He Didn’t Kidnap Me. Not Exactly novel Chapter 5

Chapter 5

(Daisy’s POV)

“The woman we intended to kidnap is the Viper’s daughter… and so are you.”

For a moment, nobody moved.

The room was quiet. Heavy; the kind of quiet that belongs in dramatic movies right before someone explodes something.

And then I laughed.

Not a polite laugh.

A full, genuine, are-you-serious-right-now laugh.

“Oh, that’s good,” I said, wiping at my eye like DeLuca had just delivered the world’s greatest joke. The timing had been perfect.

“That’s really good.” I remarked. “Kidnap the wrong girl, bring her to a billionaire villain mansion, and then tell her she’s secretly the daughter of a crime lord. That’s… wow. You guys really commit to the theme here.”

No one laughed with me.

DeLuca just stood there, watching me with that same unreadable expression he’d been wearing, like he was permanently judging the

entire planet.

I gestured vaguely around the room.

“All right, great performance, everyone,” I said. “Very dramatic. But I’m actually exhausted and I’d really like to go home now.”

I turned toward the door with my statement to take my leave but then two very large men stepped in front of me.

I stopped.

Looked at them. Looked back at DeLuca.

“Are they part of the joke?”

DeLuca’s voice was calm.

“I’m not joking.”

Something about the way he said it made the room feel colder.

“You are Roman Volkov’s daughter,” he continued. “And you are not leaving.”

I stared at him. Then I pointed at myself.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“That Roman Volkov? The crime-lord Roman Volkov? The terrifying underworld villain Roman Volkov you’ve mentioned?” I quizzed now my voice carrying absurdity… because there was no way he was telling the truth.

It’s just dumb crazy.

“Yes.”

I blinked slowly.

“Look, my dad left when I was five,” I said. “And from what I learned from my mum didn’t murder anyone and could barely assemble IKEA furniture. He was just miserable and a coward.” I explained but DeLuca didn’t look convinced.

“Your mother’s maiden name was found to be Volkov.”

That made my stomach dip slightly. I ignored it.

“That proves absolutely nothing,” I said quickly. “Volkov is probably a very common name in… wherever crime lords come from.”

“Russia,” Nico said helpfully from somewhere behind me.

“Thank you.”

DeLuca stepped closer with his brows caved in now and the room seemed to shrink around him.

“Before,” he said evenly, “you were simply a complication.”

I frowned also.

“I don’t like you defining me.”

“Now,” he continued, “you are useful.”

Oh. “Useful?” I repeated.

“Yes.”

I let out a sharp laugh.

“Let me get this straight,” I said. “I get kidnapped, dragged across the city, brought to a mansion full of angry men in suits who also looked hungry by the way, and now you’re telling me I’m… useful?”

How does that make sense?!

DeLuca’s expression didn’t change.

“Yes. To me.”

1 stared at him.

“You’re insane.”

“Possibly.” He commented.

“You can’t just decide that my life is over because you read something in a file!”

“I can.”

The way he said it- calm, certain, made something in my chest threaten to explode. I clenched my fists.

“You have no authority over me,” I snapped. “You don’t own me.”

His gaze sharpened slightly.

“Right now,” he said quietly, “you are standing in my house. Surrounded by my men. Inside a world you do not understand.”

He paused.

“You have no power here.” He said and the words landed like a door slamming shut.

I felt heat rush to my face.

“You kidnapped me, using unfair means!” I said. “You don’t get to talk about power dynamics like you’re hosting a motivational

seminar.”

DeLuca didn’t react to my volume. He simply said the next words like he was stating the weather.

“Your father killed my mother.” He said and the room went still.

For the first time since this whole nightmare began, I didn’t feel like yelling at him immediately.

DeLuca’s voice stayed steady.

“Roman Volkov murdered her five years ago.” He explained and something in his eyes changed then.

Not anger.

Something colder.

“So I will kill him,” he said.

My throat tightened without my permission.

“I don’t care how long it takes. I don’t care who stands in the way.”

His gaze locked on mine.

“I don’t care who has to die.” He scowled and the implication hit me like a punch.

I felt tense now and behind me, Nico suddenly spoke.

“So you made a mistake but ended up not making a mistake as you still ended up kidnapping Volkov’s daughter.”

We both looked at him.

He considered the situation thoughtfully and added.

“That’s impressively unlucky.”

I didn’t know what to respond but that but then DeLuca called my attention back to him now.

“You will remain here,” he said and I turned.

I folded my arms.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Are you really serious with this nonsense?”

“I am.” He said, his scowl intact.

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