Reign of a Billionaire : A Dark Mafia Enemies-to-Lovers Romance

My twin squeezed once, then pulled away to rest her chin on her knees and wrap her arms around her legs, staring into the fire. Winter months in the Siberian manor were brutal, especially when Ivan Petrov was here. I shouldn’t complain, especially knowing that I wasn’t the only one suffering. Mother and Ivan’s prisoners had it worse—a lot worse.

My legs shook while my mind chanted over and over again, “Where is he?”

I pressed my eyelids together as “Born To Die” by Lana Del Rey played in my head on repeat. I’d started to wonder whether our finish line would be death. It would seem our entire lives had led us to this point. To die. Our road to freedom had been unending. It couldn’t fail us now… Could it?

I pushed at my temples with closed fists. Everything about the lyrics made me want to cry, and I knew there was no time for tears.

My palms pressed into my skin, my fear a white-hot current. He wouldn’t hurt us. Mother was here. She wouldn’t let him. But then where was she? Where was Kingston?

I hid my face in my lap to smother my cries. Please, please, please. I just wanted him. I wanted my⁠—

The door crept open, and my sister and I whipped our heads up. I tasted her fear like it was my own, just as I knew she could sense mine. We scooted back, pressing ourselves into the dark corner.

Liana’s breath fogged the space between us. Or maybe it was my own. I rocked, mouthing to myself, I’m not scared. I’m not scared. Eventually, I’d believe it.

The footsteps were getting closer. The hardwood creaked, piercing through my eardrums. Tears ran down my cold cheeks, searing a path down to my lips. My twin’s hands gripped me hard.

He was getting closer. He was…

I jumped when a hand touched me. My back slammed into the wall and pain shot into my shoulder.

A scream pierced the ice-cold air.

I launched up off the floor and jumped onto the broad back, ignoring the shaking fear that gripped every fiber of my being. In the next breath, I was thrown off effortlessly, my limbs coming down hard on the stone floor.

The world tilted. My vision blurred. Pain surged through my temples.

Even with my head buzzing with adrenaline and pain, I tried to move, but my body refused to listen.

But then reality filtered in through the horror.

My eyes widened. A large hand covered my mouth while the other roamed down my body, lower and lower, until it reached my crotch. I bucked and kicked, my screams muffled and the back of my head hitting the floor again. The stench of tobacco and cheap cologne assaulted my senses.