Her shoulders slump. “Fine. Yes. I promise not to hurt her. But that doesn’t mean I have to like her. Now, I want to go home. I’m tired of being here.” She brushes past Alek without so much as athank you in my direction. Susanna is going to be a tough nut to crack but I hope I can do it one day.
Once Nina and Susanna are gone, Alek turns to me. “You shouldn’t have let them out. It wasn’t your job.”
“I thought I could make friends with them if I did.”
He sighs. “I understand. I want you to make a home here.”
“I’m starting to,” I say with a blush, thinking of what we did yesterday.
Alek’s eyes darken, telling me he remembers everything just as well as I do. But instead of pulling me into his arms, he straightens up and pulls away from me. “There’s something I want to do.”
“What’s that?”
“There’s an event happening. A charity event. I want you to go with me.”
“As a real couple? Out in public?”
“Yes. We are married now, are we not?”
“Well, yes but…”
“But what?”
I don’t want to have to say but I know I need to. “But my brother. Won’t parading our relationship around in public be a slap to his face?”
“Yes. That’s why I want to do it. I claimed you, Katya. You gave your body to me. It’s about time your brother finds out you’re mine. So we’re going to this event. I know your brother will be there. He goes every year.”
That’s something I didn’t even know about. Alek knows my brother better than I do sometimes. That’s what happens when I stay closed off in my room all day.
“What do you think is going to happen?” I ask.
“I suspect he’ll get angry but since we’ll be in a public space, there isn’t much he can do. He’ll have to know that you belong tome and it will drive him insane. I will have officially beaten him at his own game.”
I shiver. This is the side of Alek that scares me. The side I feel ashamed about giving my body to.
But I made that decision and now I have to lie in it.
The event is hosted at a small museum in the city. People are wearing all kinds of elegant evening gowns or suits. I’m in a simple blue dress that hugs my body but isn’t too revealing. I chose this one because it made me feel the most like a grown woman.
My heart is pounding as we walk inside the museum. Being out in public like this is still a lot for me to take in but it’s becoming easier. And I know it has a lot to do with Alek at my side.
I don’t see my brother when we enter but there’s so many people inside the small space that it’s hard to breathe. Alek keeps his hand on my low back, steadying me. Reminding me that I’m ok. That I don’t need my old room anymore to be safe.
That I can find safety with him.
Alek mingles with a few people who approach him. I try to smile but I can’t seem to get myself to look into anyone’s eyes. It’s all still so new for me – doing small talk. I’ve never had to do it at all in my life before. Thankfully, Alek takes control of the situation and speaks for the two of us.
It’s then that I notice Dimitri enters with Sofiya on his arm. He looks tense, like he doesn’t want to be here tonight and I know why: he’s still worried about me. I’m sure my brother has not been a treat to be with since I was taken. I hope Sofiya is doing ok.
That’s when Sofiya and I make eye contact. She stops dead in her tracks and points to me. Dimitri follows her gaze. The second he sees me, he storms over to my side.
“Katya.”
Alek turns to Dimitri and places himself slightly in front of me. “Ah, Dimitri. How have you been?”
Dimitri stares at Alek blankly before he scowls. “I’ve been better. You did kidnap my sister after all.”
“She’s just your sister. I don’t see what the big deal is.”
