“Oh,Yulian. How sweet. Yulian isn’t who we think he is, guys,” Abram snaps angrily.
Fabi shakes his head. “She’s been brainwashed.”
“Please, just listen to me. All of the Andreevs are different from how Uncle Boris explained it. Everything is different. He was wrong, Artur. I went to a party with them, and the Dubrovs were there, and I watched them—”
“Do you think I give a shit about how you saw them manipulating and tricking other families into thinking they’re good people? Fuck’s sake, Katerina, I thought you were smarter than this.” Artur is so angry that his fists are clenched at his sides, and his breathing is rapid. I can see him trying to holdhimself back, not to let the full force of his mood rain down on me.
How do I get him to listen when he’s like this?
“Abram, you were at the party,” I blurt out. “You saw everyone together, didn’t you see…”
“All I saw was my little sister, cuddled up to one of our worst enemies. The people who tortured andkilledour uncle. Did you forget about that? Did you forget what they did when you were slow dancing and sipping champagne in a matching fucking outfit with that murderer? What kind of respect are you showing the family by being around those people, Katerina?”
“What wereyoudoing there?” I snap, defensively, pointlessly trying to deflect so I can buy myself time to think. But there’s nothing to think about, because nothing I say right now is going to make any difference.
“I was scouting. I was gathering intel,” Abram snarls at me, his lips curling, his face menacing and terrifying. He’s the worst when it comes to controlling his emotions. He gets nasty and angry far too easily.
I close my eyes and shake my head. “None of you are listening,” I whisper, more to myself than my brothers.
“We don’t know if we can trust anything you say at this point,” Fabi says. His voice is gentler, sad almost. He sounds disappointed in me.
It breaks my heart to have them think of me like this.
How can I explain that Yulian basically held me prisoner, but it wasn’t bad because it gave me a chance to see who he really is?
I can’t.
I can’t explain that without triggering something worse.
“We need to move on with our business, now that she’s home,” Artur says, turning to Abram as though I’m not even there.
“Agreed. Have the guards watch over her, though. We can’t have her leaving again,” he replies.
“I’m standing right here, stop talking about me as though I’m not,” I snap angrily.
They all ignore me.
“I’ll contact Mikhail. He can finalize the arrangements for the wedding,” Fabio says before he turns away and walks towards the home office.
Wedding?
What?
Who’s getting married?
Panic shoots through me.
“Tell me what the hell is going on!” I shout, too loud, too angry, but I can’t hold back the emotions bubbling through me.
Facing my brothers has been overwhelming. Leaving Yulian without even saying goodbye is weighing down on me. I feel horrible, and they are making it a hundred times worse by treating me like I’m a criminal.
Artur and Abram turn to look at me. Abram is smirking. Artur is scowling. “Your wedding, Katerina,” Abram says, watching me closely, making me think he’s savoring the shock and anxiety flickering over my face.
“Mine?” I stammer, looking at Artur.
“I have a very strong alliance that’s been offered to the family. It will be a great move for us. A great move forallof us. The only catch was that the eldest brother, Mikhail, had insisted on a marriage. He wants you.”
“Artur, you can’t…you can’t force me into some arranged marriage with a man no one even knows. What if he’s horrible? What if he’s cruel?” I keep envisioning the married men at the party, ogling over me the moment their wives glance in a different direction. What kind of a marriage is that? No respect. No love. Nothing. Nothing good at all. And who knows what goes on behind closed doors. I don’t want that. I can’t do it.
