Page 63 of The Harbinger
He stepped away from me, and I sniffled, pulling my skirt over my smarting skin. I winced, the soft material like pumice on an opened wound, as I righted myself and turned.
Had he done this before with Nina? Had she enjoyed it? Or did she feel trapped and violated?
Sacha’s dark eyes roamed my face, no doubt disgusted by my tears, then reached out as if to quell my shakes.
I recoiled from his touch. “I’m not Nina.”
He dropped it back to his side, his teeth clenched. “No, you’re not.”
My breath stuck. His words tore through me like a storm—the rejection stinging my heart and mind. Even though I wanted to be different from her, treated with affection and care, I couldn’t help the jealousy. I could never be her…his future.
Knock. Knock.
My insides twisted and writhed as I wiped the tears from my cheeks and slipped behind him, hiding my disastrous state from the person at the door.
“Zakhodite.”
Dmitri slid open the door and stepped inside. “Oni priyekhali.”
“Give me a moment.”
I peered around Sacha’s broad shoulders to see who stood outside the door, listening to what he’d done to me, but his colossal frame filled the opening, blocking me from seeing anyone nearby.
Dmitri gave a brief nod, then left the room, softly closing the door in his wake. I stared at Sacha’s back, keeping myself hidden.
“Follow me.”
Sacha walked to his desk and rolled his sleeves down, buttoning them back into place.
I shuffled behind him, my cheeks now dry. “Where are we going?”
He picked up his jacket, slipped it over his arms, and adjusted it on his shoulders before taking his seat.
“You’re going right here.” He pointed to the space beside him.
I walked around the desk, searching for a chair. “Right here?” I pointed to the empty space.
Sacha nodded.
“I’ll get a chair from the conference room.”
“No. I want you on your knees.”
“I’m not…” I glanced around the empty office, a lump in my throat. “Won’t people…”
“Tebe nuzhen yeshche odin urok?” He pointed toward the floor, his voice low and intimidating. “Do we need another lesson?”
The urge to flee was palpable, the desire to forget what had happened in this room like I had forgotten the basement, overwhelming. But, despite my trembling limbs and the stinging pain radiating from my backside, I forced myself to the ground, eyes tightly shut and jaw clenched. My knees met the cold tile, and I gasped as my bottom settled onto my heels.
“Here are the rules. Are you listening?” His pitch-black, hungry abyssal eyes bore into me, and I nodded. He narrowed his eyes. “Not a sound. Head down. If I think you aren’t following the rules, there’ll be consequences… infrontof my clientele.” His voice was steel-edged, leaving no room for argument.
I rolled my lips.
One. Two. Three.
The wall between the desk grew closer as my gaze darted from the floor to the desk, to him, then back again, my breaths rapid, yet choking the life from me.
He lifted my chin. “You’ll do fine.”