I swear this family can’t survive without a display of tough love. They should get an award in the art.
After taking a few more pictures of the flowers, I leave them and my phone on the table and head outside.
My steps come to a halt when I find another man who’s not Kirill standing in the garden.
“Viktor?”
The mountain of a man turns around, raises a brow, probably not used to me dressing this way, before he schools his expression and nods. “Mrs. Morozova.”
I tap his shoulder teasingly. “What’s with being polite all of a sudden? Call me Sasha, or Aleksandra since you’re allergic to the diminutive form.”
“You’re the boss’s wife. I’ll call you by your official title.”
I roll my eyes. “You call him Kirill when you’re mad at him.”
“I’ll call you by your name when I’m mad at you.”
Jeez. He’s an unbending asshole.
And yet I’ve always felt that Kirill is safe as long as Viktor is there. And while I hated that he could probably protect him better than I could, I’m glad Viktor wouldn’t let anything happen to him.
“Where is he?” I search around him as if a six-three muscled man is some sort of a needle in a haystack that can’t be spotted right away.
“He’s checking something.”
“What’s the something?”
He raises a brow. “I’m under no obligation to report his actions to you.”
“You’re really an asshole, did you know that? It wouldn’t hurt anyone if you just answered the question.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.”
I cross my arms and stand taller, which is a bit pointless since Viktor is way bigger in height and build. “You have a problem with me?”
“My,” he says in a robotic, deadpan tone. “What makes you think that? The fact that you’ve been spying on him? Or how you nearly got him killed in Russia? Or maybe, just maybe, the fact that you’re doing it all over again now?”
I briefly close my eyes. “The Russia incident wasn’t intentional and if I‘d wanted him dead, I would’ve killed him when I came back.”
“So you just shot him in the arm?”
My lips part. “Did he tell you that?”
“No. He said that one of the soldiers got him, but I suspected that wasn’t the case. He wouldn’t let himself be shot that easily unless it was either someone he was close to or he allowed it. Now, I’ve confirmed that it was you.”
“I…thought that…”
“What? He’d married someone else? Tried to kill you and your family? You were so sure without even attempting to talk to him about it.”
I purse my lips, then click my tongue. “I wasn’t exactly in the right state of mind.”
“And you think he was? He’d just found out you were alive after burying you with his own hands. You believe he was prepared to see you back?”
My gulp gets stuck at the back of my throat and I stare at him for a few beats, not knowing what to say. On one hand, I can’t fault what he pointed out, but on the other, he didn’t experience the emotions I did after I had to go back to Russia.
The feelings of betrayal, rage, and utter despair. Hell, even longing was there. I missed Kirill so much, and I hated myself for it every day.
Viktor steps forward. “I’m warning you. If you attempt to hurt him again, I won’t give a fuck that he forgives you. I will kill you and permanently remove you from his life, Aleksandra.”
I lift my chin. “I’d like to see you try.”
“Don’t make me. I witnessed how he turned into a ghost of his former self after your alleged death, but I’d rather have that instead of burying him myself.”
“I don’t want him hurt or dead, Viktor.”
“Your track record doesn’t work in your favor. I’m going to need something more convincing than mere words.”
“I’ll prove it to you.”
“Prove what?”
My spine jerks upright at Kirill’s deep voice. Anyone else would’ve only heard the closed-off tone, but I can easily detect the rage simmering beneath the surface.
His arm wraps around the small of my back, eliciting sharp goosebumps on my naked skin.
I stare up at him and wish I hadn’t. His face is sharp angles of disapproval. An unprecedented storm whirls in his eyes, darkening them to a raging blue.
And those eyes are now directed at Viktor. “What will my wife prove to you?”
The guard merely lifts a shoulder. “Why don’t you ask her?”
“I’m asking you, and if you don’t start giving me answers in the next breath, I’m going to confiscate all your air until you spit out your last.”
“It’s nothing.” I place an unsteady hand on his chest.
I’ve been in so much bliss lately that I almost forgot just how scary he can get.
“I’ll decide whether it’s nothing or something once I hear the details.”
“She said she doesn’t want you to be hurt and I said I don’t believe her, considering her spying and conspiratorial past, so she offered to prove it.”
I stare at Viktor, mouth parted. The bastard just spilled it all out without sparing any detail. Not that I should be surprised, but I thought he’d at least spare me the embarrassment.
“I’m out of here,” Viktor announces before he turns and leaves without waiting for a reply.
He must’ve driven here and left the car at the main dirt road, which is a couple minutes’ walk.
Kirill’s expression doesn’t change, despite Viktor’s secret-exposing session. If anything, the look in his eyes gets darker, his pupils nearly swallowing the irises.
I try to smile, though carefully. “Are you up for that match?”
“You look different.”
My cheeks turn red without my permission. “Good different?”
“Bad.”
“Fuck you,” I whisper.
He digs his fingers into my arm. “Did you dress this way once you spotted Viktor? Didn’t know he was your type.”
“Maybe he is.” I lift my chin.
“Is that so?” His lips curve in a smile, but it’s more like a scary smirk. I don’t like it when he’s all calm like this. It’s a sure way to know that he’s plotting something nefarious.
“Yeah. I decided to keep my options open for when we divorce.” I know I’m provoking him, but he did it first.
I dressed up for him and the fucking prick is making me feel bad.
One moment I’m standing there and the next, he’s grabbing me by the throat, his fingers pressing on the sides so that I’m immobilized.
“You need to learn when to shut the fuck up, Sasha.”
I hit his hand and kick at his leg, but he barely allows me to move.
It’s always a damn struggle with this man. It’s like I’m fighting a bull with no chance of winning.
“Let me go, you asshole,” I strain with the little breath I have left.
“Understand this, wife.” He speaks so close to my face, his mouth almost touches my cheek. “There are no options for you other than me. If you keep insisting there are, I will make you watch as I slaughter each and every one of them.”