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Blinking, I slowly slide my gaze to Viktor, making sure to look him right in the eye, before looking away without saying a word.
Dimitri comes back a moment later, sliding a bowl of yogurt with fruit and granola in front of me.
“Eat,” he says when I don’t make any effort to touch it.
“I’ve lost my appetite,” I tell him, leaning back in my chair.
“Vik is just being an asshole, ignore him,” Lev says, pushing the bowl closer to me.
“I think, I’d rather go back upstairs,” I mutter, sliding the chair back and starting to rise.
“Sit down,” Dimitri growls.
“I…” I start.
“Sit down, Malishka. Now.”
Sighing, I sit back down, but don’t move my chair back toward the table.
“Vik, why are you being an asshole to her?” Dimitri demands, turning to look at Viktor.
“Because she gave me that whole speech about hating us and never wanting our touch and then she crawled into your bed and let you fuck her like she was yours,” Viktor spits, glaring angrily at me.
“She didn’t crawl into my bed, or allow me to touch her. I got into the big bed with her. She didn’t particularly want me to join her, and was uncomfortable with sleeping in the main room because of how exposed it is. I suggested we sleep in my bed, because my room has a door. She reluctantly agreed, after explicitly telling me that she would not consent to me touching her sexually, which I agreed to,” Dimitri tells him, his tone stern, like an adult scolding a child.
“Oh,” Viktor says, his shoulders falling as his anger disintegrates.
“You need to apologize to Alabama,” Lev starts.
“I’m not interested in his apologies. Kidnappers don’t apologize to their captives; it throws off the balance of the relationship. Don’t worry, Viktor, I haven’t forgotten my place here,” I sneer.
“Alabama,” Lev sighs.
“Please don’t tell me I’m not a prisoner, because we both know I am. You won’t let me leave, that’s the literal definition of being a prisoner, and it has nothing to do with your concern for my safety. I understand why I’m here. You need me and I’ll do what you want me to do to help you take down Orlov and his evil villain cronies. But when they’re all dead, I want to leave. I’ll start over somewhere new. Alena Polakoff, Alena Belova, and Alabama Delany will all die. I’ll become someone new. Someone no one will bother looking for.”
“No,” Dimitri snaps.
“Yes. Your revenge shouldn’t ruin the rest of my life. How will you explain me when you meet women and bring them here? Do you expect me to live and die here just because I was useful once for a few weeks? I don’t want to be collateral in your war, so once your enemies are dead, you need to either kill me or let me go.”
“No,” Dimitri growls again.
Shaking my head, I close my eyes, hiding from the emotion that’s threatening to swell up inside of me.
The bowl of yogurt stays untouched in front of me until Tanya takes it, replacing it with a plate with three pancakes drizzled with bright yellow sauce stacked on it.
“Eat,” Dimitri hisses, an edge of warning sliding into his tone.
Sighing loudly, I cut off a sliver and eat it. The pancakes are fluffy and sweet and the sauce is tart and delicious, but I ignore how good it tastes, cutting off a few more slithers before putting my silverware down and refusing to touch it again.
“I thought we could go for a walk on the beach,” Lev suggests, his tone hopeful again.
“I’m tired, I’m going to go and lie down,” I lie, pushing up from my chair and waiting for a moment to see if Dimitri protests. When he doesn’t, I step out from the table and walk away.
CHAPTER 18
dimitri
My jaw clicks from how hard I’m grinding my teeth together. The moment she’s out of sight, I turn on my brother. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” I hiss at Vik.
