Page 2 of Sapphire

I opened my eyes, meeting his gaze head-on. "I would send her to the devil himself if it meant keeping her out of your hands," I said coldly, letting him see the truth of it in my face. "The Irish are animals, but they have honor. They would never abuse a child the way you intend to."

I leaned in closer, my lips brushing the shell of his ear. "And just think how better it will be to have a more experienced woman in your bed. Natasha would not last the distance. I have already proven I can.” God, I felt sick at saying the words, but I would say anything to stroke his sadistic ego to free Natasha.

Piotr was silent for a long moment, his breath hot and rank against my cheek. He laughed - a low, menacing sound. "You always were a clever little bitch, Kamilla," he murmured, his grip on my throat tightening fractionally. "Very well. Send the girl to the Irish. But you will submit willingly to me, if not I’m bringing Natasha back and make you watch as I have my fun with her.”

He yanked me against him, his other hand fisting in my hair and jerking my head back savagely. "Then I will flay the skin from your bones and make you watch as I do the same to your precious niece. Do you understand?" he snarled.

"I understand," I said, pain throbbing throughout my body already. "I'm yours, Piotr. Body and soul. I won't betray you."

A vicious smile curved his mouth, his teeth flashing white in the dim light. "Good girl," he said, releasing me with a shove that sent me stumbling back. "Now get the brat out of here before I change my mind."

I didn't hesitate. Spinning on my heel, I grabbed Natasha by the hand and dragged her towards the door. I could feel Piotr's eyes on me.

"Natasha, listen to me," I murmured into her hair. "I need you to run now. Run and don't look back."

"Not without you," she sobbed. "Please Kami. Don't make me leave you with him."

I squeezed my eyes shut. "I'll be right behind you," I lied, hating myself even as the words left my lips. "But I need you to be brave for me now. I need you to run to the Irish, to Cara and tell her what happened. She'll keep you safe."

It was a gamble, sending my innocent niece fleeing straight into the arms of the Irish mafia. But I was out of options. The Bratva would never shelter Natasha. Cara Maguire and the Irish were cold, but she would also see herself in Natasha.

I shoved her towards the door, ignoring her wail of protest. "Now run, and don't stop until you reach the Emerald Queen. I'll find you. I promise."

She ran. She knew that any hesitation would give Piotr time to change his mind and make her stay.

I squared my shoulders, turning to face Piotr. I had already survived, and killed, one monster. I will do it again.

Chapter 2: Kamilla

Life was now a special kind of hell. I had known it would be bad, but even in my darkest moments, I could never have imagined the depths of depravity that Piotr would drag me to. The first time he took me was an exercise in brutality. He fucked me like he was trying to break me, like he wanted to punish me. I lay there and took it, my face buried in the pillow to muffle my screams of pain. I let him use my body and when he was done, when he had spilled his seed inside me with a grunt of satisfaction, I curled into a ball and wept silently into the blood-stained sheets.

Piotr quickly realized that it would take more than a rough fuck to bring me to heel. He set about making my life a waking nightmare, determined to crush my will.

"You think you're so tough, don't you?" he would sneer, his fingers digging into my arm. "It’s been two days. No one is coming for you and no one cares about you. Natasha has left you. She saved herself and gladly sacrificed you.”

I would meet his gaze without flinching. "And what does that make you, Piotr? A sad, small man playing at being a king?"

His face would darken with rage, his grip tightening until I thought he might snap my bones. I never let him see me wince, never let him know how much he was hurting me. I had learned long ago that men like him got off on pain, on fear. And I refused to give him the satisfaction.

He took particular delight in tormenting me about Natasha, in using my love for my niece as a weapon against me.

"I wonder how she's doing, your precious little princess," he would ask. "Do you think she's happy with the Irish, as they use her as I’m using you? Do you think she hates you for sending her to them?”

I would clench my jaw so hard my teeth ached, fighting down the urge to scream at him. To tell him that Natasha was better off with the Irish than she could ever be with him, with any of us. I knew the Emerald Queen would protect her in a way that I never could. She had power. I had none.

"The Irish are many things, but they would never harm a child. Especially not one under the protection of their queen."

Piotr would chuckle, his breath hot and rancid against my ear. "Ah yes, the Emerald Queen. Tell me, Kamilla - do you ever wonder what it would be like to be her? To have that kind of power, that kind of influence?"

I would go still beneath him. "I don't want power," I would say, as the truth would just bring me more pain.

"Liar," he would hiss, his hand tightening the grip on my throat. "You forget, I know you. I see the darkness in you. You're just like me, deep down. A predator wearing the skin of prey."

"I'm nothing like you, Piotr. I may be a monster for killing my husband, but at least I own it. At least I don't pretend to be something I'm not."

His face would twist with rage, his fingers digging into my windpipe until darkness blurred the edges and my lungs screamed for air.

The hours turned to days and the bruises on my skin didn’t have a chance to fade, before they were replaced by fresh ones.