Chapter 2 Strip!
Isabella found it hard to breathe with Nikolai standing too close for her liking. His scent like cedar and smoked vanilla was curling into her brain, making it harder for her to concentrate.
OMG! Fuck this!
She placed her hands on his chest, trying to create a distance between them but he was like a rock, solid and unmoving as if he was molded right into that spot.
"Move away from me! You don't need to be this close to speak to me!" She pushed harder but he remained stoic.
Ugh! She stamped her feet and moved sideways, backing away from him.
She pushed away the hairs that fell on her face.
"I'm not threatening you, mister. You're the one who decided to kill me for no reason. I have to protect myself!"
"Oh" He mused, eyes glinting with amusement.
"That's true. But still, your words or shall I say, threat hold no value. Go on, do whatever you want, I want to see what you're capable of doing."
Isabella's heart dropped to her stomach as she clenched the phone in her hands tightly.
What?! He isn't even a tiny bit afraid?
She opened her mouth, about to say another word when she heard a creak. X
Damn! Daisy.
Her eyes quickly locked in on the closet opening, Daisy figure coming into view.
And she was certain it wasn't only her that sighted Daisy.
Without thinking, she rushed towards the closet door, hiding Daisy's face from the criminal men whose eyes were now locked in on her sister.
Oh God please! Protect us. I promise I will be good from today. She prayed silently, her heart thundering fast.
She knew she was no match for any of the men who stood there. Not to even think of their strength altogether.
"A little sister? How delightful!" Nikolai smiled, his lips curling into a devilish smile.
"Sergi," He turned to his right- hand man. The one who had pulled the trigger, and fingers still on the trigger.
Sergi nodded. He didn't need Nikolai to tell him what to do. He already knew.
He walked three steps and in one action, he pushed, Isabella aside. Dragging her sister from her grasp.
"No! No!" Isabella screamed, trying to get back Daisy but she was pushed down to the floor. Her elbow grazed the hardened floor, sharp and painful but she didn't have time to register the pain.
Her eyes locked in on her sister.
She stood again, ready to jump on sergi but that chilling voice of Nikolai stopped her.
"One more step and she dies." He threatened, his voice devoid of emotions.
"I'm so scared sister. These men are so scary." Daisy cried softly, her sobs growing uncontrollably.
Isabella was on the verge of tears. She looked at her sister, 'Everything will be okay,' she signed with her fingers.
She learnt the sign language and had also taught her sister in case she lost her ability to speak one day. Not knowing that the day she would be using those signs was today.
She sniffled hard, clenching her fist as her knuckles almost turned white, she forced her tears back.
She can't be weak in front of these men. Her sister needed her and she was going to do anything to protect her.
"What do you want?" She asked, staring at Nikolai who was grinning widely.
He loved this! Seeing the elder sister helpless and still fighting to protect her younger one.
What a cinematic show.
"You're asking me? I thought you were going to post some recording shit to the world. I want you to see how well you can fight, Malyshka."
Isabella closed her eyes, fighting back tears, it was getting too much. Her hands were shaking by her side, heart thumping loudly against her ribcage that she feared he could hear the drums.
She looked at sergi, the man who held her sister at gun-point.
But she was met with a blank stare. He was staring at nothing but she saw his veins popping out his forearm from aiming hard at her sister's temple.
She was still a little girl. This might leave an imprint on her mind.
Had she made a mistake by saying she had some recording?
But what else could she have done? she was only a second away from being shot and that was the only solution that popped right into her head.
"This is getting boring. I'm tired." Nikolai rolled his eyes heavily, hands fixed inside his pocket, "Find a buyer for the little girl and kill the older one. Don't have time for this shit!"
Sergi moved the gun from Daisy, aiming it at Isabella.
This was the second time she was about to get killed.
The trigger went off, shooting straight at the vase beside her, shattering into a million pieces.
"Ahhh" Isabella screamed, ducking down.
"Please... Please... Do whatever you want with me but keep my sister out of it." She held his legs, her tears breaking out as they streamed down her face.
She couldn't hold them back anymore.
She knew what she was doing by telling Nikolai to do whatever he wanted with her because, she had read a lot of books where ladies offered themselves in exchange for protection or to not be harmed but never did she think that her life was slowly turning to the books she read.
How ironic one's life can change so easily.
Nikola stopped, "Anything?"
"Yes, anything." She asserted.
"Hmmm... Let me think." He crouched down, placed his thumb and index finger on her jaw and he tilted her chin up.
"What do you have to offer me? You're worthless in my eyes." His words stung her chest sharp but she bit down on her lips, enduring the pain.
"I have everything. If you think you can offer me your body, I have prettier ladies taking turns in pleasing me. I'm not short of them, Malyshka."
He stood to his full height, ready to walk out the door when Isabella's words halted him.
"How about I join the queue of ladies. I promise to serve you well." Her tongue tasted bitter after saying these words but she held it there.
Nikolai's eyes studied her for a second, eyes looking around her body as if she was an item ready to be bought.
"So eager to keep me warm.
Hmmm..." He hesitated
"Strip. I want to see you naked."