Page 42 of The Brutal Arrangement

“Where is my wife?” I demanded. It felt like an eternity stretching out as I studied this stranger and rushed in anattempt to understand what was going on, but mere seconds had passed.

“I’m…” She spoke quietly, so scared that she had to clear her throat to audibly finish. Trembling and with those blue eyes open so wide with fear, she seemed on the verge of passing out. “I’m your wife.”

Maxim didn’t budge. He kept his arm up, his gun trained on her as he used his other hand to lift his phone and call for backup at an intruder in the house. “I’m getting sick of this shit. People trespassing too fucking easily?—”

“I didn’t trespass,” she insisted, volleying her fearful gaze between me and my brother, as if she couldn’t decide who was the bigger fear.

“Who the fuck are you?” I roared again, not lowering the gun I aimed at her.

“I’m your wife,” she began again.

“Don’t fucking lie to me.” I gritted my teeth, pissed that we were already one step behind instead of one step ahead. We’d agreed to this old arrangement to bring the enemy closer and learn what we could to stay on top of the Kozlovs’ intentions. It didn’t feel like we were ahead at all right now. I was confused as fuck. And even more pissed off that a strange woman was in my room when Katerina was missing. “My wife is Katerina.”

She shook her head, stopping me from continuing. “She was supposed to be your wife.” Again, she swallowed hard, as if she could barely manage that function with how terrified she was under gunpoint like this. “I’m your wife.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Maxim demanded. “I was there. I saw her sign the papers last night.”

“No. That was me.” She shook her head again as she lowered her chin. I wasn’t falling for this innocent act.

Rage kicked in. The idea of this woman telling me what to think, challenging me about who the fuck my wife was… This was bullshit. I had no patience for lies. I had no interest in anyone trying to gaslight me or alter the facts of reality.

“Where is she?” I got out through clenched teeth. The guards could take this liar to the dungeon while I found my wife and demanded an explanation from her about this stupid trick she was trying to play on me.

“She’s not here,” the woman replied as guards rushed in. She flinched at the sight of more men crowding into the room, but she didn’t try to run or hide. Frozen in place, she seemed to accept that she was stuck.

“Where is my wife?” I yelled again.

“What’s going on?” Grandmother scurried into the room, her usually calm and proper tone colored with worry and a franticness that wasn’t like her. “Who is this? What’s…” She paused, looking at all the men, Maxim and I holding our guns up, and this lying woman. “What is going on?”

“That’s what I’d like to know,” I growled.

“I’m your wife,” the brunette insisted. She didn’t pack any heat or sass into her words, but she was adamant about that fact so far.

I didn’t care if she swore it on her life. I wasn’t in the mood for any lies.

“I came here last night and I signed that paper in the office,” she explained, still so scared.

“What…” Grandmother scowled at Maxim, then me. “What is she talking about?”

“I was there,” Maxim said. “And I saw him marry Katerina.”

“No—”

Grandmother cut her off, pointing at her. “Whoisthis? You were arranged to marry Katerina.”

“I fucking know that,” I bit back at her. “And I did.” I’d signed the paper to marry Anton’s niece. Then, because Maxim thought showing her that I was in charge and shouldn’t be taken as a fool, I fucked her hard.

Just being in this room taunted me to recall how tight she’d felt. Howgoodshe felt wrapped around my dick.

“You married me,” the slender brunette said, not changing her tune yet, despite the danger in her face. “I came here in place of Katerina. And I was the one who signed the paper last night.” She tore her fearful gaze from Maxim to me. “And I was the one who…” Lowering her hand, she gestured at the bed.

She didn’t need to explain. I understood what she wasn’t saying.

This was the woman I’d fucked so hard last night. The woman I’d gagged and tied up to take my dick. The woman who’d moaned in arousal despite my ignoring her initial pleas not to fuck her. She’d changed her mind. Even if she wanted to tell meno, her body proved how wet she was and how badly she was aroused for me in the end. If I lost any more control, I’d replay the memory of how fucking perfect she’d felt when she came, milking me dry.

“Who are you?” Grandmother asked. She masked her confusion about this commotion quickly. Speaking firmly again, she bore this young woman with a stern stare that seemed to pin her in place.

“My name is…” She swallowed again. “My name is Lucy Forden. I was sent here last night to see through this… betrothal agreement in place of Katerina.”

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