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“The only logical thing possible.”
“And that would be what?”
His long legs strode forward, covering the space keeping us apart. When I looked up, I saw nothing but an empty void in his eyes, which reminded me of a black hole. He had no feelings, no emotion. He just stared, and it was scarier than his anger.
“Considering the current situation of things—”
“You mean my pregnancy? Are you scared of saying it out loud? Scared that it’s only going to make it more real for you?”
“Maybe you should just shut up and listen. Sometimes, I think you enjoy the sound of your own voice. As I was saying, you are going to take your place by my side and carry my child.”
“Take my place by your side....”A dreadful feeling sunk to the bottom of my stomach. I tried to drown it but ended up voicing my fears. “You’re not trying to say that….”
“I’m sayingexactlythat, Freya.” He straightened up, and I thought I spotted a wicked glimmer in his eyes. “We’re getting married.”
“No!”
No.No.Absolutely no way in hell that was happening.
His gaze darkened, the void gone and replaced with a fierce fury I recognized. He grabbed my upper arm in a death grip. “You forget your place. You have no right, no power to decide.”
I wanted to scratch his eyes out and spit on his face. I hated him so much. “It doesn’t matter what you say. You can’t force me to marry you.”
“It doesn’t matter whatyousay; I have the power, and as thePahkanof the Yezhov family, it is tradition. Bastards are not allowed. I know you would prefer your independence and to raise my child alone, but no fucking way am I letting that happen.”
“We don’t have to get married. Have you never heard of co-parenting?”
He chuckled, but there was nothing humorous in it. “Yeah, sure, co-parenting with a fucking traitor. Such a fantasy. Welcome to my world,Detective, where some modern shit doesn’t apply. We’re getting married, and that’s final.”
“And if I say no? What are you going to do about it? Hurt me? Hurt the kid?”
I didn’t realize I was crying until he leaned forward and wiped my eyes, a deadly snarl hovering on his lips. “Or your old pal, John Candler? Or Ruby? Or your mom? Or Zeya?” He shook me before he let me go. “You forget thatIhold the key. I’m the executor now, and I get to say who stays and who goes.”
Anger and hate burned in my veins, filling me up with a consuming bitterness. I curled my fingers in my jeans to keep my hands from committing murder as I marched up to him, and before I could rethink the words reeling in my mind, they went rushing out with no filter.
“People like you don’t deserve any love. You want to know why? It’s because you’re a monster, Egor Yezhov. And I hate you more than you could ever imagine.”
Chapter 17 – Egor
Nadia insisted that music play in the background while she set the table. Kir Yezhov didn’t bother opposing. He knew his youngest daughter was going to have her way anyway, and as he was occupied with Ania, she could practically run the family dinner for all he cared.
In gradual progression, the music increased, and the classic tunes of Mussorgsky grated my ears. I would have preferred to eat the food in quiet.
Surely, I couldn’t have been the only one irritated, right?
I looked to my left at the table where shesat. My soon-to-be wife—my little captive and prisoner.The little traitor.She didn’t look up and instead spent the time glaring at the utensils placed beside her plate.
It had been one week since I broke the news to her about us getting married, one week since she told me what I’d already known—that she hated me and I didn’t deserve love.
I was still processing how I’d felt after hearing that, or if I felt anything at all, while she’d spent days moping, staring out the window, and rejecting meals. On three occasions, I’d sent Anatoly to threaten her to eat. Other times, about once or twice, I’d heard crashes from her room and later seen Anna step out with shards of broken furniture, framed portraits, or the plates that held her food.
Earlier today, I went to inform her of my grandfather’s idea for the family to meet my future bride once before the wedding, and I expected her to throw a tantrum and insist that I forcefully bundle her out of the room before she attended. But she nodded without a word and didn’t meet my eyes.
I was starting to think she had accepted her fate, but I could not be too certain. If she managed to fool me once, she could do it again, so trusting her was not an option.
Nadia lifted a glass to her lips and tipped the rim to Ania, who sat quietly beside my grandfather. The entire family, including Ania, knew Nadia didn’t like the young wife for many reasons. She was younger,easier on the eyes,and my aunt thought she was with the great Kir Yezhov for the power and money. That much was true, but I’d once heard her tell Niko she loved the old man.
“I didn’t see you at the fundraiser, and my father made no mention of what might have happened to you.”
