Page 13 of Bratva Hostage
“That world isn’t black and white. I’ve learned that the hard way.”
“You’ve learned to side with the Barkovs. That’s all.”
“You’re being unfair.”
“No, I’m not,” I snap, raking a hand through my hair. “He pinned me to the wall today. He made it very clear that if I don’t comply, I’m at his mercy.”
She sucks in a breath. “Are you hurt?”
I pause, remembering that fleeting moment when Dimitri’s mouth was on mine. “No,” I admit. “Not physically.”
She exhales. “Then what happened?”
I clamp my eyes shut. There’s no way I’m telling her about the kiss. “He’s controlling, possessive, impossible to reason with.”
“I know he can be overbearing, but he’s never acted without cause. If he’s taking these steps, it’s because he believes you’re in danger.”
I stop pacing and throw my hands in the air. “Oh, come on!”
“I’m telling you what I see. Dimitri might be rough around the edges, but he’s doing this to keep you alive.”
“I’m tired of being controlled. You, of all people, should understand.”
“I do understand,” she replies. “But you’re refusing to see reason. Dimitri isn’t the villain you think he is.”
“He’s not some savior, either.”
“No, he’s not,” she concedes. “But he isn’t our father, Cecily. Stop painting them with the same brush.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re in love with a Barkov. You chose this, Seraphina. I didn’t.”
She goes quiet, and I know I’ve struck a nerve. I drop onto the bed again, pressing my free hand to my forehead. That’s not exactly what happened, and we both know it.
When she speaks again, her voice is measured. “You have every right to be upset, but you’re refusing to see that Dimitri’s intentions aren’t malicious. The only reason you’re there and not is that if Father does come looking for you, and he will, you’re better protected there with the extra security and guards.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. “I don’t want to hear this.”
“Cecily, I’m on your side,” she insists.
I let out a humorless laugh. “I can’t tell.”
Her tone turns pleading again. “Give it time. Let Dimitri protect you until Father is dealt with. Then, if you want toleave, no one will stop you. You can come here, and we can be together.”
I chew on my lip, half convinced she’s spewing lines Dimitri fed her. “You say that, but you’re not the one locked in a fancy prison. You’re not the one who has to watch your every move.”
“Cecily, please. Dimitri isn’t the villain here.”
“Goodbye, Seraphina.”
She tries to say my name, but I’ve already ended the call. I toss the phone onto the pillow, and it bounces once before landing in a heap of blankets.
I can’t stand that my sister defends him, that she won’t see how trapped I feel. Worse, I can’t stand that a small part of me wonders if she’s right. Maybe he isn’t the monster I want him to be. Maybe I’m lashing out because I can’t admit I want something from him I don’t fully understand.
I close my eyes and clench my fists until my nails dig into my palms. If I let myself get lost in these questions, I’ll never find solid ground again. All I know is that I’m furious at everyone—my father for causing this mess, Dimitri for thinking he has the right to control me, and my sister for defending him.
Seraphina is the one person who should be one hundred percent on my side, and she’s not. That stings more than anything else.
I bury my face in my knees and close my eyes. Maybe tomorrow, I’ll have the energy to figure out my next move. For now, I just want the world to stop spinning, and I want this fire inside me to subside.
