Page 3 of Captive Union
“Well, we don’t need to discuss those details tonight,” Maxim responds. “Besides, I don’t want to force Kira into something she doesn’t want to do. I regretted that with Elena, and I won’t make the same mistake.”
“But you made a good choice with Elena,” Arina says. “You married her to Nik, whom she was practically already in love with. Yes, she fought it, but even she can’t deny it was a good choice.”
“What was a good choice?” Elena asks as she approaches, her husband Nik at her side.
“Your marriage,” Mom says, deadpanned.
Elena shares a smile with Nik. “I know. We’re the most perfect couple.”
Nik snorts. “Speak for yourself.” He faces the group. “Just this morning, we bickered over who gets the last of the coffee. Definitely not a perfect marriage.”
“But we ended up agreeing in the end.” The look Elena gives Nik speaks to a deeper meaning. And the smug smile that crosses his face confirms it. Those two are still hot and heavy for each other, despite being married for five years. I’ll probably never have that—a life filled with passion.
Arina smiles softly as Maxim sighs, shaking his head. Mom just looks at Nik as if he’s scum.
“We were discussing when Kira should get married,” Mom says.
“Oh. Well, have you asked Kira about that?” Elena asks, nodding at me.
“Why should her opinion matter?”
Maxim sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. “Elena’s right. Kira.” He meets my eyes when I manage to lift my head. “What are your thoughts about getting married?”
“Who’s getting married?” My brother, Alexei, arrives, with his wife, Anastasia, on his arm.
“No one,” Maxim says at the same time Mom replies with “Kira.”
Alexei’s eyebrows raise. “Damn, already? I still think of Kira as a baby.”
“Kira’s right here,” Elena says, motioning toward me.
Alexei shrugs. “So?” Anastasia, or Ana as she prefers to be called, just shakes her head. “What? What did I say?” Ana places a hand on his arm, a signal to stop talking.
“You need to stop speaking about Kira as if she isn’t here,” Elena says.
Arina nods. “I agree.”
“And that’s why I was asking her opinion about getting married,” Maxim says.
Everyone turns their eyes onto me, and I can feel my cheeks flush and my underarms sweat. How am I supposed to answer when I feel like I might die?
It’s a tense, awkward moment as everyone waits for me to answer. When I don’t, Elena puts me out of my misery. “She doesn’t need an opinion yet. Right?”
I nod softly.
Mom makes an annoyed sound with her mouth and shakes her head. “You need to get married someday, young lady. Something about you should be normal.”
“I’ll make the decision when I feel the time is right,” Maxim interjects.
“You should ask Kira if she’s all right with you making that kind of decision,” Elena says.
“I’m not going to put Kira more on the spot than she already is,” Maxim growls.
“At least give her some agency,” Elena snaps back.
“I think I know what’s best for my sister.”
“Oh?” Elena places her hands on her hips. “And I don’t?”
