Chapter 158: She’ll work for me

"You didn’t kill her," she repeated slowly. "You handed her over to your men."

"She’ll work for me."

"Work?"

"Yes."

"Doing what?"

"Whatever she’s told to do." Something cold settled in Sienna’s stomach. She remembered the man’s voice from the phone. Handle her like you handle the others. She swallowed. "I don’t want to know about your businesses, Viktor."

"Good."

"And you didn’t kill Aliya because what you gave those men is probably worse than death." The amusement disappeared from his face. Sienna’s voice grew quieter.

"You told them to handle her the way they handle the people at that site." She shook her head.

"I know what that means." Viktor said nothing.

"I’ve seen enough movies. I’ve read enough books. I know what men like that do when they have power over someone." Her fingers curled tightly against her palms.

"Beat them. Threaten them. Abuse them until they break." She looked directly at him. "I bet that manufacturing site isn’t even a manufacturing site." Viktor’s eyebrow lifted.

Sienna continued before he could interrupt. "It’s probably some underground club. Or a drug operation. Something worse." She stopped.

The image that had formed in her mind made her stomach turn. Aliya was arrogant. Proud. Cruel. Sienna hated her. God, she hated her. But even so...

She couldn’t wish that on her. Not even on Aliya. "I wanted her punished," Sienna whispered. "I wanted her to suffer for what she did to me." Her eyes dropped to the floor.

"But not like that."

She imagined Aliya being surrounded by men who wouldn’t care who her father was. Men who wouldn’t listen when she screamed. Men who would keep hurting her until that pride she carried like armor finally disappeared.

Aliya would never survive something like that. Or perhaps she would. And that was somehow worse. Sienna knew how proud she was. Aliya might choose death before allowing herself to be broken. Viktor watched her silently.

For one brief moment, something almost like amusement flickered in his eyes. Sienna had no idea. The truth was considerably darker than anything she had imagined.

And Viktor had no intention of putting that image into her head. He stepped closer. "You watch too much drama." Sienna looked up sharply.

"And you read far too many crazy books."

"Viktor." He reached for her waist. She resisted for half a second before allowing him to pull her closer. "Come here."

"I want answers."

"You’re worrying that clever head of yours over nothing."

"Then tell me what the manufacturing site is." Viktor smiled.

"No." Her eyes narrowed.

"No?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you’ll ask another question after that."

"I probably will."

"I know." She pushed lightly against his chest.

"Tell me." Viktor looked down at her hand resting against him. Then back into her eyes. For once, he didn’t smile.

"Sienna, there are parts of my world you don’t need to see."

"But I’m your wife."

"I know."

"Then don’t shut me out." His jaw tightened. That hit closer than she realized. For several seconds, the only sound in the room was the faint rustle of the curtains behind them.

Viktor finally lifted his hand and cupped her cheek. "I am not shutting you out."

"Then what are you doing?"

"Keeping the blood off your hands." Sienna’s eyes held his. "And if I don’t want you deciding what I can handle?" Viktor’s thumb brushed slowly across her cheek.

"Then we’re going to have a problem."

"Why?"

"Because I know exactly what my world looks like." His voice dropped.

"And I know exactly what it does to people who get too close." Sienna didn’t blink. "Then maybe you should stop deciding for me." Viktor stared at her.

For the first time since the call, he seemed to realize this conversation wasn’t going to disappear simply because he wanted it to. Sienna folded her arms again.

"Tell me, Viktor." He exhaled through his nose. "You really don’t know when to stop, do you?"

"No." A reluctant smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I’ve noticed."

"Tell me." Viktor looked at her for a long moment. Then he shook his head.

"Hmmmt." Sienna’s mouth fell open.

"Viktor!" He caught her around the waist before she could step away. "And before you start yelling at me,"

"I wasn’t going to yell."

"You were."

"I was going to demand an answer."

"Same thing." She glared at him. He smiled. And somehow, despite everything, Sienna found herself fighting the urge to smile back. "I’ll show you something."

Viktor’s voice had lost its teasing edge. Sienna looked up at him. "And then?"

"If your heart can handle what you see, I’ll take you to the manufacturing site." She studied his face, searching for any sign that he was trying to frighten her. There was none.

"Okay," she said. The word came out quieter than she intended. She was ready. At least, she thought she was.

Whatever Viktor was about to show her, she could handle it. Her heart could handle it. She had already chosen to love a man whose world existed in shadows. She couldn’t keep pretending those shadows didn’t exist simply because he loved her enough to keep them away from her.

"Show me." Viktor nodded. "Put on something heavy. It’s freezing outside." Sienna glanced toward the balcony. The night air had already begun slipping through the open doors, raising goosebumps along her arms.

She grabbed a thick jacket from the chair and pulled it on. Viktor waited. When she was ready, he reached for her hand. His fingers closed around hers, warm and firm. They left the bedroom together.

The mansion was quiet at this hour. Too quiet. Their footsteps echoed along the polished hallway as Viktor led her toward a part of the house Sienna had never seen before. The farther they went, the colder the air became.

Sienna’s fingers tightened around his. "Where are we going?"

"You’ll see." They descended a narrow flight of stairs. The lights were dimmer down here. A heavy metal door stood at the end of the corridor.

Viktor opened it.