Chapter 25

**Alexi pov**

I love watching her squirm, it is fucking adorable, she is adorable. But she should not have left her room, I put her in there for a reason, she should have waited for me to come back to her. I wouldn’t have left her alone down there if I thought that she was awake. I thought that she would have slept for a lot longer than she did.

She shovels the food into her mouth, her entire body shaking, she looks like she might puke it all back up in a second. If she does, she will be the one who cleans it. She wanted food, she has it. Now she has to eat it.

“Good girl.” I praise when she finishes the plate, “that wasn’t so hard, was it.”

She shakes her head, swallowing the last few bites of sausage.

“Go down to your room.” I tell her, “I will be there in a moment.”

She nods, slowly climbing off her chair and waddling towards the door that leads down to the room I placed her in. Her shoulders are low, and she is still shaking. The poor thing looks like she might have a heart attack at any moment. But it is her own fault. She should not have defied me.

She should have stayed in her room, where I left her.

I turn to Misha, “what did she say to you?” I ask him, tapping my fingers against the marble table top.

He shrugs his shoulders, still eating his food, “not much man, she just said that she was hungry, so I fed her.”

“You decided out of the kindness in your heart to feed the starving prions we?” I murmur, losing my patience, “I don’t believe that for a second.” I growl, “what else did she say? Did she ask about her sister?”

Misha sighs, “no.” He says, “she didn’t ask about her sister, and I wouldn’t have told her anything if she did.”

She didn’t ask about Sarah. Strange. I thought for certain she would have taken the opportunity to ask. She’s a sneaky one.

But if she didn’t ask about her sister, and if she didn’t try to run, why did she leave her room? Was it really just for food?

“I don’t understand.” I say, “I thought she would have run.”

“Was this some kind of a test Alexi?” Misha asks, “because she didn’t even leave the back door, when I came in she was pouring some juice into a glass.”

I look on the counter top to see that the orange juice was still there, and I stand, putting it back into the fridge.

If she didn’t try to run, then I have no need to punish her any further. It’s a shame. I would have liked to throw her over my knee.

“I don’t think she had any intention of running.“ Misha says, leaning back in his chair, “she barely even flinched when I almost pulled my gun.”

Strange.

“Then she has done exactly what she was supposed to do, except she left her room without permission.” I rub a hand down my face, wondering what to do, “maybe I should give her the freedom to eat when she needs to, then this wouldn’t have happened.”

“I think you are right.” Misha agrees, “she was frightened, I think she thought we were trying to starve her.”

“I’ve never had to take care of another person before and feeding her slipped my mind.” I admit. “It will not happen again.”

Misha stands and throws both plates into the sink, “Are you sure you are up to this?” He asks, “because you can still just kill her and rid yourself of the problem.”

I laugh, Misha always wants the kill. He never wants any kind of responsibility.

I don’t blame him, being responsible for another person sucks. But I wanted this, I still do. I want her. She is mine.

“Where did you place the girl?” I ask, changing the subject.

“She’s with one of the trusted families at the edge of the city.” He tells me with a smile, “the little thing never once cried, she just asked for her sister, over and over again.”

“They seem to be really close.” I say, deep in thought. “I can use that to my advantage should Stephanie try and act up.”

Misha nods, clearly agreeing, “I have to go, I still have jack to sort out, he’s in the warehouse on the back of the land.”

“Keep him alive.” I say, remembering my promise, “but get all the information you can out of him. I want to know everything that he does about David and his operation.”

Misha smirks and heads for the door, “Jione is already there with him, I’ll keep him alive, if there is anything left of him.”

If Jione is already with him, there might not be anything left to save.

But I made a promise.

“Keep him alive.” I order, heading down the stairs to my precious malyshka.

When I walk inside the room she is curled up on the bed, her head in her hands as she cries. I close the door behind me and she startles, jumping backwards and hitting the wall.

“I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to leave.” She says quickly, holding up her hands in surrender.

“So you thought you would have a wonder around?” I ask, kneeling beside her on the floor, “did you think I wouldn’t find out?”

“I didn’t really think.” She admits, “I was just hungry and thirsty, and I didn’t know how long you would be and so I tried the door, and it was unlocked. I never left the kitchen, and I didn’t try and run.”

“I see.” I murmur, already knowing she is telling the truth.

I checked the cameras. She didn’t even go near the outside door. Didn’t even glance at it. She had no intention of trying to escape.

Maybe I should reward her for that.

“Come here.” I say, holding out my hand for her to take.

She stares at me and my hand for several seconds before she obeys, and I pull her onto my lap, cradling her as she wipes away the last of her tears.

“You did a bad thing by leaving this room without me.” I tell her, my voice soft, “but because you didn’t try to run, I am going to let this one go. However, if you defy me again, you will be punished.”

My little malyshka looks up at me, her eyes still wet, “you’re not going to hit me?” She asks, in a innocent voice.

I’d love to defile her right now, right here. I want to feel what it is like to be inside of her and have her scream my name. But I will not. I told her that I would only sue her body when she tells me that she is ready, and she isn’t ready. Not today.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” I tell her, pulling her closer, “but I will leave the door unlocked from now on, then if you need anything you can get it. But you cannot leave the mansion. Not even for a second. Do you understand?”

She nods her head quickly, “yeah, I understand.” She pecks my cheek, “thank you.”

Strange that she is grateful for something so small.

I could get used to her affection. It stirs something inside of me, something that I thought was long since gone.

Maybe taking her as my own was the best decision I have ever made.