Page 50 of Married to the Don (Kornilov Bratva Duet 1)

“He’s out.” The words are little more than a rasp. I wish Viktor was here, even if he’s in on this scheme. I just want to know. I don’t want to spend another second wondering when Fedor will reveal why he’s here and what he has planned.

Fedor nods and then jumps up to sit on the countertop. “I can wait. I would have called, but the shitheads at the prison lost my phone.”

I frown. So he got out legally. Somehow, he was released.

“Did you know I was locked up?” he asks. “Or does my brother not talk about his shameful little brother?”

“I knew.”

He works his jaw from side to side. “I didn’t tell him I was getting out today. It’s a surprise.”

Is he telling the truth? If so, Viktor will be just as shocked to find Fedor here when he gets home. I wish he’d given me his number at some point. I’d text him and warn him, ask him what I should do, where I should go.

Thank God Theo is sleeping upstairs. One less thing to worry about at the moment.

“He may not be home for a few hours,” I say, checking the clock over the stove. “He usually doesn’t get back until dinner.”

“I can wait.”

I stand in the kitchen, twisting the coffee-soaked rag around in my hands, unsure what to do. I could pretend I have work to get to and go clean, but I’m not even sure where the cleaning supplies are kept. I could probably find them, but if Fedor sees me searching high and low for window cleaner, he might pick up on the fact that I’m not who I say I am.

And what will he do when he finds out?

Kill me. That’s what Viktor was supposed to do, after all. For Fedor’s benefit, to boot. My death was supposed to help Fedor stay out of trouble.

But if he has been released, maybe it doesn’t matter. Maybe we can forget this all happened and—

What?

I can’t live with my rapist’s brother. That’s insane. I should be committed for even considering it.

“Especially when I have such beautiful company.” Fedor arches his brow, and his electric green eyes pin me to the spot, wiping every other thought from my mind. I’ve been on the receiving end of that look before, and I know what it means. “I’m sure we can find a way to entertain ourselves.”

I know his type. If I resist, it will make him try harder. It’s easier to bend to his will, to give in and hope I can keep him placated until Viktor gets home.

But what if he really doesn’t come back for hours?

Panic is simmering inside of me, threatening to turn into a full-on rolling boil, but I take a deep breath and smile.

“I’m sure we can.” I toss the rag onto the counter and press my hip against the edge of the island, crossing my arms over my chest.

Fedor’s eyes drop to my cleavage, and he touches his tongue to the center of his top lip, biting back a smile.

The only way to survive the encounter is to turn it all off. My emotions and my instincts. All of it goes dark, and I take on the role I’m supposed to be occupying.

I’m a maid. A flirtatious maid. A flirtatious maid talking with the brother of my employer. We’ve never met before.

It’s scary how nice Fedor can be. It can’t be counted as kindness since it’s apparent he intends to see some form of return on his compliments. But it’s still startling to realize how normal he looks. He doesn’t seem like the kind of man who would drug and assault a woman. And yet.

Fedor likes to hear his own voice. He rambles on about his time on the inside and how long it has been since he has been with a woman. As he talks, I nod and smile and do my best not to hear a word. But then, he crosses the distance between us and drags a finger down my arm.

I can’t help it. I flinch.

Something sparks in Fedor’s eyes. “You don’t have to be afraid of me. We’re friends.”

He hasn’t even asked for my name. How can we possibly be friends?

Still, I nod and smile in agreement.

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