Matteo’s brows furrowed. “What purpose?”
I hesitated, suddenly self-conscious. “I was supposed to give his family an heir, but...” I looked away, my cheeks burning. “He won’t touch me.” A small, bitter laugh escaped me as I wiped away the tears forming at the corners of my eyes.
Matteo exhaled sharply. “Anna, that psycho refusing to touch you is the best thing that could have happened. When you get to Italy, tell Father we’re alive.”
I clenched my fists. “None of you asked me to get you out of here.”
Salvatore scoffed. “That’s because you can’t. The second you leave, we’re dead.”
“I won’t let him kill you.” The words left me firmly, but the way they looked at me, pity in their eyes, made my stomach turn.
Did they think I was that weak?
After exchanging a few more words, I turned to leave, my heart heavy with guilt. Could Gleb truly not grant me this one request? Even if it was the only thing he ever did for me?
As I stepped out of the dimly lit cell block, a sleek black car parked directly across from me. The door creaked open.
Gleb’s grandmother.
I folded my arms, refusing to hide my disdain. The woman had kept me here under false promises, claiming she would extend my time with Gleb. I had been a fool to trust her.
“Checking on your siblings?” she asked casually.
“Yeah.”
“I know you wish they were free, but the fact that they’re still alive should tell you we aren’t as savage as your parents.” Her voice was smooth, almost sympathetic. “Your father would have cut them apart, limb by limb.”
I exhaled. “Gleb told me you’d send me back to Italy as a corpse.”
“Oh, my dear,” she cooed, placing a hand on my cheek. “You remind me of my goddaughter so much. If she were alive, she’d be your age now. It would have been comforting to have her around.”
She let go and sighed. “I want to leave Russia alive.”
“Have you checked on your womb?” she asked, changing the subject with unnerving ease.
I frowned. “My womb is fine. The problem is Gleb. He refuses to touch me, and last I checked, I can’t get pregnant on my own.”
She looked away briefly before turning back to me. “Shall I get you another man?”
I recoiled. “No.” I steadied my breath. “Again, I just want to leave alive. And if you have any decency, you’ll release my brotherand cousins too. I know my parents are terrible people, but my siblings and I are not.”
Her fingers traced the rings on her hand as she considered me. Then she spoke, her tone deceptively light.
“The way this works, Anna, is simple. You must be of value to me if you want my help. If you are without value, there is no reason to grant your requests.”
I swallowed hard.
“I offered you a deal,” she continued. “Betray your parents, deliver them to me. You refused. Even though you know what kind of monsters they are.”
I looked out the window, my mind a storm of conflicted memories. Could my parents really be as evil as everyone said? All my life, I had only known them as loving.
The car veered sharply onto an unmarked road. The tires crunched against the dirt as we descended down a steep slope.
I tensed. “Grandma... this isn’t the way home.”
She let out a soft chuckle. “Like you know your way around Moscow?”
My heart pounded as I scanned my surroundings, tall trees, scattered huts, no sign of civilization.
