Till Death Saves Me (Forced Mafia Marriages)

26. Ginny

26

GINNY

I could sense something was off the moment Ivan walks through the door. He seemed panicked, and I wanted nothing more than to calm him. And when he pulled me into his arms, it was not with the usual warmth I've grown to love. This embrace felt desperate, almost painful in its intensity.

Now, with the way he's staring at me, his forehead pressed to mine and urgency written across his face, I have to ask. I have a really, really bad feeling right now.

"Ivan?" I whisper, my heart rate picking up. "What's wrong?"

He doesn't answer, just grabs my hand and practically drags me downstairs. My stomach twists as we enter his office. I've never seen him like this before.

"Ivan, you're scaring me," I say, my voice trembling slightly. "Please, talk to me."

Instead of responding, he marches straight to the far wall. My eyes widen as he presses a hidden panel, revealing a secret compartment I never knew existed. That can't be good.

"What's going on?" I demand, fear making my words sharp. "Why are you?—"

He cuts me off with a look, his blue eyes stormy with an emotion I can't quite place. Is it fear? Determination? Whatever it is, it makes my blood run cold.

As Ivan steps into the hidden space, I wrap my arms around myself, trying to quell the trembling that's taken over my body. My mind races with possibilities, each one worse than the last. Has something happened with the Bratva? Are we in danger?

The tension in the room is suffocating. I watch Ivan's every move, my breath caught in my throat. I'm not sure what he's doing or if he's going to answer me. I'm not even sure I want answers anymore with the way he's acting.

Ivan emerges from the hidden space, his face a mask of determination. Before I can ask any more questions, he's in front of me, his calloused hands cupping my face.

His lips crash into mine, urgent and desperate. The kiss steals my breath away, but it's tinged with something that makes my heart race for all the wrong reasons.

When he pulls back, his eyes lock onto mine. "Virginia," he says, his voice rough with emotion, "I would do anything for you. Anything. You know that, right?"

I nod. "I do. But what's-"

"I love you." I blink, staring at him, but his eyes are so earnest, so insistent. He sucks in a breath, looking up for a moment before meeting my gaze again. "I know I shouldn't. I know it makes things more complicated, and you never asked for it. But I love you so fucking much."

My heart soars at his words, the declaration I've been longing to hear. But the elation is short-lived as fear grips me anew. The intensity in his gaze, the tremor in his voice – something is terribly wrong.

"Ivan, what?—"

He doesn't let me finish. In one swift motion, he scoops me up into his arms. I yelp in surprise, my hands instinctively gripping his shoulders. He strides purposefully towards the hidden space, and suddenly, I understand.

It's a safe room.

Panic floods my system as Ivan carries me inside. The space is small but well-equipped, with supplies lining the walls and a small cot in the corner. My eyes dart around wildly as he sets me down.

"No," I breathe, grabbing his arm as he turns to leave. "Ivan, don't you dare?—"

"I have to keep you safe," he cuts me off, his voice tight with barely controlled emotion. "I can't lose you."

I can see the conflict in his eyes, the pain etched into every line of his face. He's torn between staying with me and facing whatever threat looms outside. My heart pounds so hard I can barely hear my own voice as I plead with him.

"Please, don't leave me here. Tell me what's going on."

Ivan's jaw clenches, and for a moment, I think he might change his mind. But then he leans in, pressing a fierce kiss to my forehead.

"I'll come back for you," he promises, his voice raw. "I swear it."

Before I can react, he's stepping back, the heavy door of the safe room swinging shut between us.

I can't breathe. The walls of this tiny room are closing in on me as I hear the lock click into place. My heart pounds so hard I think it might burst out of my chest.

"Ivan!" I scream, my fists pounding against the cold metal door. "Ivan, please! Don't do this!"

Silence answers me. I press my ear to the door, straining to hear any sign of him, but there's nothing. Just the sound of my own ragged breathing echoing in this cramped space.

"You can't leave me here!" I yell, my voice cracking. "What's going on?"

My palms sting as I slam them against the unyielding surface. I don't care. The pain is nothing compared to the terror clawing at my insides.

"Ivan!" I sob, sliding down to my knees. "Please... please come back."

But he's gone. I know he is. The finality of it hits me like a physical blow, and I struggle to draw air into my lungs. What's happening out there? What was so dangerous that he felt he had to lock me away?

I force myself to stand on shaky legs, scanning the room frantically. There has to be a way out. A hidden latch, an emergency release, something. But as my eyes dart from wall to wall, I see nothing but smooth metal and shelves of supplies.

"No, no, no," I mutter, running my hands along every surface. "This can't be happening."

The panic rises in my throat, threatening to choke me. I spin around, my chest heaving as I try to make sense of this nightmare. Ivan's words echo in my head. I love you. I love you so fucking much.

But how could he do this if he loved me?

I throw myself at the door again, ignoring the pain that shoots through my shoulder. "Ivan!" I scream, my voice raw and desperate. "Let me out! Please!"

I slump against the cold metal door, my body shaking with sobs. The silence in this tiny room is deafening, broken only by my ragged breaths. My mind races, conjuring up horrific scenarios of what might be happening outside.

"Ivan," I whisper, pressing my forehead against the unyielding surface. "Please be okay."

As the initial panic subsides, I realize something that shakes me to my core. I'm not afraid for myself. This safe room, with its sturdy walls and well-stocked shelves, is probably the safest place I could be. No, the fear that's gripping my heart, making it hard to breathe, is all for Ivan.

I close my eyes, picturing his face. The intensity in those blue eyes when he told me he loved me. The desperation in his kiss. God, how could I have been so blind? He wasn't just protecting me; he was saying goodbye.

"No," I choke out, fresh tears spilling down my cheeks. "No, you don't get to do that, Ivan. You don't get to tell me you love me and then leave me like this."

I push myself to my feet, pacing the small space. Every fiber of my being screams to be out there with him, facing whatever danger has him so scared. The thought of losing him, of never seeing that rare smile or feeling his arms around me again, is unbearable.

"I love you too, you stubborn idiot," I say to the empty room, my voice breaking. "I love you, and I can't lose you. Not now. Not when we've finally actually found each other."

The realization hits me like a physical blow. I've known I love Ivan. Completely, irrevocably. The man I once hated has become my whole world, and now he's out there, possibly fighting for his life while I'm trapped in here, useless.

But I might not get to tell him. Just because I was too scared to.

I press my hands against my chest, trying to ease the ache that's settled there. The fear for Ivan's safety is a living thing, clawing at my insides, making it hard to breathe. I've never felt so helpless, so utterly terrified.

"Please," I whisper, unsure who I'm even praying to. "Please keep him safe. Bring him back to me."

God, I need him to be okay.

Because I don't know what I would do without him. The thought alone makes it feel like my heart is being ripped from my chest.