Page 77 of Queen’s Gambit

Unzipping his pants, he fished out his dick and groaned as Alina slipped him into her mouth.

It was too bad that I couldn’t record them. Even though watching them together nearly made me vomit. How would I convince my father that Christov wanted me dead? That excuse for not marrying him seemed flimsy even to me.

“Fuck that feels good. Come here, I need to fuck you.”

Taking her hand, he pulled her over to the desk. Alina lifted her skirt and moaned as Christov fucked her hard like one of my father’s stallions with the mares who never looked impressed.

Frida tapped my arm and made a gagging face. I covered my mouth to keep quiet and smiled despite the insane situation. I’d just overheard Christov planning my death with his mistress, and yet, I felt justified in whatever I did next.

Once Christov was done, he shoved his dick back into his pants while Alina fixed her hair.

“I’m doing that again before this boring party ends,” Christov said as they walked out the door.

“Well, isn’t he a charmer,” Frida whispered.

“Truly.” I tapped my chin as I thought.

“Are you going to use that information to get out of marrying him? You can’t marry him now. He’s plotting to kill you.” Frida crossed her arms. “I won’t let that happen.” Her mouth was set in a hard line, and her eyes burned with anger.

“Thank you,” I said, grabbing her arm and hugging her. “But I don’t know if this will be enough.”

“What? Why won’t that be enough?”

“Father has no reason to believe that Christov wants to kill me. He’ll think I made it up. As for Alina, he won’t care because Christov and I aren’t married yet. And even after, he’ll make excuses. I’m not stupid. This is the world we live in. As long as Christov and I produce a male heir, no one will care where he sticks his dick.” I shook my head and held up my hand. “Don’t get me started. I’m already so angry that I want to burn the house down.”

“I’ve never heard of your father cheating on your mother,” Frida said, and she was right. I hadn’t either.

He was either really good at hiding it or had always been faithful. The bastard might have a shred of dignity in him after all.

“True, but he doesn’t love me.” Frida’s face fell. “He’s only ever seen me as a walking dollar sign. He showed his true colors and feelings tonight.”

“I’ll help you with anything, any time.”

She smiled, and I didn’t know how I’d gotten so lucky to have someone like Frida in my life.

A few hours later, I sat on my bed, showered and impatiently waiting for Frida. I’d decided to wear a grey sweater dress that reminded me of Eddie’s eyes and that I knew he loved on me. A soft knock from the hallway pulled my attention from the door connecting our bedrooms.

“What?”

“It’s me. Can I come in?” My mother’s voice drifted in, and I shook my head.

Even though I knew she hadn’t agreed with his decision, it didn’t stop me from resenting her almost as much as my father. She was the only one who might have been able to sway him, but for all the years I’d been locked up in this mansion, she’d never fought for me.

“No. Just leave me alone.”

“Sweetheart, I didn’t want this,” she said, and I bit my lip at the ache in her voice.

“I don’t care what you wanted. He sold me to a man who hates me, all for the sake of money and power, and you let it happen. I’ll never forgive either of you. Leave me alone and make sure Father doesn’t come up here, or I may do something rash,” I said, crossing my arms.

It was best to be vague, but I wanted the threat out there. If my father was in front of me right now, I’d push him out the window and chase his falling body to the ground to get free.

The rage had twisted itself inside of me with every minute that passed since he’d stabbed me in the back. Now, it was something ugly, something that I would nourish because I needed it to fight against my oppression.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

When I didn’t respond, her shadow disappeared from under the door. Her sorry and tears were nothing to me. There was nothing fair about this, and no one could convince me otherwise.

“Psst.”