Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 93506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
“Fuck off.”
“You being defensive is also a result of abuse.”
“Hey, don’t push your luck, and stay out of my business.”
“Closing oneself off is a symptom, as is defending one’s abuser.”
“If you don’t shut the fuck up right now, I’m going to punch you.”
“That’s another form—”
Before he’s finished his words, I’ve already driven my fist into his face. He stumbles back a step, but then he swings his arm and punches me in the cheek.
I reel back but catch myself before I trip.
We exchange a few more blows until our noses are bleeding, our lips are busted, and we need to lean on the stone wall for balance. A few onlookers gather around, but Adrian’s guard, who’s around his age, scares them to death while kicking them away. He did try to stop us at one point, but a single look from Adrian was enough to derail him.
We’re both panting as we glare at each other while hunching over to catch our breaths.
“You need to stop it, or it’ll go on forever,” he says.
“I swear to fuck, Adrian, if you don’t shut up…”
“What are you gonna do? Punch me like a girl?”
“I’m going to kill you.” I lunge at him again, and he’s waiting for me, his eyes blazing. Seems that this motherfucker woke up today and chose violence. How could I not make his wish come true?
He doesn’t lift his hands to protect himself and, instead, strains from between clenched teeth, “You can stop it.”
“And how do I do that, genius?” I stand before him and let my fist fall to my side. “Unless I get stronger, I won’t be able to stop anything.”
“Then do it faster. For starters, stop punching like a girl.”
“You wouldn’t be saying that if you saw how prettily I decorated your face, motherfucker.”
He harrumphs and turns toward his guard. “We’re walking home, Kolya. A certain presence has soured my mood.”
“I should be the one saying that!” I shout at his back. “I wish you a shitty Christmas.”
He flips me off without turning around, and I want to run at full speed and knock him to the ground. I don’t, because even I realize that I already gave in to violence more than I should’ve allowed myself.
I’m trying to have better control of that part of myself, and to do that, I need to be more levelheaded. I touch the corner of my lip and wince. One of these days, that fucker Adrian will have his throat slit in his sleep.
A black van pulls up in front of me, but before it’s fully stopped, the side door opens, and a shrill, excited voice yells, “Kirya!!!”
My brother jumps from the car and slams into me, knocking me off balance. I pat the top of his light hair. Despite being only two years younger than me, he’s way shorter. I’m having a growth spurt he can’t keep up with.
“Hi there, little Kosta.”
“I’m not little.” He still nuzzles his nose in my chest like when he was a toddler. My ribs ache from when Adrian punched me, but I wrap my arm around his back.
“Kirill!! Kirill!” Another much smaller figure crashes into my side.
My five-year-old sister, Karina, reaches her hands up to me even though I’ve told her she’s too heavy to carry. Does she understand that logic? No way in hell.
She looks pretty today in a pink dress with white ribbons. Her blonde hair falls in styled curls to the middle of her back.
“Kara.” Despite my sore body, I still lift her high and she sits snugly on my shoulders.
She taps the top of my head and then gasps. “Blood, blood. Are you hurt?”
That’s when Konstantin pushes back to actually stare at me, and his eyes widen. “Why…what happened?”
“Just a meaningless fight. Nothing to worry about.”
He pouts, and Karina starts to cry, so I have to console them both and assure them that I’m really okay. If I’d known they were coming to pick me up, I wouldn’t have risen to Adrian’s provocations or talked to the slimy fucker.
I might not be strong enough to put an end to my father’s tests and training, but I will be. If for no other reason than to protect my siblings.
In the car, there are two of my father’s guards and the driver. No matter which angle I view the situation from, it’s weird that my father sent Konstantin and Karina to pick me up from school. It’s even more strange that Yulia allowed Konstantin out of her sight when she’s usually overprotective of him.
“Why did you guys come along?” I ask.
“Because we miss you! Miss you!” Karina shouts, then breaks into a fit of giggles. She has a habit of repeating her words because our dear mother always tells her to speak clearly and not like an idiot.
“Papa said we’re going on a Christmas holiday.” Konstantin grins, his face brimming with excitement. “As a family.”