Given to Madness Read online

  Any further chance at conversation was cut short when they arrived at the huge sun-filled room, which Mariusz spent most of his days getting shitfaced in, during the summer. As they walked in, Ilya noticed that all of the others were there too. They obviously wanted to get a look at Mariusz’s latest toy. Sava’s eyes glinted dangerously as he looked Liselle over, and Ilya had to fight back a protective growl.

  What the fuck was wrong with him?

  Mariusz had been lounging on one of the expensive sofas, with a vodka in his hand. Now, he stood up and prowled toward Ilya and Liselle, and it didn’t escape Ilya’s attention that she took a tiny step closer to him as Mariusz approached.

  As if I could protect you. I couldn’t even protect myself.

  Mariusz beamed as he opened his arms to offer Liselle an embrace. “Ahh, here she is. Six years was a long time to wait, no?”

  Liselle made no move to step into Mariusz’s embrace, and Ilya saw the korol’s eyes darken. Placing a gentle hand at the base of her spine, he nudged her forward, and she stumbled into Mariusz’s outstretched arms.

  He didn’t miss the look she fired him as she landed against Mariusz. Her eyes made her feelings crystal clear. Traitor.

  The other man wrapped his arms around her, and buried his nose into her dark mane of hair. Inhaling deeply of her scent, Mariusz spoke quietly. “You smell so fucking good.”

  Mariusz’s hands wandered down Liselle’s back, and Ilya had a birds-eye view of his korol’s fingers settling over her ass. He turned his face away, hiding a grimace of distaste.

  Liselle whimpered, and raised her arms to push against Mariusz’s chest. But although the man was much smaller than Ilya, he was strong. His grip tightened; until in a blind panic she shoved him hard and took two quick steps away from him.

  Ilya closed his eyes and gave a shake of his head. That shit was not going to go down well.

  As soon as Mariusz recovered from the insult he stepped forward, and without hesitation his hand came up and forcefully connected with her pink cheek. The sound of the slap echoed through the room, and Ilya could have sworn he heard Sava groan in pleasure.

  Sick fuck.

  But then Sava hadn’t been the one who’d gone to her home, taken her from her brother, and brought her here to be tormented by “Mad” Mariusz Sokolov.

  That shit was all on him.

  It was in that moment that Ilya realized the real reason why Mariusz had asked him to collect the girl.

  It wasn’t that he trusted Ilya the most. Although Mariusz did trust him more than he trusted the others—Ilya had much more to lose, after all. And it wasn’t that Ilya was the most terrifying of all of Mariusz’s men. Although that was also true.

  No. The reason that Mariusz had wanted him to collect her, was so that he was, by default implicated in her torment. Ilya couldn’t be a bystander to this now; because like it or not, he was an accomplice. He was the reason Liselle had a purple bruise blooming on her soft cheek. Although he had to admit that he was both surprised, and oddly proud to see that she wasn’t crying.

  Mariusz had brought this girl here to make her suffer. And four members of his Five would happily watch, and even participate if they were given the chance. But Mariusz knew that Ilya didn’t have the stomach for that. He knew that the only pain Ilya ever inflicted, was on willing participants.

  Now he was trapped. He couldn’t defend the girl—despite the fiercely protective urge he had roiling inside of him. And he wouldn’t participate in her torment. But ultimately he would have to do what Mariusz told him to. Because he was as much owned by his korol, as this woman now was.

  And as Mariusz met his eyes, Ilya saw the message in them; loud and fucking clear.

  Are you going to challenge me, Lieutenant?

  6

  Liss

  The slap was unexpected, and it hurt like hell. There was nothing gentle or relenting in the contact with my cheek, and I felt the bruise quickly forming underneath my skin. I didn’t know what I’d expected from the man who had killed my parents, but I realized that I shouldn’t have been particularly surprised by what I got.

  The Lieutenant had warned me, and I should have listened to him. Even if he had pushed me into the mad man’s arms.

  Touching my finger to my throbbing cheek, I met Mariusz’s eye, and tilted my chin defiantly. “Is that how you’re going to treat your wife?”

  I had a single instant to register the groan of dismay from the huge man next to me; before I felt the second strike of Mariusz’s hand. This blow was harder—and because he hit me in the same place, it hurt a hell of a lot more. I bowed my head, and closed my eyes—willing the pain away. I had to learn to keep my mouth shut. And fast.

  “Do you know what they call me out there, Liselle?” Mariusz’s voice was a barely unrestrained shriek.

  I eyed him suspiciously.

  Would he hit me again if I called him mad?

  As if reading my mind, he spoke up. “If you don’t answer me I’ll hit you again.”

  “They call you “Mad” Mariusz,” I murmured.

  He grinned, and the grin was a glowing endorsement of his name. It was terrifying.

  “Why do they call me that?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “Yes, you do,” he pushed.

  My eyes flickered sideways toward the Lieutenant. I couldn’t explain why I looked at him. But even though he was terrifyingly tall and muscular, and even with the tattoos which covered his arms; I didn’t fear him in the same way that I feared the man I was going to marry.

  The Lieutenant gave me an almost imperceptible nod, and I turned back to Mariusz. My fiancé was staring at the Lieutenant with hooded eyes, and I suddenly sensed that my desire for confirmation from the bigger man had put us both in danger.

  Shit.

  Trying to distract him from the Lieutenant, I answered quickly. “Because you’re crazy. Because you hurt people.”

  Mariusz looked back to me. “Da. Because I’m crazy, and because I like to hurt people.”

  I stared back at him silently. Determined to keep my stupid mouth closed this time.

  He reached forward and grabbed a hold of my chin. His grip was tight, and it hurt. But I didn’t make a sound. “You’re even more fucking beautiful than I imagined you would be.”

  “Thank you,” I managed, through clenched teeth.

  He leaned into my hair, and whispered. “Tell me, Liselle. How many men have you fucked?”

  I flinched at the question, but his grip on my chin meant that I couldn’t get away from him. I tried to shake my head.

  “Nyet,” he hissed. “How many?”

  I sensed the Lieutenant shift from one foot to the other, and for an instant I thought that he was going to intervene. But he didn’t.

  My eyes met Mariusz’s—they were the same color blue as a frozen lake, and they swam with insanity. Fighting against the humiliation of admitting what I was out loud, to a room filled with strange men, I answered Mariusz in a whisper.

  “None.”

  “None?” he asked, delightedly.

  I shook my head as hard as his grip would permit.

  He pressed the side of his face against my own, and laid a lingering kiss against my cheek. “Don’t worry, love. We’ll change that tonight.”

  I heard one of the other men whoop in delight, and as Mariusz released my chin I turned to look at him. The man had dirty blond hair, and eyes which were very similar to Mariusz’s in color. I knew that Sava was renowned for being a sadistic monster, and I suspected that this beast was him.

  Mariusz returned to his seat leaving me standing next to the Lieutenant, and I suddenly had a feeling that I wasn’t the only one under scrutiny. Mariusz was watching what the man next to me would do.

  As though he sensed the importance of what happened next, the Lieutenant stepped away from me, and crossing the room, he snagged a bottle of vodka from the table in front of Sava. Not bothering with a glass, he tipped the bottle
up; taking a long drink. Then he dropped into an armchair, and joined the other men in studying me. His dark eyes were hooded and empty.

  You fucking traitor.

  I don’t know why I’d expected anything else from Mariusz’s most loyal man. But for some strange reason I had, and the truth hurt.

  “I don’t think I would have been able to resist fucking her, if I’d been sent to collect her.” Sava spoke about me as though I wasn’t there, and I closed my eyes against the humiliation.

  Mariusz laughed loudly. “Why the fuck do you think I didn’t send you?”

  “Did you fuck her, Lieutenant?” A brown-haired, green eyed man who had a heavier accent than the others, asked.

  The Lieutenant had been taking another long drink of vodka. But he lowered the bottle, and looked at the man who had asked the question. His dark eyes were angry.

  “Nyet. Of course I didn’t, Kostya. She belongs to the korol.”

  I shuddered as he so casually talked about Mariusz owning me.

  “So loyal, my second in command.” Mariusz sounded completely insincere, as he raised his glass in a toast. And something told me that some sort of test was underway here.

  I didn’t think that Mariusz Sokolov was as certain of the Lieutenant’s loyalty as people perhaps thought he was.

  “Sava, take Liselle to my bedroom.” Mariusz’s request took me by surprise, and my eyes frantically searched the room for a non-existent escape route.

  My eyes met the Lieutenant’s for a brief instant, and he gave his head the tiniest shake. Just do as you’re told.

  The blond man stood up, and although he was shorter than the Lieutenant, he still towered over me. Sava leered at me as he took a hold of my arm, and began leading me toward the door. He was carrying a bottle of vodka, and I reached quickly forward to snatch it from his hand.

  He was so surprised by my action that he released the bottle easily, and I tilted it quickly to my mouth—allowing the foul tasting liquid to burn my mouth and throat on its way down. If I was going to have to endure this monster, I sure as shit wasn’t going to be sober for it.

  Sava looked toward Mariusz, and laughed aloud. “You picked a feisty wife, I think, korol.”

  Mariusz barked his crazy laughter again. “Don’t fucking damage my property, Sava.”

  Terrified, my eyes flickered back to the Lieutenant’s. He was looking at me, and I was sure that he was furious. But as soon as our eyes met, he looked away and began speaking with another one of the Five. Then Sava dragged me unceremoniously out of the room, and it was game over.

  I took several huge swallows of vodka as the blond-haired monster dragged me up the stairs, knowing that I needed to be numb for whatever came next. I had to be numb, or I wouldn’t survive it. I didn’t fight him, because I suspected that this one would hit even harder than Mariusz did when a woman fought against him.

  We reached a plain door which was half way along the upper hall, and Sava pushed it open; before pulling me roughly into the room after him. He kicked the door closed behind us, and turned to face me. Although I was shaking in fear, I held my head proudly as I tipped even more vodka down my throat.

  If I drink much more of this stuff, I’m going to become Russian. I thought hysterically.

  Sava walked slowly toward me. Almost as though he was a wild animal stalking its prey. I played my part by reacting in the way all good prey should, and I stepped back from him. Farther and farther; until my back hit the door, and there was nowhere left to go.

  Reaching forward Sava took the half empty bottle of vodka from my hand, and tilted his head back to take a long drink; before standing the bottle on a table next to the door. Then he closed the distance between us completely—pressing the full weight of his body against mine.

  He leaned down until his head was next to mine, and his tongue flicked out to tickle against my ear. “I could fuck you with that bottle.”

  I flinched and tried to push him away, but he was a thousand times stronger than I was. “Please?” I begged.

  His teeth found my ear, and he bit down, hard. Drawing a cry of pain from me. “Please what? Please fuck you with it?”

  I shook my head frantically back and forth. “No. Please stop? Please?” I whispered.

  His large hand found its way to the hem of my dress, and he pushed it forcefully up to my waist. I cried out and tried to stop him, but his other hand grabbed my wrists and pinned them cruelly against the door, above my head.

  “Stop it,” I cried, trying to clasp my thighs together.

  His hand slipped beneath my panties. Forcing my thighs apart with ease, he quickly found the opening between my legs, and he didn’t hesitate—pushing two fingers roughly inside me. I howled at the pain of the sudden and brutal intrusion.

  An urgent bang on the door made Sava pause in his assault—his fingers still inside me. I wriggled in an attempt to get away from this sick bastard, but he held me tight.

  “Sava, open the door.” It was the Lieutenant’s voice, and I unexplainably sagged in relief.

  “I’m only having a little fun, Lieutenant. I won’t be long. Then you can have a shot.” The blond man kept me pinned by his fingers inside me, and his hands on my wrists.

  “If you don’t open the fucking door, Sava then I’m going to kick it the fuck down. And you can explain that shit to Mariusz.”

  My tormentor sighed sadly. But he slid his fingers out of me, and released my hands; before stepping back to allow the Lieutenant to open the door. I was pulling my dress back down when the handsome and terrifying other man stepped into the room.

  Sava scowled. “I was only having a little fun. Mariusz didn’t have a problem with it.”

  The Lieutenant growled. “I decided that since I collected her, I’m going to have some fun with her. So, fuck off.”

  For a second, Sava looked as though he were going to argue, but then he seemed to think better of it. His respect for the other man obvious. Snatching the vodka bottle from the table, he stormed from the room—muttering again about Mariusz not having a problem with it.

  The lieutenant closed the door behind the blond-haired psychopath, and I closed my eyes in relief. But suddenly the memory of his words crashed over me like the waves of a turbulent sea.

  I’m going to have some fun with her.

  I blinked my eyes back open, and turned a wary gaze on the massive man who was casually leaning against the doorframe, sipping at his own bottle of vodka.

  “Did he hurt you?” He asked—barely unrestrained rage evident in his voice.

  I wrapped my arms around myself miserably. I couldn’t escape him. Where would I go? “Not much,” I said softly.

  “Good,” he growled. Then he held the bottle out toward me.

  I only hesitated for a moment, but I didn’t sense a trap; so I crossed the room and accepted it. I took a long drink, and was delighted to realize that my body was starting to buzz with the effects of the alcohol.

  He took a single step closer to me, and I held my ground; despite the desire to run. His hand came up to lightly touch the bruised skin of my face. And I closed my eyes, relishing the lightness of his touch. Being around this tattooed monster was surprisingly easy, I realized with a start.

  “I told you not to piss him off.” His voice was low and husky.

  “I didn’t realize he’d be so fucking cruel,” I admitted.

  “He killed your parents Liselle, he’s a fucking monster.” He shook his head angrily. “We’re all monsters.”

  “You’re not.” The words fell out of my mouth before I even realized I was going to say them.

  He moved so quickly that I didn’t even see him coming at me. He used his sheer size to drive me across the room; until my legs met the edge of Mariusz’s huge bed, and I fell onto my back. The fury in his black eyes was dark enough to melt souls, and I quickly realized my mistake.

  The Lieutenant wasn’t a monster. He was the monster.

  7

  Ilya

 
Ilya hadn’t been able to deal with the images of Sava abusing the girl which were swirling around his mind. He knew the other man wouldn’t fuck her—her virginity was Mariusz’s, and her pussy was safe until the korol decided to take it. But Sava knew of a thousand ways to ruin a woman without fucking her.

  He had sat with the others, trying to act relaxed, and he felt Mariusz’s eyes on his every move. The only reason his korol had chosen Sava to take Liselle upstairs was to test Ilya’s loyalty—he understood that with absolute certainty.

  Mariusz had warned him earlier—if Ilya questioned him or his authority again, then he would die. But it wasn’t just his own life that was at stake. Every time Ilya danced on the line between compliance and retaliation, all he had to do was remember the faces of his mother and sister back home.

  He knew Mariusz checked in with his Russian team weekly. All the korol had to give was one simple command, and his mother and Dina would die. Until he found a way to snatch them from under Mariusz’s nose—something he worked at relentlessly—insubordination was not an option for Ilya.

  “Let’s play poker.” Nikolai stood up, heading for the den in the basement.

  Everyone else stood and started to follow Nikolai down the basement steps, even Mariusz. Although his korol paused at the door, and turned back to where Ilya was still seated.

  “Are you coming?”

  Ilya casually got to his feet, slowly stretching like a lion awakening from a noonday nap. “Da, but first I’ll check Sava hasn’t broken your doll.”

  Mariusz narrowed his eyes—openly studying Ilya’s face. He knew his Lieutenant didn’t have the stomach for what was going to happen to the girl, and he wanted to keep on pushing until Ilya broke and fucked-up. He wanted to provoke a reaction. Because if the truth be told, Mariusz was dying to have an excuse to kill Ilya’s family.

  Up until now Ilya had never had a reason to give him one.

  Mariusz lingered in the doorway for ten long seconds. Before he turned away and called over his shoulder. “Don’t be long, Lieutenant.”