“I guess that’s it,” I say, feeling a little embarrassed about my lack of shit. We grab the few boxes and carry them to the living room where Shelly is waiting with a large drink in hand. From the looks of her, she’s been chugging wine since we first started packing. Her face is an angry, blotchy red, and her eyes are bright with a mix of alcohol and rage. I’m hoping she’ll just silently glare, but then she starts to open her mouth, and all I can do is hope that nothing too bad comes out.
Chapter6
Aleksandr
Holly’s face goes pale at the sight of her clearly intoxicated stepsister. I don’t know how in the hell she’s survived living with her for as long as she has, because I couldn’t have endured one day with her.
“All packed up?” she says before taking a drink that ends up draining half her damn wine glass. I notice the bottle is resting beside her—open and ready to be poured.
“Yeah, I’ve got everything I want. The rest of the stuff is yours anyway,” Holly says, holding the box tightly in front of her like a piece of armor.
Shelly lets out a snort and turns her red-rimmed eyes on me. “Congratulations on your marriage, brother-in-law.” She lets out another harsh laugh. “Not too many men would’ve been able to stomach her scarred body.”
I see the sneer Shelly gives me, watching my reaction, and I want to laugh at her ridiculous attempt to piss me off. I don’t know if she’s trying to trick me or catch me off guard, but she’s going to need to do a lot better than that. I may not know what in the hell she’s talking about, but my profession has taught me many things, one of which is having a pretty damn unreadable face. I look over at Holly who’s looking mortified and shrinking in on herself, trying to take up less space.
Giving her a smile, I say, “My wife is beautiful.” I turn back to Shelly and add, “And you’re a bitch.”
Shelly’s eyes widen in surprise before her face contorts into pure rage. “Fuck you, the both of you. Get the hell out of my apartment.”
“Gladly,” I say, walking over and holding the door open for Holly who’s speed walking to the exit. I slam the door on Shelly’s pissy face before she can holler out any other insults.
“God, how the hell did you put up with her?” I lower the tailgate and start to put the boxes in the back, taking the one that she’s still holding, relieving her of her armor and leaving her fidgeting with the strings of her knit snow hat.
“She’s not always that bad.”
“Right,” I say, not believing that for one second. “Well, she’s never talking to you like that again. If she wants a relationship with you, she’s going to have to treat you with respect. I won’t allow her to make you feel like she just did ever again.”
I take a step closer and cup her face, wondering how in the hell she’s managed to get under my skin so damn quickly. “Do you understand?”
She shakes her head yes, but the look in her eyes is turning dark, just like she’d looked pinned against the wall when I’d made her come. There’s so much raw desire in the look she’s giving me, that I’m not at all surprised when my cock hardens yet again.
I run my thumb over her full lips. “What the hell are you doing to me,lisichka?”
She sucks in a quick breath, making me groan and wish I could just bend her over the tailgate and fuck her right here and now. Her blue eyes stay locked on mine, waiting to see what I’ll do, and I’m not sure which one of us is more disappointed when I step back and open the passenger door for her.
We’re both quiet on the drive home. I’m not sure what she’s thinking, but I’m wondering what in the hell Shelly was talking about. I don’t like not knowing something, especially when that something has to do with the woman who is now my life. I usually spend hours researching my targets until I know every damn detail of their lives, but I know nothing about the woman I’ve just joined my life to. I remind myself that she’s not a target, but that doesn’t take away my curiosity.
Once we’re inside with her boxes stacked on the living room floor, I grab her arm and lead her up the stairs to the bedroom. She doesn’t struggle, just lets me pull her along, and when she’s standing before the bed, she crosses her arms over her cheery Christmas sweater and keeps her eyes averted.
“Look at me,” I say, making no move to touch her.
She finally turns her eyes up to mine.
“What was she talking about? What scars?”
“It’s nothing.” She tries to duck her head, but I grip her chin and keep her face looking up to me. I run my thumb over the only scar I can see on her perfect skin, wondering how many more of these there are.
“You’re my wife now. Do you want a marriage of secrets? Is that the kind of future you want?”
“You’re one to talk. Your whole life outside this house is one big secret.”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
I almost laugh at the way she narrows her eyes at me. “Because that is me keeping you safe. This is just you hiding something from me, and unless you’re planning on never getting naked in front of me, then I’m going to find out anyway.”
When she still doesn’t say anything, I lower my face closer to hers. “Are you planning on never getting naked in front of me?”