Page 60 of Tarnished Tyrant (Zhukova Bratva 1)

“I can walk,” she insists.

Nikolai is outside the door ready to grab her, but she is flailing like a drunk baby giraffe.

“Fine!” I snap, practically shoving her out of the car. “Try walking and see how far you get. Go!”

Elise scrambles out of the car and Nikolai steps back gracefully, watching our family drama play out in front of him. So much for maintaining some level of professionalism in front of my client.

Though I think the ship has long since sailed on that one.

Elise is still gripping the door when I slide out behind her, and I peel her hands away from the car. “Go on. Walk inside. Impress me.”

The back entrance to the hotel is only ten feet away, but the moment Elise takes a step, her entire body dips sideways.

I lunge for her, but Nikolai gets there first. He scoops her up into his arms. “Better leave the walking to the people who didn’t make stupid choices tonight.”

Elise grumbles something unintelligible, but doesn’t argue anymore.

I follow Nikolai through the back door and to a service elevator. It takes us to the level just below the penthouse, and then we have to switch to a separate one to get up to the final floor.

The moment the doors open to our suite, Elise claws at Nikolai. “Put me down. We’re inside. I won’tembarrassanyone anymore.”

“Somehow, I doubt that,” Nikolai drawls.

“Come on, E,” I say as gently as I can. “You don’t want to say anything you’ll regret. Remember, Nikolai got us out of that gross motel room we were in. You like it here.”

The only thing I’ve really learned about parenting in the last two months is that orders don’t work. It’s better to remind Elise that she doesn’t want to do something.

You don’t want to fail out of your math class this far into the semester.

You don’t want to hide out in your room all summer.

But hell if I know what she actually wants. A fact that is proven every single day of our lives together.

Nikolai waves me away. “I can handle it.”

Elise takes that as a challenge, her mouth turning up in a cruel smile. “The only reason you’re here is because you have a small dick.”

It’s as childish an insult as I’ve ever heard, but my mouth still falls open at the sheer audacity of my sister. But Nikolai just tips his head back and laughs.

Elise isn’t done, either. “You stuck us in this penthouse and ran around town like a superhero helping my sister because you have to make up for the fact that you suck in bed.”

I grab my sister by the collar. “Enough, Elise! That’s…”Incorrect, as I can thoroughly attest. “That’s disgusting. Don’t be crass.”

“God, B, you try to come off like you’re so perfect all the time,” she hisses. “You’re always putting on this show, acting like you’re better than me. Better than everyone. But we both came from the same place. Don’t be mad at me because I don’t pretend.”

Nikolai sighs. “You’re the one who fucked up tonight, kid. Don’t take it out on your sister.”

“Don’t call me kid! I’m not a kid. I’ve dealt with more shit than you could even imagine, rich boy.”

Nikolai’s dark brow arches. “The fact that you think you have a monopoly on piece-of-shit parents is more than enough proof that you’re an immature child. Now, let your sister put you to sleep.”

Elise’s eyes widen. I feel an epic meltdown coming on. As if tonight hasn’t been bad enough already.

“Come on, Elise,” I say, trying to push her back towards the bedroom. “Let’s get you to—”

“Don’t say a word about my mother. You don’t know my family! Or my life!” she screams over my shoulder at Nikolai. Then she slaps my hands away. “Get off, Belle. You’re not my—”

I know what she’s going to say. I’ve heard it a million times the last two months, and right now, I’m at my breaking point.

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