Page 53 of The Russian Pakhan's Forced Bride
“Fucking Nikolaev…”
“We need to know if this is his usual escalation or if he’s retaliating for Victoria,” Mikhail says, treading lightly given my current state. “Maybe this is our chance to find out.”
Despite bracing myself and trying my hardest to restrain my anger, I still hear what he’s saying, and I let that surround me for a moment.
He’s right. If Maxim knows about Victoria and is hitting back as revenge, then it’ll only worsen. He’ll keep pushing until he gets her back. Either way, I need to know what to expect, and I need to use it to my advantage.
Forcing out a heavy breath, I meet his gaze while the gears turn in my head.
“Regardless of his awareness, or if Victoria is truly his sister, I need to make the marriage public,” I begin, mulling it over. “That way, he’ll either confirm or deny their relation, and I’ll know if this is still an angle I can exploit. If not, then I’ll need to find another way to get the message across. He’s being too brave, and he needs a reminder.”
Mikhail considers this, and then he nods. “I suppose that’s a good first step…how do you want to go public?”
Looking out the window, I try to remember everything we have coming up…events, meetings, anything…then it hits me.
“Elena’s been organizing that charity gala for the children’s hospital…every significant player will be there, and knowing how fast word travels, Maxim will likely hear about it before the night is up,” I say, creating the plan as it hits me on the spot. “I’ll walk her in on my arm, and everyone will know. He’ll know...then I’ll get my confirmation one way or another.”
“And if Maxim acknowledges her as his sister?”
“Then it will be back to the original plan…I’ll leverage it against him.”
While the declaration comes out easily, something stirs inside me.
It was my drive all along in kidnapping Victoria and forcing her to marry me, but I’m well aware that things are different now.
Before, it was supposed to be to the point. It was only a strategy.
Now, I’m emotionally entangled with her to some degree, and using her as something to hold over Maxim’s head doesn’t feel quite so simple.
She would hate me for it…and it could potentially risk the barely-existent trust she has for me.
Still, I can hear those old voices in my head, reminding me to be cautious against letting those emotions interfere…of letting it stop me from fully cementing my dominance over Nikolaev and everyone else in Las Vegas.
This is the game, and while I don’t take pleasure in involving Victoria in the slightest now, I can’t hesitate.
If Maxim really is her brother, then I’ve taken something precious of his and made her untouchable.
I can’t expect anything short of war.
Even if she hates me for it, I have to make my move.
Chapter 18 - Victoria
I’m late…two weeks late.
My period should’ve started by now.
At first, I wanted to blame the stress of everything, given how my life hadn’t been normal since the day Roman and his men grabbed me from the school parking lot. It seemed like a valid enough reason for my body to quit functioning as regularly as it had been. But beneath those excuses and attempts at rationalizing for my emotional sake, I already knew.
Since I noticed, I’ve been sitting with that sinking feeling that only worsens with every passing day.
While I haven’t had any noticeable symptoms beyond missing my period, I just have the feeling…the inclination that it has happened.
I haven’t said anything to Roman yet, and a small part of me wants to never tell him.
But of course, I can’t do that. Eventually, it will become too apparent for either of us to ignore.
For the time being, at least, I don’t want to say it. I don’t want to admit that I could very well be pregnant with his child.
