Page 118 of His to Own

He sits down beside me on the ground. “How have things been… with your husband?” I can tell it pains him to even ask.

“Things have been better.” I blush at the memory of letting Maxim take my virginity yesterday.

Alexei studies my face. “Ah.” He clears his throat and looks away from me. “You and him…” He shakes his head with a low huff. “He’s touched you, hasn’t he?”

I go still. “Why would you ask me that?”

“It’s written all over your face. You look… giddy. It’s an expression I’ve never seen from you before. You let him touch you. I can’t believe it.”

“He’s my husband.”

“I know. But you essentially admitted that you were forced into your marriage. And now you’re letting him touch you? I knew you didn’t have much experience before. I could tell you were innocent. I was hoping…”

“What were you hoping?”

He scoffs. “It’s nothing.”

“Talk to me, Alexei.” I touch his shoulder and that makes him jerk away from me.

“I thought it would be me,” he admits.

“What would be you?”

“That I would be your first.”

My entire body goes still. “I… I don’t know what to say.”

“You never know what to say. You’re so shy.” He says the word ‘shy’ like it’s dirty.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper with a flinch. Right now, I feel like I’m back with my father, being scolded for something I don’t understand. “But how did you know I hadn’t been with anyone before?”

“You told me your dad didn’t let you date. It wasn’t hard to figure out that you were a virgin. But I could see the revulsion in your eyes when you looked at your husband. I thought… I thought you and he would never…” He scoffs. It’s an ugly sound. “But I see I was wrong. You let him touch you. That’s… disgusting.”

A flare of anger hits me. Fight. “How is it disgusting? He’s my husband. It’s common for a husband and wife to…”

“Fuck?”

I flinch. “Don’t be crass please.”

“But that’s what you and he did. You fucked, didn’t you?”

“I…”

I can sense him before I see him. Maxim. He appears before us, glaring down at Alexei. The air in the room goes cold. There’s no other students in this back, quiet area. We’re completely alone.

“I don’t appreciate you talking to my wife like this,” Maxim growls. His arms are crossed. The vein in his forehead is prominent. He’s angry. Maxim is practically vibrating with it. “What she and I do in our private time is none of your concern.”

Alexei jumps to his feet. “You hurt her, didn’t you? You forced her into it.”

“I did no such thing. Elena asked for it. Begged me for it.”

“Enough,” I say, standing up. “Please.”

Alexei stands toe-to-toe with Maxim. “You are a bad man. I will bring you down.”

“Careful,” Maxim warns. “You don’t want to learn what happens when people mess with me.”

Alexei glares at Maxim for a long time before he walks away.