AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It means that the war is over,” I reply. “I might think you’re an annoying asshole who needs to learn his place, but Alina loves you for some reason. So I will stop fucking with you.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he sucks his teeth and considers in silence for a while. Then a note of challenge bleeds back into his stupid face.
“And you’ll delete the video of me,” he declares.
I just snort dismissively.
“I’m serious, you fucking bastard,” he growls. “If you’re not just playing her, then prove it. Delete the video.”
Sliding my hand into my pocket, I pull out my phone.
He narrows his eyes and taunts, “You won’t do it. It’s the best piece of leverage you’ve ever had over me. There’s no way you’ll delete it. Not for anything. And certainly not for her.”
While smothering the urge to stab him in the face, I click into my cloud storage files and scroll until I get to the video.
“See?” Mikhail continues, looking at Alina and motioning towards me. “He’s just going to threaten to post it now. He’s not—”
Holding up the screen so that he can see it, I delete the video.
He blinks.
“You…” he stares at the screen as I swipe through to show that it’s really gone. “You…”
Alina moves so that she is standing next to me again. Her warm hand slips into mine, and she gives it a little squeeze. There is a smile on her lips, and it’s so fucking beautiful that my heart almost stops.
Pulling myself together, I lock the screen and put my phone back into my pocket. Then I fix Mikhail with an arrogant stare and raise my eyebrows pointedly.
“Anything else?” I demand.
“I, uhm…” He glances at his brother and cousins, who look just as stunned as he does.
“Excellent,” I say when no other reply seems to be forthcoming. With my hand still in Alina’s, I pull her with me towards the doorway. “Then let’s head to that party you wanted to go to.”
Confusion pulls at her brows as she follows me out into the corridor, leaving her stunned family behind. “Why?”
I flash her a sly smile. “So that I can tell everyone on campus the most important thing that they will ever learn at this university.”
“And what’s that?”
“That you’re mine. And off fucking limits.”
35
ALINA
Happiness sparkles through me like tiny bubbles. I feel lighter than air. In fact, I can’t even remember the last time that I could breathe this easily. It’s as if the whole world has opened up and my future is finally mine again.
With a smile on my face, I practically jump out of bed even though I went out drinking with Carla and the other girls last night. But I don’t feel hungover. I feel like I could climb mountains.
It has been a week since Kaden and I announced our relationship, and my brothers and cousins have spent every day since then trying to talk me out of it. But that’s all they can do. Talk. Plead. Try to persuade me. And none of it has any effect on me.
Kaden makes me feel strong and powerful in a way that no one ever has. He sees me. The real me. There is also another incredible thing, which I have discovered this past week, that he does. Or rather doesn’t do. He doesn’t smother me. He’s not trying to keep me locked up the way my father always has. Last night, I went out with Carla and the others alone, without him, and I didn’t need to fight with him for it or try to convince him to let me do it. I simply told him and he accepted it.
That is what I have always wanted from a relationship. Someone who sees me. Someone who understands that I am my own person. Someone who treats me as an equal.
The fact that that person ended up being a Hunter still baffles me, though.
And it infuriates my brothers. I know that I will have to field more of their attempts to sway me the moment I leave my bedroom. But for now, nothing can spoil my good mood.
