Page 63 of Captive Union
Maxim holds up a hand. “Stop. Just stop.”
“No. You need to hear this. What you thought was screaming …” her face is covered in a red blush. “was me enjoying it. That’s all. I wasn’t in pain. Maxim, I was having sex, and I liked it.”
Maxim looks away from her, turning back to me. “You made her this way. You’ve ruined her.”
“Maxim, just shut up for five seconds,” Elena snaps, “and listen to what Kira is telling you.”
“Erik didn’t ruin me,” Kira adds. Maxim looks back at her. “He showed me that I don’t always have to be so shy. I’ve found my voice with him. And now you’re trying to take it away from me. To silence me. I won’t let you.”
Maxim is silent as he stands there, looking at everyone in the room. He finally settles back on Kira. “I’m not trying to silence you.”
“But you are.” She places her hand on his arm again. “Maxim, you don’t realize it, but you’re hurting me.”
That’s the ultimate pain for him. It’s clear on his face.
It’s becoming more of a struggle for me to pay attention to the conversation as my head becomes lightheaded.
“How am I hurting you?” he asks roughly.
“I’ve already told you. You just have to listen to me.”
“Because you love him,” he scoffs.
“I do love him,” Kira responds in her soft voice. “I know it sounds crazy. I’m not brainwashed. I fell in love with Erik because he showed me kindness. He’s also shown me that I can be anyone I want to be. And if you let him go, I can be with him, happy that I have a husband who lets me feel free and still have a family that accepts us.”
“How can I let him go, Kira? You might trust him, but I sure don’t.”
“Then trust me when I tell you that Erik will never hurt you or anyone else in this family again. Instead of all of this fighting that’s just tearing this family apart, we could work together. Erik has resources you could use. Instead of an enemy, wouldn’t you rather have an ally?”
Maxim snorts, looking away.
Kira squeezes his arm. “Wouldn’t you prefer to have me in your life?”
He pauses. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that if you let Erik die, I’ll never forgive you.” He whips his head, staring at her with shock on his face. “I won’t belong to this family any longer. I am a Novikoff now. I refuse to be placed in a box, forced to be kept quiet for the rest of my life. I’m going to be free. And I would prefer to have my husband andyouat my side.”
“You really mean this?”
“I do.” She places her hand on Maxim’s face. “I love you, Maxim. I’m so appreciative of how you’ve protected me my entire life. You’re my big brother. There are not many people I trust more than you. But now it’s time to let me go. I want you in my life, but not at the expense of Erik’s life. You let him go, and we can be a family again. I promise that Erik will not keep me locked up. Let’s form a truce. You and Erik promise to stop any and all fighting. Look at my marriage as an act of peace instead of an act of war. Be smart and use this as an opportunity to put aside old wounds and look to the future.”
“You can’t promise Erik will keep his end of the deal.”
She shrugs. “Then ask him yourself.”
Maxim turns to me, where I’m practically slipping into unconsciousness against the wall. “What do you make of my sister’s words? Is a truce between us possible?”
I nod weakly. “I’m tired of fighting,” I manage to get out. “I just want to be with Kira. I’m ready to put my anger behind me. Are you?”
He flits his eyes around my face, looking to see if I mean what I say. I hold his gaze steady.
Maxim nods once, a quick, choppy gesture. “I just want my sister back in my life.”
“Then you can have her. But I’m part of that deal.”
He grabs a knife from the ground and presses it to my throat. Kira gasps. “How can I trust you?”
“Because I have someone to live for now. And I’m not going to fuck that up. I love Kira. You might not believe me, but I do. I’m willing to work with you if you let us be together in peace. No more fighting.”
