Chapter 8

**STEPH's POV**

He grabbed my chin, making me look at him as I trembled, his eyes we no longer their normal brown, instead they were a shade lighter than black. He was angry. I could tell he was furious.

But what had I done?

He couldn’t blame me for taking extra time in the bathroom, could he?

“Did you break the doll house?” He asks, his grip in my jaw tightening.

My eyes widen in fear, but i knew that I would have no choice but to tell the truth, otherwise the punishment could be much worse, and I did not want to be shot again.

Ugh. I hate this.

Whatever he decided to do to me, I know that I wasn’t going to like it.

But if I tell the truth he might show me mercy.

“I’m losing my patience Malyshka, tell me the truth.” He growls, “Did you break the doll house?”

I nod, tears sliding down my cheeks, “I’m sorry, i lost my temper.” I whisper, keeping my eyes low.

His face contorts with anger as he let’s go of my chin, shoving me into the ground as I cry out in pain.

I try to crawl away but before I even make it an inch, he grabs me by the hair. I scream for help, but I know no one would come to my aid. I was underground somewhere that only Alexi and his men knew.

I was a prisoner, and I still didn’t know what he wants from me, apart from me to be his.

But I had never been owned before. I didn’t even know how I should act.

“please, I’m sorry.” I scream, begging for mercy.

Did the Mafia king even know what mercy was?

“Do you have any idea what you have done?!” He shouts in my face, throwing me into the bed. “That was a gift!”

I bounce on the mattress, crawling into the corner when he realises me, I can see the gun at his hip, and I was afraid to do anything.

I didn’t want to die.

I wanted to live.

“I didn’t mean to, please believe me.” I say, holding out my hands in surrender. “I lost my temper and threw the pillow, but I wasn’t aiming for the doll house. I swear I wasn’t.”

He stops, staring at me once more, and I would give anything to know what he was thinking.

“I will get you another one, but i expect you to keep the next one safe.” He says in a voice that terrifies me, he is giving me another chance.

I nod my head, still trembling.

What If he hurts me? I really didn’t mean to break the stupid thing.

“Come here.” He says, his voice commanding.

I had no choice but to obey. I cautiously crawled towards him, keeping my eyes low. I just needed to seem docile. The phone was still in my shoe, and I can call jack when he leaves. Hopefully i can organise some help.

The only problem was, I had no idea where I was.

He tugs one of my curls gently, “I expect you to be a good girl, you won’t like the consequences of misbehaving or defying me.”

“i’ll be good.” I nod, keeping my voice low, even when I wanted to scream at him.

If only I had a gun.

He rises to his feet and i flinch accidentally, “I will be back in an hour with some food, you better get some rest.”

I give him my best fake smile and Bob my head, watching him leave. If only I could get out of here too, where had he even taken me?

I wait until he is gone to pull out the phone from the bottom of my shoe, my eyes flickering to the door every few seconds in fear. I just hope that he’s busy for the next hour, I had to contact Jack. He will know what to do.

He’ll get me out of here. I was sure of it.

I turn my phone on, but I jump when the music starts, my eyes widening in fear as I glance towards the door, but luckily, he didn’t come back.

I pull up Jack’s contact on my phone, quickly pressing the call button.

He answers on the second ring, “Steph! Where are you?”

I fight back tears, “They’ve got me jack, its Alexi, David is stealing from the Russian mafia.”

“Where are you? I will come and...”

“No!” I whisper harshly, realising I only wanted him to do one thing for me. “Take Sarah, get her somewhere safe, away from David, I will figure out the rest.”

I hear a sigh and then anger, “I can’t just leave you there, they will kill you Steph.”

I grasp the phone tighter, my eyes on the glass door. “I don’t have much time; promise me you will keep her safe. I have money hidden in an account. It's enough for you to leave. All the details are in my top drawer.” I feel desperation gnawing at me when the phone goes silent. “Promise me.”

“I promise Steph. I’ll leave clues to where we go.”

“NO!” I shout, “Don’t, they’ll be watching.”

The door opens and Alexi walks in, his expression murderous.

I hang up the phone, throwing it against the wall so it smashes. It is the only thing I can do; they won’t be able to trace him that way. I just hope he can keep Sarah safe. All is lost for me.

Alexi watches me, his movements slow and calculating as he approaches the bed, “Who was that Malyshka?”

I tense, so afraid that I could vomit. My head spiralling.

“You have three seconds to tell me who you called.” He warns, pulling the gun from his hip.

I start to hyperventilate, unable to catch my breath, I know what I did would cause me pain, but I didn’t expect him to shoot me. I should have though. He has done it before, the pain in my leg was reminder of that.

He could kill me or have me killed in a second. He could sell me as a slave, and no one would bat an eye.

But now I had nowhere to go, and the man who owned me was looking at me like I was vermin, how did my life end up this way?

“Three.” He says, beginning the countdown to my death.

I could beg for mercy, but he was mafia, they barely knew the meaning of the word.

“Two.”

Think Steph, think.

He raises the gun, “One, time is up little Malyshka.”

I close my eyes, I didn’t want to see my own death, but the shot never comes, and when I open my eyes, I'm alone.

I didn’t even hear him leave.

What the fuck?