Deadly Vows (Avilov Bratva #2)

24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Talia

When I opened my eyes, I first felt cold metal biting into my wrist. The handcuff was still there, wrapped tightly around the bedpost, reminding me where I was. The room was dim, barely lit by the soft morning light. I blinked, slowly adjusting to my surroundings. I was trapped by the sterile walls, faint smell of cigarettes and gun oil that clung to everything, and the man lying next to me.

Danny.

My stomach turned at the thought of him being this close. He had kept his distance last night, sleeping beside me but not touching, like we were in a fragile truce. But it wasn’t kindness or respect that held him back. It was the baby. He wouldn’t dare hurt the child growing inside me, the one he thought was his.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry, and shifted slightly. The handcuff clinked against the metal of the bedpost, a tiny sound that grated on my nervous system. I couldn’t move far or get up even if I wanted to. Not without waking him.

I turned my head toward Danny, watching him as he slept. His face was peaceful now, softer in sleep than when he was awake and unpredictable. His arm lay across his chest, muscles slack, his lips slightly parted. He looked almost normal. But I knew better. I knew the danger lurking beneath that calm exterior.

Last night, when he locked me to the bed, he told me it was for my own good. That he was protecting me from myself and from making any stupid decisions. I wonder if he believed that or if it was just another twisted justification. But what scared me more was the part of him that did believe it. The part of him that saw this as love.

He didn’t understand love. Not real love. Not like what I have with Aleksandr.

The thought of Aleksandr sent a sharp pain through my heart, a longing so deep it made my chest ache. I could see him in my mind, how his face lit up whenever he saw me, and how his eyes softened when he looked at the children. I could almost feel his arms around me, strong and safe, holding me tight when the world became too much. It felt like a lifetime ago, like a dream I had once lived but could no longer reach. And now here I was, in another nightmare, with no idea how to get back to him.

Would I ever get back to him?

Danny stirred beside me, his eyes fluttering open. For a moment, there was confusion in his eyes, like he didn’t quite remember where he was or what was happening. Then his gaze found mine, and his face lit up with a smile as if this was just another morning between us.

“Morning,” he said softly, his voice thick with sleep. He stretched, his body shifting closer, his hand brushing against the sheets between us. “Sleep okay?”

I nodded, forcing myself to return his smile, though my stomach twisted with revulsion. “Yes,” I lied. I hadn’t slept well at all. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Aleksandr. I saw the life that had been ripped from me. And I saw the future I still longed for, where I was with him, raising the children, safe and far from all this.

Danny reached over and uncuffed me, the click of the metal releasing making my pulse jump. I considered running, just bolting for the door, hoping to make it out before he stopped me. But where would I go? Even if I did manage to escape, he would find me. He always finds me.

Once I was free from the handcuff, Danny leaned in and kissed me, his lips soft but insistent, like we were an ordinary couple. I wanted to pull away, but I stayed still, let him kiss me, and let him believe what he wanted to believe. That was my survival for now, playing the part and pretending.

When he pulled back, he smiled again as if we’d just shared something intimate, something real. “You should make breakfast,” he said, his tone casual. He moved away from the bed and sat down at the small table in the corner of the room, methodically laying out his gun to clean it.

The sight of the weapon made my skin crawl. I wondered if he did it as a show of power, to remind me how much control he had over me. Or maybe he just liked the feeling of it and knowing he could take a life in an instant. My life.

“Okay,” I muttered, sliding out of bed and heading toward the kitchen. I moved slowly, my body stiff, and I could feel bruises forming from where the metal had pressed into my skin. I rubbed my wrist absentmindedly, trying to soothe the ache, but it was more than physical pain. The soreness was a reminder of my captivity. This is the second time someone tried to take me away from Aleksandr.

At that moment, I made a promise to myself and my baby. When I saw an opportunity to fight and try to escape, I was taking it. No matter what, I’ll fight until I take my last breath.

I grabbed a pan, focusing on the simple task of making breakfast. Eggs, toast, something quick to keep Danny calm. But my mind was elsewhere, already spinning with plans and strategies. I needed to contact Sandy. I had to tell her I was alive but couldn’t make it obvious.

As I cracked the eggs into the pan, I spoke, keeping my tone light and conversational. “Sandy’s probably worried about me,” I said, glancing over my shoulder to gauge his reaction.

There was a long pause…too long. I could feel his eyes on me, and the tension in the room shifting. Danny set down the gun, and the click of metal on wood made my heart skip a beat.

“Why are you bringing her up?” His voice was low and dangerous.

“I just… I don’t want her to worry,” I said quickly, trying to keep my voice steady. “She’s my sister, Danny-”

“She’s not your sister,” Danny interrupted, his voice rising angrily. He stood, pushing the chair back with a sharp screech. “She’s not even your real family.”

I swallowed hard, turning to face him. His face was flushed with irritation, his fists clenched at his sides. “Danny, she is my family. She’s all I’ve had for years. We looked out for each other. I can’t just-”

“She’s nothing!” he snapped, stepping toward me, his eyes dark as a thunderstorm. “She’s just some girl you met in foster care. You’re here with me now. I’m your family.”

I took a step back, my pulse racing. “That doesn’t mean I don’t care about her.”

“Why do you care about her?” Danny demanded, his voice rising, shaking the walls. “She’s not blood. She’s not even connected to you. You were thrown into foster care because of what your father did. He murdered someone in cold blood , Talia. Your family is nothing but killers and criminals.”

His words hit me like a blow to the chest, stealing the air from my lungs. My father. His actions had destroyed our family, shattered the life we could’ve had, and landed me in foster care when I was too young to understand why. And now Danny was throwing it in my face, using my past against me.

“I’m not like my father,” I said. But the words felt hollow even as I said them. Because sometimes I wondered if I was. If the darkness that ran through his blood ran through mine, too. If given the chance right now, would I hesitate to kill Danny?

Danny stepped closer, his eyes locked on mine, and I briefly thought he might hit me. But then his gaze softened, shifting from anger to admiration. He looked down at my stomach, and his demeanor changed. His hand moved toward my belly, gently pressing against the swell there.

“I’m going to be a father,” Danny whispered, his voice soft. He knelt, pressing his lips against my stomach, his breath warm against my skin. “We’re going to be a family, Talia. You, me, and the baby. That’s all that matters now.”

I swallowed hard, my throat tight. “Yes,” I lied. “A family.” But the words tasted like ash in my mouth.

Danny stood up, his hand lingering on my stomach before he looked into my eyes again, his smile wide and sickeningly sweet. “We’re going to be so happy together.”

I forced a smile, nodding even though every fiber of my being screamed to run. To fight. To do something. “Maybe… maybe I can text Sandy,” I said carefully, watching his face for any sign of a reaction. “Just to tell her I’m okay. That I’m happy here with you.”

Danny’s eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering in them. “Why?”

“Because if she thinks I’m happy, she’ll stop looking for me,” I explained, trying to sound reasonable. “If she knows I’ve chosen to stay with you, she won’t come after me. She won’t try to find me.”

He considered this, his gaze still hard, but then he nodded slowly. “Fine. But I’m watching you. Talia, one wrong word, and I’ll ensure she never finds you. Understand?”

“I understand,” I said quickly, my heart pounding.

He handed me his phone, and I typed out the message carefully, every word a risk. I had to be subtle and give Sandy a clue without Danny catching on.

Hey Sandy, I’m not coming back. I’m so happy here with Danny. We’re going to start a family. Please don’t worry about me. Everything is perfect here in our new home. It’s beautiful. I’ve always wanted a white house with a backyard in the quiet suburbs.

I hit send, praying she would get the message and show it to Aleksandr.

Danny took the phone from me and smiled, pleased with himself. “Good girl,” he said, patting my head like I was some obedient pet. Then he leaned in and kissed me again, slow and deliberate, his hand resting possessively on my belly.

“You see, baby?” he murmured against my lips. “We can be happy together. All you have to do is trust me.”

I nodded, forcing the smile to stay on my face, but inside, I was breaking. It was too much - the lies, the fear, the longing for the life I had lost - it was suffocating me.

This wasn’t happiness. This was survival. And I had no idea how long I could keep up the act.