Page 37 of Captive

The cabin was rustic as fuck, the relatively small building secluded in a bank of trees. There was no mailbox highlighting the almost dirt road, only a small marker that had been difficult to find given the growth in the forest surrounding the property. At least the privacy would create a shield for a certain amount of time. The area was also far enough away from any main roads that I felt a sense of safety surrounding us.

However, I’d never let my guard down again.

I could see a separate shed as well as piles of wood that had been cut and stacked, the overhang shielding the pieces from the majority of weather conditions.

Chloe hesitated before exiting the vehicle, shielding her eyes from the hint of sun glistening through the trees as she studied the front façade. “Interesting.”

I didn’t bother addressing her comment, merely unlocking the door and moving inside. The hinges creaked, the hardwood floor popping as I walked further inside. It was obvious Travis hadn’t been at the location for some time, the amount of dust indicating at least a few months.

She moved through the place, jerking open blinds, coughing as the dust continued to fly. “We have to stay here?”

I shifted my attention to the fireplace, the massive stonework likely the most appealing part about the place. I didn’t botheranswering her question. She was doing nothing more than pushing my buttons. “We’ll need to bring in some wood.”

“It’s May and gorgeous outside, not that we can see any of it.”

“And the nights are still cold.” She studied me intently as I moved through the house, checking on what we had to deal with. When I realized she was following me, I had the same reaction as always.

Lust.

Filthy, vile desire.

Shoving it aside, I moved toward the back door, hissing given the condition of a lock. It would need to be fortified. The attached deck had seen better days, the handrailing rickety as hell, but given the house backed up to a slight slope and nothing other than trees, I felt more confident that our location wouldn’t be located for some time.

However, if they discovered the slight relationship I had to Travis, all bets were off the table. I should have insisted he leave town.

She blew by me, jogging down the two stairs and peering up at the limited view of the sky. I would need to check the surrounding area in more detail, but that could wait until we were settled.

I leaned over the railing, taking a deep breath for the first time in almost two full days. I’d yet to hear anything from Ivan, which didn’t bode well in my mind. One thing was certain. Decent food and rest were vital. I had no doubt a bloody battle would ensue. I rubbed my eyes, loathing the exhaustion as well as the intense headache that had settled in.

The single cracking sound forced my normal reaction, the weapon in my hand in two seconds flat. As I scanned the forest, I realized the reason for the noise. Chloe was racing into the thickest part of the woods.

Goddamn it.

I took off, jumping off the deck, powering behind her. Jesus Christ. What the hell did I need to do to get through to the sassy vixen? Within seconds, I lost sight of her, the trees larger and thicker than the ones by the house. I could also see her trail, the underbrush just crushed by the weight of her footsteps. The little pet was going to learn one way or the other that she was my responsibility.

To protect.

To discipline.

To train.

I jumped over several fallen logs, finally catching a glimpse of her just before she disappeared again. What the hell? I stopped for a few seconds, finally able to hear the sound of running water. A creek or river was close. Had she actually been able to hear the sound from the house?

The little brat was faster than I would have believed. She was also one of the most hardheaded people I’d ever met. She still thought of this as some kind of game, even continuing her attempt to escape. I would tie her to one of the chairs if that’s what it took. As the slope of the land began to fall, I slowed down, able to catch a glimpse of what looked like a powerful water source.

While I was able to see a small grassy knoll, there were also dozens of large rocks, including several jagged ones in the river. Water was tumbling over them, rushing downstream. I shifted my attention, finally able to notice her sitting on a large boulder, dangling her feet over the edge. What in God’s name did she think she was doing?

Chloe had scratches on her legs from defying me yet again, racing into a section of woods covered in thorny underbrush. While at least two of them were deep, blood seeping from the wounds, she didn’t seem bothered by them to any degree. She’d bent her legs at the knees, her arms folded over them as she stared out at the water. As if the river was her escape route, her salvation.

The woman still didn’t comprehend the power of the Bratva.

Growling, I headed in her direction, moving to the bank just beside the massive rock. I remained quiet, trying to find a different way of getting through to her. If I failed, we’d both die.

“Do you remember the day in class when I told you about theVorovskoy Zakon, the Thieves Code of Conduct?” My question didn’t seem to register for at least thirty seconds.

“Yes. They were monsters.”

I allowed my eyes to travel with the water as it splashed over the rocks, the beautiful reminder of nature something I’d always loved.