Page 40 of Cruel Russian King
When I turned back to Zahkar I wore a smile on my face. “Well…let's see. I get to live in a big beautiful house. I have more clothes and accessories than I can possibly wear yet Artyom seems to keep buying me more. He also bought me a painting I saw at a gallery a few days ago and some art supplies so I could start back painting.”
I could see the stress lines fading from his face. As we continued to chat the tension eased and we were laughing and chatting like we used to before. I'm glad that Artyom allowedthem to stay, but after an hour I began to yawn and my eyes felt droopy.
Artyom rose from the bar stool and gently pulled me to my feet.
“My wife's had a long day. I'll get her settled and I'll be right back.”
I barely had time to wave goodbye when Artyom whisked me out the lounge and to our bedroom.
“My siblings won't drop in unannounced again.”
Then he turned and left.
I sighed. We had such a good day today.
What did you want? A good night kiss?
Yes.
I sighed again. I changed my outfit and pulled on a silk night gown that reached mid-thigh. But, as I climbed into bed sleep never came. I tried closing my eyes, willing myself to sleep but it was useless.
My mind drifted back to my time spent in the lounge with Zahkar and Kira. Since my siblings knew we were married, and his knew too, I wondered if he'd be willing to host a family gathering. Did we really have to wait until the negotiations were over?
I knew asking this of Artyom would come at a cost, but after spending time with his siblings today, I missed mine more than ever, especially Mariya.
After throwing on a robe, I made my way downstairs to the office, hoping his siblings had left so I could speak to him. I was about to knock when shouting cut through hallways from the other side of the door. I cracked the door to listen.
“Artyom, call Lev! Tell them you have her! You’re already married!” Zahkar pleaded.
“No. I want them to fucking suffer for what they did! For making me look like a fool, not just in Bratva, but to everyone else!”
“You know the brotherhood won’t accept her until you do the negotiations,” Yegor stated. “And since Lev doesn't know she's married to you I know you haven't started them yet.”
Wait. He hadn’t started the negotiations? My family didn’t know we were married? He lied to me.
My heart shattered into a million pieces, the jagged edges drifting through my body as an unbearable pain tore through my soul.
Just when I thought…that maybe…
I shook my head. I refused to let what he did affect me. This is who he is. He'd been manipulating me from the start to get whatever the fuck he wanted. Every nice thing he did was because he wanted me to submit to him. So I'd be the wife he wanted.
I wanted to storm in there and tear into him, to give him a piece of my mind. But then it hit me, Artyom had orchestrated this single-handedly. Seeing Yegor and Zahkar trying to reason with him only made their differences painfully clear.
If I barged in now, I’d probably ruin any chance of them persuading him to let me see my family. So, swallowing my anger, I held back and retreated to the bedroom, frustration coiling in the pit of my stomach.
But, in the bedroom, I paced. The more I thought about the lies he fed me the more rage oozed from my pores. What right did that manipulative asshole have to keep me away frommy family? I was a Safin by blood! Rykov only by name! God! I hated him.
I stormed back into his office, expecting to see his siblings but they weren't there. He was sitting behind his desk, papers in front of him. He glared up at me.
“So you haven't started the negotiations with my family? They don't even know where I am and that we're married?!” I shrieked, my breathing ragged. “You're a controlling, manipulative bastard who wants revenge because Katya and Vera chose love instead of staying here under your tyranny! You blame them for not wanting to be around you and not yourself for pushing them away?!”
My fists clenched at my sides.
In two strides he was in front of me, fury contorting his face.
“In Bratva, we have rules, Ninel! Laws we obey! Your brothers know it, so does Vera! They broke the rules, and they deserve every damn thing coming to them!”
“At whose expense, Artyom?! Fine, be pissed at them! But what about me? I did nothing! I’m only twenty-three! You stole everything from me!”
