Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 85224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
It happens fast. And he kisses me hard. I kiss him back. My hands are in his hair, and his tongue is in my mouth. He is hard against my stomach. And my body aches for him in a way that terrifies me.
But he pulls away abruptly, his eyes wild and confused.
I press my fingers to my lips, never allowing my gaze to leave his as he hovers over me.
“Not yet,” he tells me.
And then he gets up and leaves the room.
14
Alexei
Viktor has paid me a visit as I knew he would when he received the news. The pakhan rarely makes personal house calls without a good reason. But I gather as he sits in my office that this is the exception.
“I’m beginning to think that I’m losing my own hearing,” he tells me when I finish pouring his drink. “Surely, I’ve been given some misinformation Alexei.”
I fold my hands across the wooden desk and study him. Talia is asleep down the hall. I don’t want her to hear this. Outwardly Viktor appears calm, but inwardly, I can see his anger. I was supposed to marry Katya. It is what everyone believed would happen, even though I never agreed to it.
“I have fulfilled my duties as your councilor and I continue to secure the future of the Vory through my work. But when it comes to who I marry, the choice was mine to make. Katya did not suit me.”
“Why?” he demands. “Because she is well bred? Beautiful? Or is it the fact that she was brought up to do exactly as she was told? Which is remain loyal to this family.”
Loyal, Katya is not. But Viktor is right. She was raised with one purpose. To marry a Vor. Perhaps this is what makes her greedy to sample as many of them as she can, but it is not my place to determine. I will not be responsible for her death, so I keep my lips sealed on the matter.
Which only serves to irritate Viktor further.
“You cannot possibly care for this girl,” he tells me. “She is a whore, Alexei.”
“Enough.” I warn him. “That is my wife you are speaking about. It is done.”
Viktor smirks. He has always found it amusing that I speak freely with him. Most men would not attempt it. But most men don’t know all of Viktor’s secrets. And they are expendable. I am not.
“I am just stating facts,” he says. “No self-respecting man would want other men’s…”
He makes a gesture with his hand, searching for the right word. “Leftovers.”
Beneath the desk, my hand is shaking with the force of my anger. Outwardly, I remain calm. This is the way Viktor speaks of all women. Normally, it does not bother me in the slightest. But I don’t want him speaking that way about Talia.
“She had no choice in the matter,” I tell him.
“And she does now?” he raises a brow at me. “I would like to speak to the girl myself. Understand what it is that made her agree to such an arrangement.”
“You will not be speaking to her.”
He finishes his drink and rises to his feet. “I will,” he says. “But it can wait. Perhaps another time. Meanwhile, you will need to break the news to Anatoly.”
“There are plenty of suitable matches within the Vory,” I inform him. “Perhaps even Nikolai.”
Viktor gives me a curious look, but I maintain a neutral expression.
“Yes, perhaps even Nikolai,” Viktor says. “After all, he has Sergei’s approval. And his ears are intact too, no?”
“It has nothing to do with that.”
“I certainly hope not,” he tells me. “Forever is a long time to lie in the bed you’ve made.”
When Viktor has gone, I chase his departure with two glasses of cognac. And then I go to check on Talia.
Only, I find her in the hall. Her hand hovered over a burning candle, searing her skin. Emotionless eyes meet mine, and she does not attempt to hide her self-mutilation. Her face is once more cast in a shadow of despondency.
She heard.
I move towards her and remove her hand from the flame before leaning down to blow the candle out. I take her by the arm and walk her back to her room.
Not a word is spoken between us as I apply salve to the burn and she watches me. The questions are in her eyes, but I don’t know how to answer them.
Why did I marry her?
She wants to know. I owe her answers. I want her to know that I do not believe what Viktor said of her. I should tell her. What I give her instead is a soft kiss on the forehead before tucking her into bed.
Yesterday, she smiled. And today, she wants to die all over again.
Because of me.
15
Talia
I’ve taken to roaming the house at night. When everyone is asleep, and it’s only me and the moon to keep me company. Sometimes, Alexei is still in his office. Passed out on his desk.