Page 56 of Trapped
“Yeah, for a few weeks.”
I couldn’t leave. The shop was just coming together.
My breathing hitched. “Where?”
Santino only kissed my forehead. “Pack your bags.”
NINETEEN
DELILAH
Santino hauled our luggage up the steps of a private jet. I followed, gripping the railing as we disappeared from the humid, damp tarmac and entered a luxury airplane.
The flight attendant smiled. “Welcome, Ms. Romanov. What would you like to drink?”
A vodka on the rocks with lime, please.
I caught Santino’s eye and cleared my throat. “A Coke. Thanks.”
Santino grabbed a window seat and buckled himself in. “I’ll have the same.” The flight attendant whisked away as I slid into the seat beside him, still fuming. The plush leather seemed to mock me, a reminder of the luxurious trap I’d stepped into.
“You still haven’t told me where we’re going.”
“Where’s your sense of adventure?” he quipped.
“I’ve had enough of that, thanks. Are you planning on giving me a hint, or do I have to guess?”
He leaned in his seat, looking annoyingly relaxed. “You’ll find out soon. Sit back and enjoy the ride.”
The flight attendant returned with our drinks, and I sipped my Coke. “At least tell me why we had to leave in such a hurry.”
His expression darkened. “Things are heating up, and I don’t want you getting caught in the crossfire.”
The plane taxied down the runway.
My throat tightened. “What happened?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Santino, you can’t keep me in the dark forever.”
“Neither can you,” he said coolly, sipping his drink. “Confronting Dimitri at the gala was dangerous. You could’ve gotten yourself killed because you’re too proud to ask me for help.”
“I’m used to handling things on my own. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time.”
He raised a brow. “You’re a Pakhan’s daughter.”
“You think that meant I had everything I ever wanted? I had nothing. Dad was too busy with his job, and my stepmom was checked out.” I looked out the window, watching the clouds roll by. “I started drinking when I was twelve. There was always vodka lying around. My father’s men would bring in cases of expensive liquor, and nobody noticed when a few bottles went missing. I’d drink to numb the loneliness. No one ever stopped me.
“By fourteen, I was sneaking out to parties, doing whatever I could to feel something. Boys liked the idea of being with the Pakhan’s daughter, but none of them saw me. I was just aconquest. I’d come home drunk, and Dad wouldn’t even notice. Or maybe he did, and he didn’t care. I was invisible.”
The flight attendant came by to check on us, but Santino waved her off.
I swallowed hard, the pain of those years still fresh. “I tried to find solace in school, but even there, I was an outsider. The other kids knew who I was. They either wanted to befriend me for protection or avoid me out of fear. I was always alone.”
His thumb traced circles on my hand. “What changed?”
I sighed. “When I turned sixteen, I realized I couldn’t keep going like that. I had to do something to get out. So I started saving money, hiding it away, but the drinking didn’t stop. It got worse. It was the only way I coped. Things were really bad when I turned eighteen. I was out of control. My father finally noticed, but not because he was concerned about me. No, he was worried about his reputation.”