Page 37 of Darkest Love
“My family is coming.”
He pauses then sits back in his seat. “Your family? No. No, I don’t want to host your family for however long they’ll be staying for.”
“Well, too bad. They’re going to come. I miss them. I want to see them again. You’ve taken me from my mom. Tricked me into a marriage.”
“I never tricked you. You agreed to marry me.”
“But you didn’t give me all the facts and you can’t deny that. I want to see them again, Adrien. I need to see them again. Please.”
“I thought you wanted to get away from your family.”
“I thought so too but now I miss them. I am not going to beg you again. They’re coming. Don’t put up a fight to it. Let me have this. I’ll stay in the house where it’s safe. That’s all I can do. But give me this.”
He stares back at me steadily. There’s an emotion in his eyes I can’t quite figure out. A mix between desire, hope, and sadness? I’m not sure but all I know is that it’s confusing to me.
“And need I remind you,” I say, “that you just left me yesterday after you…You know.”
His eyes darken. “I know I did.” That’s all he says on that. No apology. Not explanation. “Fine. Your family can come for a few days. But they better not get me into trouble. It will be good though to see Mikhail, Nico, and Liam. We can talk more business in person. I’m assuming they’re coming with their wives.”
“Yes. Because they are husbands who actually care about their wives. Who actually want to be around their wives.”
He flinches. Good. Let him feel bad for how he’s treated me. “Fine. Now, I have more work to do. Leave me.”
“You always have work to do,” I grumble but I walk away. I’m too excited knowing my family is coming to dwell on Adrien’s confusing moods.
Chapter Fourteen
Adrien
Having a house full of people over is normally exciting for me. I love throwing a good party. But what I don’t love is having my wife’s family over. Mainly, my wife’s family who are judging me for how I’ve been treating Anastasia.
Because it becomes clear to me pretty fast that Anastasia has told her sisters everything. That I refuse to fall in love.
“It’s so nice to see you guys again,” Anastasia says over the dinner table. Her three sisters and their husbands are all here, along with Tatiana, who’s glaring at me.
“I never thought I’d hear you say that,” Natalya says. “You were always so quick to want to leave.”
“Well, I guess things have changed,” she responds, picking at her food.
Natalya flashes me an annoyed look.
I clear my throat to change the subject. “So, Mikhail, Nico, Liam. I have some business to discuss with you. Someone I need help with.”
“We can do that after dinner,” Nico says.
My eyes find Anastasia’s. She’s seated right beside me but there feels like an entire wall between the two of us. I know it’s up to me to close that distance. If I just let myself have feelings for her then…
Then what? Then I risk heartbreak. I cannot forget that.
“So, how have things been?” Irina asks. Her question seems innocent enough but we all know it’s not.
“Things have been great,” Anastasia lies. “I just wanted to see you guys again. That’s all.”
“So, you’ve been happy here?” Tatiana asks, throwing another glare my way.
“Happy enough. Well, except for when one of Adrien’s enemies tried hurting us but we got away.”
“I don’t like the sound of that. Adrien, you need to protect my daughter.”
