Chapter 115 Anya
They dragged me down the hallway.
I fought every step. Kicked, screamed and clawed at their hands. But it did not matter. They were too strong.
"Let me go!" I screamed.
The guards said nothing. They just kept pulling me forward past rooms I did not recognize.
Finally they stopped in front of a door made of heavy metal with a lock that looked like it belonged on a bank vault.
Gregor pulled out a key and unlocked it. The door swung open.
Inside was a room. Nicer than the one Katya had kept me in. It had a bed, abathroom and a small sitting area with a couch.
But it was still a cage.
"Please," I said. My voice broke. "Please do not lock me in here."
"Boss's orders," Gregor said.
They pushed me inside. The door slammed shut behind me.
I heard the lock click.
I was alone.
I collapsed on the floor and screamed. Screamed until my throat was raw. Until no sound would come out anymore.
Then I cried. Huge wracking sobs that shook my whole body.
How had it come to this? How had I gone from being free in Sochi to being locked in a room in Moscow?
I had done everything to save Nikolai. And this was how he repaid me. By locking me up ike a prisoner. Choosing his empire over me.
Again.
I thought about what he had said. About Katya being his sister. About how she was entitled to half of everything anyway.
It did not matter. None of it mattered.
Because at the end of the day, Nikolai cared more about his territory and his power than he cared about me.
I had known it all along. But I had hoped foolishly and desperately that maybe I was wrong.
I was wrong.
I stood up slowly. My legs felt weak. I walked to the window. It had bars.
Outside I could see Moscow. The city lights stretching out in all directions.
I tested the door. It was locked.
I looked around the room for anything I could use to escape.
But there was nothing. Just furniture bolted to the floor. A bathroom with no sharp edges. Everything was designed to keep someone safely imprisoned.
Nikolai had thought of everything.
Hours passed. Maybe days. I lost track of time in that room.
They brought me food three times a day.
The guards would unlock the door, slide a tray inside, then lock it again.
I tried talking to them. Begging them to let me go.
They said nothing.
On the third day, Gregor came himself. "Mrs. Markov," he said. "Boss wants to see you."
"Tell your boss to go to hell," I said.
"Please do not make this difficult," Gregor said. "I will bring you to him. Or I will carry you. Your choice."
I stood up and straightened my shoulders. "Fine. I will walk."
They took me back to Nikolai's office.
He was standing by the window again.
"Leave us," he said.
The guards left and closed the door.
I stood there.
Nikolai turned to face me.
"How are you?" He asked.
"How do you think I am?" I replied. "You locked me in a room for three days."
"It has been for your own safety," Nikolai said.
"My safety?" I laughed. "You are keeping me prisoner. Just like they did. How is that for my safety?"
"I am keeping you from disappearing again," Nikolai said.
"Maybe I want to disappear," I said.
"Too bad," Nikolai said. His voice was cold. "You are my wife. You do not get to just leave."
"Watch me," I said.
"You are not going anywhere," Nikolai said. "Not until we sort this out."
"Sort what out?" I demanded. "You have already made your choice. You chose the empire. Just like you always do."
"You're not being fair at all," Nikolai said.
"Fair?" I stepped closer to him. "You want to talk about fair? Is it fair that you blame me for saving your life? Is it fair that you lock me up instead of thanking me?"
"I am not blaming you," Nikolai said.
"Yes you are," I said. "Every word out of your mouth blames me for giving away your precious empire. As if any of that matters compared to the fact that you are alive."
"It matters to me," Nikolai said.
"I know," I said. "That is the problem. It matters to you more than I do."
"That is not true," Nikolai said.
"Then prove it," I challenged. "Let me go right now. Open that door and let me walk out of here."
Nikolai said nothing.
"That is what I thought," I said. "You cannot do it. You cannot choose me over your need to own everything around you."
"I am trying to protect you," Nikolai said.
"From what?" I asked. "The only person hurting me right now is you."
Nikolai's face hardened. "You are being unreasonable."
"I am being unreasonable?" I stared at him. "You locked me in a room for three days and I am being unreasonable?"
"You were trying to leave," Nikolai said, his voice was weak. "You were just going to run away again."
"Because there is nothing left to say!" I shouted. "I gave up everything to save your life. And instead of being grateful, you treat me like a criminal."
"You destroyed everything I built," Nikolai said. His voice rose to match mine. "How am I supposed to react to that?"
"With gratitude!" I screamed. "With understanding! With love!"
"I do love you," Nikolai said.
"No you do not," I said. Tears streamed down my face. "If you loved me, you would choose me. But you cannot. You will never be able to choose me over your empire."
She wiped her tears with the back of her hands.
“After all this time. I am being honest about what I am to you. A possession. Not someone you actually love."
I walked to the door and pounded on it. "Let me out!" I shouted. "Guards! Let me out!"
The door opened. Gregor stood there.
"Take me back to my room," I said. "I am done talking to him."
Gregor looked at Nikolai, waiting for orders.
"Do not look at him," I said. "I am telling you what I want. Take me back to my room!"
"Boss?" Gregor asked.
Nikolai stared at me. His jaw was clenched. His hands were fisted at his sides.
"Take her back," he said finally. "And make sure she stays there."
"Yes, boss," Gregor said.
He grabbed my arm gently and led me out of the office.
I had saved his life. And he had repaid me by putting me in a cage.
There was no coming back from that.
They took me back to my room and locked the door behind me.
I sat on the bed and stared at the wall.
And I made myself a promise.
I would get out of here. Somehow.
Someway. I would escape.
And when I did, I would make sure Nikolai Markov never found me again.
Because I was done. Done with his empire. Done with his control. Done with loving a man who would never love me back the way I deserved.
I was done.