The Kidnapping

MADONNA

  

  Everyone was quiet as I walked into the church. Ethan was holding my hands but it was cold and sweaty so he let it go. I have never been more scared. Ethan stood beside me looking like he'd won a prize, which I didn't understand why because I was a nobody in his world. When we climbed the altar, the priest cleared his throat. It was time. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today—"

  

  He was interrupted by a loud bang, the sound of the doors imploding, so loud that everyone jumped and turned back to look at the intruder. A man stood in the doorway, a tall, intimidating shadow who was backlit by sunlight. He radiated waves of malevolence that I felt even from here, across the church. My heart lifted as I realized who he was.

  Adrian Volkov.

  

  My target.

  The man I'd been sent here to kill. He was walking straight toward me, and my legs shook under my feet. It felt like the entire church was holding their breath as their eyes trailed his movement from the entrance of the church to me. It was obvious that everyone, even all the elite, in the congregation was scared of him.

  

  "You're not supposed to be here. I did not invite you for my wedding,"Ethan said, his voice cracking slightly. His hand tightened painfully around mine.

  

  "Yea, I heard. I wanted to be here, it is why I came back early."Adrian replied. His voice boomed like an echo and then his eyes locked on me.

  

  Everything else faded. My breath caught in my throat and I couldn't look away.

  His face was carved from stone, there was no emotion, and I involuntarily shuddered. I wondered if he would really truly die if I were to put a knife through his heart. I would kill him now but there are no weapons strapped to my attire.

  Ethan let go of my hand and stepped in front of me, blocking Adrian's path. "She's mine. The rule says whoever marries first becomes head of the family. Father agreed to this."

  

  "I don't care about Father's rules,"Adrian said flatly.

  

  He reached for me and Ethan grabbed his arm. "You can't just—"

  

  Adrian moved so fast I barely saw it. He grabbed Ethan's gun from his shoulder holster and shot him. A gasp rippled across the hall and even I jumped back. How could I kill someone that moved so fast?

  Ethan screamed and collapsed to the floor clutching his shoulder. Blood seeped between his fingers, and he stared down at his bloodies digits with unbelief.

  

  Someone in the hall started screaming and others followed. Before I could process it all, guards raised their weapons, all pointing at Adrian, they knew they couldn't shoot him because he was also a son of Volkov.

  

  I heard a large clatter behind me and when I turned around, I realized that the priest had dropped his huge bible.

  

  Adrian, what are you doing?His father yelled from his audience, his face red from anger, as he marched towards the front. People started scrambling towards the door as Ethan writhed on the floor, whimpering. Adrian's arm wrapped around my waist and he pulled me against him. It was hard enough to knock the air from my lungs. I felt paralyzed against him, he emitted so much power. I let him take me, after all with him was where I wanted to be if my plans had to work.

  

  "You're not marrying him,"Adrian whispered against my ear. "You belong to me now."

  

  Then he dragged me down the aisle. My feet stumbled over the long wedding dress but his grip kept me upright. People pressed against the walls to let us pass. Their faces were pale and shocked.

  

  Outside the church, one of his black SUVs from yesterday was waiting. He practically shoved me into the backseat and climbed in after me. The door slammed shut.

  

  "Drive,"he ordered.

  

  The SUV took off so fast my head snapped back. I finally found my voice.

  

  "Who the hell do you think you are?"

  

  Adrian didn't look at me. He stared straight ahead with that same emotionless expression. But his hand moved to grip my thigh through the thin wedding dress. I hated that I had no weapon with me, not even the penknife I usually hid in my hair. I would have stabbed him in his solar plexus, knocked him out and finished the job. Taking out the driver would be even easier and Id ride off to victory.

  "The man who just saved you from a mistake,"he said coldly. "And the man you're going to learn to obey."

  

  "Saved me?"I tried to pull his hand off but he didn't budge. "You shot your own brother and kidnapped me."

  

  "Ethan would have made your life hell. I'm doing you a favor."

  

  "A favor?"My voice rose with anger. "Taking me against my will is a favor? And who said that you're a better man than him?

  

  "You didn't want to marry him,"Adrian stated. He looked at me then. You're with who you want to be.

  

  That made me freeze. How could he possibly know that?

  

  The SUV turned sharply and I looked out the window. We were heading back toward the Volkov estate but not toward the main mansion. We were driving toward the dark buildings behind it. The ones Ethan had told me to never go near.

  

  The slave quarters. No.no.no.

  

  My stomach dropped. "Where are you taking me?"

  

  "Somewhere you'll learn your place,"Adrian replied, his hand still burning into my thigh.

  

  The car stopped in front of a crumbling brick building that looked like it hadn't been maintained in decades. Guards opened my door and Adrian pulled me out roughly.Then did I start to fight, I kicked, I bucked, I struggled, dig my heels in but his hold was just too strong. He pushed me forward and when we arrived the buildings, I had to hold my breath because of how awful it smelt.

  He dragged me through a rusty metal door and down a dark hallway, people snapped at me and tried to reach for me through the cells embedded into the walls.

  Adrian stopped in front of a cell at the very end. He pulled out a key and unlocked it.

  

  "No,"I screamed, my hands scratching at him, and pulling his hair. Nothing hurt him. "No, you can't put me in there."

  

  "I can do whatever I want,"Adrian said flatly. He shoved me inside and I stumbled, barely catching myself before I hit the floor.

  I scrambled to the metal bars just as he shut it close, staring at his dead eyes. If you want to save me from Ethan, this is not the way!!I screeched.

  

  "That bastard, somehow loves you and I'll use you as bait to destroy him. Stay here,"Adrian continued. "Don't cause trouble. If you try to run, you won't like what happens."

  

  "You can't keep me locked up like an animal,"I spat.

  

  To my horror, he leaned his head back and cackled like a drunk hyena. It startled me.

  Then he walked away.

  

  I was supposed to get close to Adrian to kill him. Instead I'd become his prisoner.

  

  And the worst part? When he'd pulled me against him in that church, when his hand had gripped my thigh in the car, my body had responded in ways it shouldn't have.

  

  I hate him. I hate myself. I should have at least carried a hidden weapon.