The Monster (18+)

Chapter 7: My Solnyshko

Chapter Seven
"My Solnyshko"

"Dimitri," I rasped, clenching a hand over my heart. He only smiled wider, clearly enjoying the fact that he'd surprised me.

A thousand thoughts slammed into me, starting from why is he here, to how does he know where I live?

My anxiety was spiking now, and for once, my fight-or-flight instincts had me instinctively spinning on my heel, ready to dash to the exit.

But my hopes were squandered within a second when my body crashed into another.

Feet stumbling back, I gaped when I saw two men guarding the door, blocking me from stepping any further from my apartment. Their expressions were hard, eyes trained over my head, and my heart started slamming against my rib cage. I hadn't even heard them sneak up behind me.

Fervently, I tried shoving between their bodies, but my escape was quickly stopped by the blonde man, who instantly gripped my upper arm.

A cry left me when I felt his hand tightening around me, so painful that I was sure he'd stop my blood circulation.

The temperature dropped in the room before Dimitri stomped behind me. "Khvatit!" He roared, assumingly in Russian.

Surprised by the dominating, harshness of his voice, I tensed at the same moment as his guards. The one holding me loosened his fingers, but quickly snapped his hand back when Dimitri lowered his tone threateningly, "Ty prikosnesh'sya k ney yeshche raz, i ya ub'yu tebya."

The man's shoulders pushed back before he nodded stiffly. Although, I felt myself frowning when I saw his eyes pinching, almost in a nervous grimace.

"Idti," I heard him bite out through his teeth behind me. The men quickly nodded in obedience to whatever he said before gripping the handle.

With a soft gasp, I jumped out of the way as they slammed the door shut, cutting the access to the light from the hallway.

Eyes trained forward, I didn't move my gaze off the door while Dimitri softly treaded around the small space. He was breathing casually while I was dying, trying to exhale with a closed up throat.

His soft chuckle stopped me from my struggling attempts to relax.

"I never thought I would see you again." His rough statement had me quaking in my spot, and my eyes squeezed shut when I heard the floorboards creak underneath his weight a few feet from me. "Especially here."

When I said nothing, he took another step forward. "What made you think East Harlem would be safer? You should have moved more into the city."

Another step closer, followed by a beat of silence. Then, he spoke again. "Look at me," he demanded, and my shoulders quickly caved in fear, right before he let out a low curse. "Savannah."

Hearing my name from his lips, no matter how many years have passed, made me instantly inhale through my nose. It felt like the first breath of air I've taken since entering the room.

I knew this day would eventually come. Somewhere, deep inside my subconscious, I knew that one day, I'd have to face what I'd done—face Dimitri. And despite all this, I couldn't muster up the courage to look at him. I felt ashamed of myself.

So, I opened my mouth and swallowed a large intake of air, taking one final moment to myself before shooting my eyes open. I nodded once in encouragement before swirling on my heel, coming face-to-face with him.