Page 22 of Captive Union
My breath becomes shaky, and I’m unable to look away from him. I inhale as Erik takes a step closer to me. I want to lean in. I want to stay like this forever.
But when he starts to slide his hand over my back, the spell is broken. I step away from him, even ripping my hand away.
Erik pauses before nodding once. “Come on, then.” He turns and walks up the stairs like nothing happened.
After a beat, I follow him, not wanting to get stuck in this basement if he changes his mind.
Stepping back into the corridor, I feel like I can breathe again. Sunlight filters in through the windows, and I feel instantly brighter. I don’t know what I was thinking during that moment between Erik and me. I must really be craving attention even to consider wanting to be with him.
I let my eyes linger on the front windows, but they don’t show me much. Only trees and a long driveway. Wherever we are, we’re secluded.
Erik leads me upstairs, and the wood floors creak under our feet. An older woman passes by, carrying blankets.
“Amalia,” Erik says, stopping her. “This is Kira. Kira, this is my housekeeper.”
“Hi,” I whisper, stunned that Erik is introducing me like this. He’s not treating me like a dirty little secret. He must really mean that he wants me to be his, and he’s not ashamed of it.
Amalia nods before walking down the stairs.
“She doesn’t talk much,” Erik comments, continuing down the hallway. “You two would probably get along.”
I flush at his words.
Erik guides me down the hallway, giving me a good look at all the pretty wood tones on the wall and the pictures that show men who look a lot like Erik. My eyes settle on one of them—a man with good posture and black hair just like Erik.
“My father,” Erik murmurs, stepping beside me. “I want him remembered forever. This is one way for me to honor him.”
Getting revenge is another way?I keep that thought to myself and say, “I’m sure he was a good man.” I actually have no idea. I never met him.
“The best. Unlike me.” He winks before moving on.
“So, you were close with your father?” I tentatively ask. If I’m going to be stuck here forever, I might as well get to know Erik better.
“I was.” Erik slants his eyes at me. “It hurt me when he died.”
“I can imagine. I lost my father, too.”
“The great Gleb Petrov. A hard man to love from my understanding.” The farther into the house he leads me, the more I feel like I’m in a haunted mansion from how dark and eerie it is. The sunlight from downstairs seems to have sucked it away from up here.
“My siblings weren’t very close with him, but I loved him. I think he was the kindest to me. And it helped that Maxim protected me a lot from his bad temper.”
“The mighty Maxim. Always the hero, isn’t he?” His lips pinch as he speaks.
I stop walking. “I know my brother has hurt you, and you have a right to be angry, but remember that you tried to backstab him first. Maxim fights for the people he loves. That does make him a good man, even if you want to paint him as evil.”
“I never understood how others just flocked to his side. It seems he has you brainwashed, too.”
My mouth drops open. “I’m not brainwashed. I have a family I love that has always treated me right.” Except for my mother, but no need to go into that. “If that’s called brainwashing, then so be it. But I call it loyalty. And love.”
Erik walks right up to me, making me press my back into the wall to keep some space between us. “I don’t have a family to love any longer. Your so-called ‘good’ brother killed the last family member I loved. So yes, I find it tough to understand how anyone can think Maxim is a ‘good man’.”
“My father beat him,” I blurt out. “He beat Alexei, too. He never laid a hand on Elena or me, but I know he was incredibly tough on Elena. Maxim was the only thing stopping my father from hurting me. Maxim made sure I was taken care of. So, yes, based on my brother’s actions, I think he’s a good man. He’s flawed, but he has a good heart.”
Erik’s eyes rake over me. “It seems I chose well, then, in taking you for myself since you two are so close. That’s what I wanted. To make Maxim understand my pain.” His chest is so close to mine. When I suck in a breath, my body brushes against him.
“Still doesn’t stop me from caring about my brother,” I whisper. “You can hate him all you want, but you’ll never get me to hate him, too.”
Erik pauses, letting another moment pass between us before taking a step back, and I can breathe again.
