Chapter 26

**Steph pov**

I sit on the mattress in the cold room, waiting for Alexi to come, I knew I shouldn’t have left without him, I had told myself that it was a bad idea, but I had to get some food. The morphine made me sick. Really sick. And I was fucking starving.

I shouldn’t be so comfortable as to move around my kidnappers house like this, but I did it anyway, because fuck the consequences. Or so I thought. But now I am sat here waiting for him to come and punish me and I don’t even know what to expect.

How badly will he hurt me for defying him?

I jump when the door opens, my whole body tense and tears brimming my eyes. I have never been much of a crier, but since I came here I feel as though it is all I have done.

My world has been turned upside down and here I am, drowning in it.

Alexi walks inside and leaves the door wide open, probably so his men can hear what he does to me. It seems like they can’t step a toe out of line either. I wonder what their punishment would be, especially for Misha who fed me.

He stares at me and walks over to the mattress, siting down on the edge, “I was so angry that you chose to leave this room without permission.” He says, his voice softer than I expected. “But then I realised that it was my own fault, I should have taken better care of you, and for that, I am sorry.”

Wait… I’m the one who did something wrong, and he is apologising? Is it backwards day or something?

“I thought that maybe I could because the door was left unlocked.” I say, cautiously moving closer to him. “I didn’t try to run, I swear.”

He nods, turning to look at the door, “I know you didn’t run, there are cameras everywhere. It’s how I knew you left.”

Of course there are cameras everywhere, why wouldn’t there be?

Fuck sake. I hate this. I hate that I want to be close to him. I don’t need him. He’s the one who stole me from my life. I need to remember that.

I need to remember that he is the enemy. He isn’t my friend.

“I understand why you got so angry with me.” I say, following his gaze to the door, “but if you didn’t want me to leave, why didn’t you lock the door?”

He shrugs his shoulders, “call it curiosity or stupidity, but I wanted to see what you would do.”

“I would never risk the life of my sister by trying to run from you.” I admit, though I am not sure why. “She is everything to me.”

“I realised that.” He says with a smile, turning to look back at me, “it is very clear the way that you feel about her, I admire it, a little.” He pulls me into his lap and wraps his hands around me, “I’m doing to take you into the city. Call it a reward for not running from me.”

I stare into his stormy eyes, “I’d much rather see my sister.” I tell him.

“No.” He says, “not yet.”

I had to ask. Though a part of me, a large part, knew that the answer would be no. He wouldn’t allow me to see her until he was sure I wouldn’t do anything to compromise him. Or run. Even though I wouldn’t be able to do either.

I have no chance of escape, so why not enjoy what time I have left before he grows bored of me?

“Where are we going to go?” I ask, leaning my head against his shoulder.

I don’t know why I feel comfort in his arms, but I do. For some reason, they feel like home. They shouldn’t. But they do.

“I was thinking we could do some shopping.” He says, “you can pick out anything that you want, what is mine, is yours.”

“I wouldn’t know the first thing about buying something for myself.” I admit with a frown. “I normally shop at the thrift store. No where else, not unless it is for Sarah.”

He looks at me like I am an alien, “you never really shopped at all if you only did it for someone else.” He sighs, “we are going to change that, today you will shop at the mall, and you will choose something for yourself. Something expensive.”

“I didn’t bring any money when you took me.” I tell him, my voice low, and a little bit disappointed.

“I didn’t once say that you needed money, malyshka, I knew when I took you that it would be my job to provide for you, and I intend to do that.” He says with a smile, “it would be my honour to take you on your first ever shopping trip.”

What has gotten into him? When did he become so kind?

Is all of this truly because I decided not to try and run?

“There is another problem.” I say, and he growls, “I can’t walk properly with this pot on.”

“That is easily solved, you can take the wheelchair and I will push you around.” He stands with me in his arms, “afterwards we can get some dinner together.”

“Wait!” I shout as he heads for the door, “I haven’t changed my clothes in days, I need something else to wear.”

Especially considering I am only wearing pants on the bottom half of my body. I can’t go to the mall like this.

He stares at me for several seconds, “I have some T-shirts that are about your size, and some shorts, you can wear them.”

He takes me upstairs and makes me wait in the kitchen, when he brings the clothes down, he helps me to change, and then he carries me to his black SUV. The clothes fit, but they still hang off my like a blanket of material. I’ll be glad to get some clothes that are my size.

He even buckles me in. And I can’t help but think that he is completely changed, even if it is just for now, and even if it doesn’t last. I like this side of him. And I’ll take this side over the cruel Mafia lord any day.

“Thank you.” I say as he pulls onto the road.

“For what?” He asks, glancing at me as he drives.

I smile, “thank you for becoming a friend.”

“Silly malyshka.” He chuckles, “I want to be so much more than just a friend.”