Dangerous Husbands, Broken Wives [18+]

THIRTY FOUR: TRUST ME

[ANASTASIA]

Darkness. Fear. Confusion.

The last thing I remembered was receiving an unknown text in the middle of the movie back at the theatre. I had assumed it to be from Nikolai. He was the only one I had texted that very morning, hoping to get some kind of word from him so he could help me find a way to get the hell out of Ivan's prison.

But I couldn't have been more wrong.

Instead of Nikolai, I was confronted by two men with guns in their hands. Despite all the security and Ivan's men all around us, they managed to sneak their way in and take me hostage.

I don't know what to think anymore.

Has Ivan gone weak? Or is someone inside his organization working as a mole for someone else? How else would you explain my current predicament? How could just someone grab the wife of a mafia boss and make her a hostage?

I'm not worried about Ivan. Or at least, I tell myself that he's a big guy who can very well take care of himself. The ones I'm growing worried sick about are my kids. I hope they are safe. And whatever fucked up situation Ivan's organization is going through wouldn't bring harm to them in any form or way.

They don't deserve this life of danger and unpredictability.

They don't deserve this...fear.

For the first time, I hope Ivan does what he's supposed to do and ensures their safety. Until I figure out how to get out of this mess and take them away from this dangerous world for good, I sincerely hope he doesn't let them down now that they're starting to get close to him.

This is precisely why I never wanted to come back. I wanted to leave Russia and settle somewhere else, somewhere safer, where I wouldn't have to worry about the dangers my kids could face because of who my husband was and the things he was capable of.

Ivan has many enemies, and I've seen some of them in action. Let's just say, rumors don't do justice to the cruelty those men can unleash. They fear nothing – not the law, not God, nothing. The only thing these men fear—or are wary of—are other men more powerful and ruthless than them. So, you can imagine what kind of life a mafia head must lead when his opponents don't play fair or easy.

A chill runs down my spine as I watch the three masked men huddled together, whispering among themselves.

Now, I'm no expert in reading people, but their fidgety eyes and restless demeanor make it clear that kidnapping isn't something they do for a living.

The men who actually carried out the abduction, the ones with guns and all, were pros. You could tell by the way they communicated and executed the task with extreme caution. They even shot two of Ivan's men. While I might not be a fan of Ivan and his line of work, those men tried to save me, and I can't help but feel grateful for their efforts.

Not that any of that matters right now. Not if I die tonight and never get a chance to see my kids ever again.

As if on cue, a sharp pain shoots behind my eyes.

No! I'm not going to cry. I need to pull myself together and wait for a chance to escape. I can't let my kids down. I can't...leave them to think I abandoned them. I would never do that to my babies.

And that's the only reason I gather whatever courage I can and make one more attempt to dissuade them. It didn't work with those two who abducted me from the mall. But that doesn't mean I should give up. These men look inexperienced, and if I'm being honest, they seem pretty scared. Maybe they know who I am.

I take a deep breath and look at the three men, trying to gauge their level of apprehension. Their eyes dart around nervously, and I can sense their uncertainty. It's my chance.