my back that feel like they have been pulled so tight that soon they will snap. Undressing, I climb into the bath. After lying back with my head against the back, I close my eyes, but to my surprise, instead of the image of my parents bloodied and looking back at me, I see Dimitri.
My eyes snap open, and I feel myself scowling. Why would he pop into my head like that? Today is the day I must start spending time with him, with a man I don’t know from anywhere. A man whose whole presence spells danger. I have been running away from any and all contact with any strangers, and now out of the blue, I am thrown into a situation I can’t do anything about.
I know that for him it’s a job. He more than likely doesn’t want to be with me as much as I don’t want to be with him, which makes me feel just as terrible for being a burden to someone. I know that with the death of my parents, I get everything of theirs—the houses, the money, the cars. I could disappear into the world. At least for a while, I wouldn’t need to worry about anything, but the Bratva have long arms and sooner or later find everyone.
Who am I kidding? It would be the perfect outcome, but I suspect that if I had to set foot outside this house, whoever is looking for me would have me killed in minutes. Huffing in annoyance, I sit up and start angrily lathering my body. No use delaying the inevitable.
DIMITRI 3
What am I supposed to do with a woman who fears her own shadow. Yes, she’s beautiful, but beauty isn’t everything in a relationship. I don’t want a woman I can’t touch or say a wrong word to because she might shatter into pieces. It’s not that I don’t understand why she’s like she is, but when she took a step back from me yesterday when I met her and tensed, I gritted my teeth in annoyance.
If the coward who attacked her were still alive, I would personally go pay him a visit. Hearing a noise, I tense and then turn to see Ruby descending the steps, her long jet-black hair flowing behind her and her beautiful hazel-brown eyes turned down. I know she has seen me, as her body is tense and I can see her biting her lip nervously. If she only knew what was waiting for her, I think she would have run the other way.
“Ruby.” At my voice, she stops on the bottom step and looks up at me. “Thank you for not making me come get you.”
She takes a deep breath and then exhales slowly as if calming herself before she shrugs. “It’s not as if I had a choice,” she says, and takes the last step and then stops again instead of approaching me. “Are we leaving now?”
“You have joined us!” At the boss’s voice as he approaches us from his library, I see Ruby jump in fright and then take a step towards me. That pleases me, because it tells me that from both of us, she trusts me more than the boss. I hope that continues with what is to come.
“Let’s get this over with,” he says as he moves towards the dining room. Confused, Ruby looks at me and then frowns when I nod for her to follow the boss. She reluctantly follows, but I notice her back is tense as if worried that I’m going to pounce on her at any moment.
What is to come is going to be interesting if Ruby is so opposed to a man’s touch. Sooner or later, she will have to get used to mine, as I will not live a fake marriage, and I do not believe in cheating. I am also not going to live the rest of my life celibate. Therefore, Ruby will have to get used to the idea of being my wife. I will try to be patient and help her adjust to me; I just hope it won’t take too long.
When we enter the dining room. She tenses even more and then stops. I stop a foot away from her back, making sure not to touch her in any way. “Come in, you two. We can’t do this without you.” The boss is standing next to the priest he arranged. Four of his trusted captains are standing behind him. For Ruby, I can imagine this must be a nightmare, with so many men around her.
“What’s going on?” she asks, and looks over her shoulder at me.
“We are getting married.”
Her eyes widen in shock, and then she starts to shake her head. “I don’t want to marry you,” she blurts out, and even though I know she doesn’t, her saying it makes me angry. Does she think I want to marry her? This is the last thing I want to do.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have a choice,” I say.
Her hand rises to her throat as if something is choking her, and I see realization dawn in her eyes. She now understands that she’s not the only one who doesn’t want this marriage. Well, this is a great start to our union.
“Ruby.” She turns towards the boss. “This is the best thing for you, for both of you. Dimitri will take care of you and make sure no harm befalls you.”
“But we don’t know each other,” she says, and I can hear the desperation in her voice, which makes me angry. I’m sure there are worse things than marrying me. Like someone trying to kill her, for one.
“You will get to know each other, but now there is no time. You two need to leave, and I want this done before you do.” I know that when the boss makes up his mind, there is no turning it.
“I don’t want to do this.”
I tense. No one refuses an order. I see the other men tense too, which has me moving around Ruby and standing before her.
“Relax,” the boss says, and waves his hand to me. “Already you protect her. This is good.”
Of course I protect her. She doesn’t know what she has just done.
“Ruby, come; we don’t have time for this. I’m sure you want to do this the easy way, now don’t you?” It’s not so much the words but the tone of his voice that delivers the threat. Looking over at Ruby, I see the fear in her eyes. I feel a tightening in my gut, and all I want is to make it better.
“Come, it will be fine. I promise.”
Her eyes turn to mine, and for a minute, I’m sure she’s going to bolt, but then she straightens her shoulders and nods. She has just trusted me to make this okay. I never break a promise. This marriage is going to be harder than I ever thought.
She walks the few steps required to reach the priest and then stops. She doesn’t look at anyone except the priest standing before her with a pained look on his face. For a man of the cloth, this sure is against everything he should be doing. It just shows the power the boss wields, that even the church he has in his pocket.
Mayhem: Bratva Fury (book 3) Page 2