Freedom

KAIA

“So Kaia, are you still really Aleksandr’s prisoner?” Anya drawled. She leaned back in the booth and gave me a sly look.

We’d just come off the dance floor, all of us sweaty and laughing, pretending to hydrate but really just ordering more cocktails.

Everyone was buzzing except Anya, who somehow looked completely sober, her eyes sharp and focused.

“They’re getting married,” Stasya said, taking a sip of her drink like it was no big deal.

Lia was busy texting, her cheeks pink, but she shot up straight when she heard that, almost bumping into Anya.

She pointed at me, her eyes wide and shining.

“I ~knew~ it!”

“It’s not what you think,” I blurted, but the girls were already exchanging those smug, I-told-you-so glances.

Lia held out her hand to Anya, wiggling her fingers.

“Pay up, Doc.”

Anya groaned and dug through her purse, pulling out a crisp hundred-dollar bill and slapping it into Lia’s hand.

My mouth fell open.

“You guys bet on me?”

Lia grinned, tucking the bill into her purse. “Easy money,” she said.

Anya shot me a look, her scowl deepening.

“I thought you’d hold out a little longer,” she muttered.

I finished my drink and let out a long breath, trying to figure out how to explain the mess I’d gotten into with the pakhan.

“Okay, so Aleksandr and I signed a contract to get married because—”

Anya cut me off, waving her hand in the air. “Wait, you ~signed~ a contract?”

“Did you ~sleep~ with him or not?” she and Lia asked at the exact same time.

I glanced at Stasya, hoping for backup, but my cheeks just burned hotter. She only shrugged, looking way too innocent.

“I already saw the marks,” she said, nodding at my neck.

I cringed, remembering her dabbing concealer over the dark bruises Aleksandr left on my skin—like he thought no one would ever see them but him. Especially not his ~sister~.

Stasya flagged down the waitress for another round of shots, then folded her arms and stared at me.

“Start from the beginning.”

I raised an eyebrow, but their faces were so eager I just sighed and gave them the short version.

Their excitement faded fast, replaced by worry.

“Cristo took your sister?” Lia’s voice was soft, but I could still hear her over the music.

I nodded, slow and heavy.

“Aleksandr promised to help me find her.”

“But he’s marrying you to stop someone else from taking your dad’s place at the High Table?” Stasya asked.

Anya shook her head. “He’s marrying her because he doesn’t want anyone else to have her.”

I bit my lip.

“Um…I don’t think that’s—”

“That makes sense,” Stasya said, and Lia nodded like it was obvious.

The way they just accepted Aleksandr’s choices made my temper flare.

“Aleksandr’s marrying me because he wants to control me,” I snapped.

“That’s not a bad thing,” Stasya said, her eyes glinting with mischief.

Anya smacked her arm, laughing. “She means it’s not a bad thing in the bedroom. But outside of it, I get how it could be annoying. You’ve been on your own forever, right? Then Cristo, now Aleks.”

I noticed how Lia’s whole body tensed at Cristo’s name, and she went quiet.

Guilt hit me hard, making my stomach twist.

I turned to her.

“I’m so sorry, Lia. I shouldn’t have helped Cristo.”

Lia let out a shaky breath and squeezed my hand, her grip warm and steady.

“I get why you did it,” she said. “I don’t blame you, Kaia. How could I, when you saved Santi?”

I bit my lip even harder. ~How do I tell her that helping Santi was the only way I could get Aleksandr to come save her?~

“So, about this contract with Aleks—God, I wish Sloane were here so I could get her opinion,” Anya said, leaning in. “What does it actually say?”

All three of them stared at me, waiting.

I shifted in my seat, feeling awkward.

“Maybe I should talk to Sloane first,” I said, trying to sound casual.

Everyone at the table groaned.

“Fine, if we’re not getting any juicy details, let’s dance!”

Stasya slid out of the booth, smoothing her dress, and we all followed her to the dance floor.

The music swallowed us up, the bass thumping in my ears while the alcohol made everything feel lighter.

The DJ shouted out all the brides-to-be—apparently there were a ton of us tonight—and then Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” started blasting.

Stasya whipped out her phone, recording as Anya and Lia spun around me, grabbing my hand and twirling me like I was the star of the show.

I couldn’t stop laughing at their ridiculous moves, not realizing someone was watching me.

ALEKSANDR

I took a slow sip of my scotch, only half listening to the conversation around me.

We were meeting in the bar at Roman’s hotel, the Aluxor, with a few of the Dons.

Usually, I wasn’t this involved in their business, but I liked knowing what was happening in my city.

The Dons were allies, so they kept me updated on anything important.

But tonight, my mind was somewhere else.

I was playing a risky game with Kaia—not with my life, but with my heart.

Leaving her tonight had been harder than I expected, especially after seeing her in my office, standing there so stubborn and still dripping with my cum.

She didn’t realize it yet, but she’d responded to me perfectly.

That mix of her stubbornness and her willingness to give in—it did something to me.

It kept the monster inside me quiet, at least for a little while.

I’d stopped second-guessing myself when it came to her.

“All right, thank you, gentlemen.” Don Marco stood up, snapping me back to reality.

The other men followed his lead, shaking hands before heading out, leaving just Santi, Gio, and me.

Marco glanced at his phone, then did a double take.

He shot me a look, then turned his phone to Gio, who burst out laughing.

“What the fuck is so funny?” I asked, not even trying to hide my annoyance.

Marco walked over and handed me his phone.

“Where did you say your captive was tonight, Aleksandr? At home? Safe and sound?” he said, smirking.

I was already regretting telling them about my plan with Kaia—keeping her close so no one else could touch her.

I’d said it was the only way to keep her safe, but Marco had looked at me like he wanted to call bullshit.

I tapped the video on his phone, wincing as loud music blasted out, making people turn to stare.

It was a live feed from Azure, right on the dance floor.

The camera zoomed in on a group of women.

I turned the volume down and watched as they danced to some obnoxious song about putting a ring on it.

I knew Stasya had invited the girls out tonight, and I’d only agreed because Kir would be there for my sister, and Marco would make sure Xavier watched over Anya.

Plus, Azure was Marco’s club, so security was tight.

I watched Stasya shaking her hips, throwing her hands up, looking like she owned the place.

“Why the fuck am I watching this?” I tried to hand the phone back, but Marco pushed it at me again.

“Just keep watching.”

Stasya turned, and then another woman appeared on the screen, making my jaw clench.

She was wearing a gold outfit that shimmered under the lights, her stomach bare, all that soft skin on display.

She moved her hips just as confidently as Stasya, and I could see every man nearby staring at her ass.

I tossed Marco’s phone back at him, and he barely caught it, still laughing.

“I’m going to fucking kill Feliks.”

And then I stormed out.