Chapter 5

“You changed your mind?” Vitaly asked, sounding surprised.

I nodded at him, and took a few steps into his office.

“I’ll stay. But you have to promise to let Blaine go.”

“That was the deal,” Vitaly answered, as he made his way towards me.

“Then I will stay.”

The serious expression remained on his face, but I could see the ghost of a smile on his lips. He ran a hand through his hair, before making his way towards me.

“I’ll send him off right now. You can stay here,” he said, heading for the door.

“Wait,” I said, holding on to his arm. “You won’t hurt him, right?”

“It was never in my plans. I no longer have a use for him.”

“Were you really going to keep him here if I didn’t agree to stay?” I quietly asked.

“I always get what I want, Madeline” Vitaly said, which was the same thing he’d said before.

I nodded at him. My eyes were blurring on their own accord. I was surprised when Vitaly sighed, and pulled me into his arms. I didn’t refuse his embrace. As much as I wanted to push him away, I also needed somebody close.

We stayed quiet for a few minutes. Vitaly was running his hand smoothly up and down my arm. He had a tight hold on my lower back, pressing me closer to his chest.

“I won’t hurt you,” he said.

His words did nothing to reassure me. I didn’t tell him though, because I knew he was just going to get mad if I brought it up.

“I’ll take care of you,” he continued, bringing his hand up to caress the side of my face.

“You should go and take care of Blaine,” I whispered.

Those were the only words I could mutter. Vitaly smiled down at me, and pressed his lips against mine. Even if I wanted to push him away, I wouldn’t have been able to. He held to the back of my head and forced me to stay in place.

I stayed still while his lips brushed against mine. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, I had to admit that. But I didn’t want to be there, kissing him.

I wanted to go back to Blaine. I wanted Vitaly to let me go.

“Stay here, I’ll be back,” Vitaly said, pressing his lips against my forehead.

“I should go with you. I need to talk to Blaine,” I told him, in what sounded like a pleading voice.

Vitaly frowned at my words, looking unsure and slightly upset.

“I keep forgetting you two were an item,” he bitterly replied.

I nodded in agreement. It would be the only way Vitaly would let me go and clear things up with Blaine.

“I won’t let you out of my sight-” he started to say.

“I need to talk to him alone,” I stated.

“You are mine now,” Vitaly said, placing his hands on either side of my neck.

He crashed his lips against mine. I thought he was going to deepen the kiss, but it seemed like he was only doing it to prove a point.

“Blaine isn’t going to leave until I assure him I want to stay.”

“He won’t have a choice,” Vitaly retorted.

“If you don’t let me talk to him, there’s no deal.”

I didn’t think Vitaly would fall for my words, but I had to try. Vitaly was staring at me deeply. His dark eyes seemed to be weighing all of my movements.

“You’re negotiating with me now?”

“If it works,” I shrugged.

Vitaly laughed at my words, and he lowered himself to nuzzle his nose against my cheek.

“You’ll fit right in here,” he said, grinning against my skin.

When I walked into the room, I found Blaine standing right next to the door, waiting for me. Just like he had done before, he crushed me in his arms when I was within reach.

“Where did you go?”

“Vitaly needed to see me,” I vaguely replied.

“Again?”

I nodded, and just snuggled myself against his chest. I couldn’t believe I’d grown attached to Blaine in the short time we’d been there. I kept telling myself that it was just that— I had grown attached to him. I couldn’t afford my feelings being anything else but that.

“Did he tell you anything?” Blaine asked.

“He’s going to release you right now.”

Blaine grinned down at me, which was very unusual from him. He tightened his hold on me, and began laughing.

“You had nothing to be scared of,” Blaine said when he let me go.

He surprised me by brushing his lips against mine. Just as he did, the door to the room opened. Both Vitaly and Yurik walked in.

As soon as Vitaly noticed I was in Blaine’s arms, he made his way towards us and pulled me away from his grasp.

“Are you ready to go?” Vitaly asked him.

Blaine was frowning at the hold Vitaly had on me. When he tried to take a step towards us, Yurik got in his way.

Other men that usually stood guard outside of our door walked in. They were there to take control of the situation in case Blaine tried anything. I didn’t think he would, but Vitaly didn’t agree.

“We’re ready to go,” Blaine said, his eyes focused on me.

He was still frowning, but he looked confused more than anything.

“Yurik will drop you off. He will explain everything in the way,” Vitaly said, and he looked down at me and smiled.

I couldn’t force myself to crack a smile. Tears were already streaming down my cheeks, and my vision was blurred.

“Madeline?” Blaine called. I couldn’t bring myself to look up at him.

“What?” I asked. My voice was so low, I wasn’t really sure he had even heard me.

“Madeline is going to stay with me,” Vitaly stated.

When I looked at Blaine, I saw the incredulity in his features. He didn’t look away from me. I could see several emotions running through his face, but he wasn’t saying anything.

“Blaine,” I started to say, but Vitaly cut me off.

“Madeline has made her decision. Yurik will escort you out. If you try anything, he has strict orders to calm you down. If you behave, things will go smoothly,” Vitaly threatened.

“Why are you doing this?” Blaine finally spoke.

The question was directed at me. He sounded suspicious, like if he didn’t really believe what Vitaly was saying.

“She wants to stay with me,” Vitaly replied.

“I seriously doubt that,” Blaine said, mockingly.

He turned to glare at Vitaly, who didn’t seem affected by Blaine’s words.

“I do,” I said, softly.

I was afraid that if I said too much, Blaine would be able to tell how shaky my voice sounded.

Vitaly tightened his arm around my waist, and he was digging his fingers into my skin. It hurt, but I felt too numb to even make a deal about it.

“No you don’t,” Blaine stated. “Why are you doing this? Did he force to stay?”

He tried to walk towards me, but Vitaly’s guys stopped him.

“No,” I meekly said.

“She’s staying because she wants to. It was her decision!” Vitaly snapped.

“I know for a fact that isn’t true.”

I tuned them out for a while. Vitaly said something else, and I could hear him threatening Blaine. I was trying to think of what to say. For all the money Blaine had, right now, he was in Vitaly’s hands. He had to do as he said.

After what seemed like ages, I finally concentrated on the scene in front of me. Blaine was being restrained by Vitaly’s guys.

“I want to stay here with him,” I said, trying to make my voice firm.

“Why are you lying?” Blaine asked, seriously.

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. I can tell when you’re lying to me,” Blaine said.

“Enough!” Vitaly interrupted, sounding annoyed.

Blaine was going to say something else, but I spoke up before he could.

“I’m not lying. Vitaly can give me a lot, a lot more than what I have right now. If I stay with him, I won’t need to worry about money. He has a lot of it. I won’t need to be begging stuck-up jerks to give me the time of day!”

My words silenced everyone in the room, including Blaine.

He went from looking angry, to looking disappointed. I kept my eyes on him, even though more tears were preparing to fall. I just wanted to crumble in the ground and break down.

Blaine closed his eyes, and I could see him taking in a few breathes. Vitaly didn’t interrupt us, and I was glad for that. I assumed he was doing it because he still thought Blaine and I had been in a relationship.

The way Blaine and I were behaving, it almost looked like we were. It was feeling an awful lot like we were in the middle of breaking up.

“You’re just like them,” Blaine finally said.

His voice sounded defeated. I noticed his grayish blue eyes had gotten glassy, and his cheeks were tinted in a light pink color. Even though his suit made him look sharp and tough, Blaine looked like he was about to fall apart.

“I thought you were different, but you’re just like the rest of them,” he finished saying.

“Blaine…” The tears were falling down continuously.

“Madeline is different. She knows what’s good for her,” Vitaly said, pressing a kiss on my hair.

“I’m ready,” Blaine told Vitaly, sharply.

He didn’t turn to look at me again.

Blaine didn’t take anything from the room. He just walked out, and Yurik followed after him. Other men were following alongside them.

Despite how much I kept saying that I had grown attached to him, or that I was starting to tolerate or slightly like him, my feelings were telling me something else.

As I watched Blaine go, for some reason, I felt like my heart was breaking.

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