Page 38 of His to Own

Polina, who’s already in her seat, front and center, gives me the most smug smile I have ever seen from her.

Maxim enters the room and everyone looks at him. Professor Romonov is taken aback. “Can I help you?” she asks.

“I couldn’t help but overhear you talking to my wife the way you were.”

“Your wife?”

“Elena. It was my fault she was a minute late. Don’t take it out on her. I am sure you can make an exception this one time. Don’t mark her absent for today. She is here and ready to learn… whatever it is you learn about here.”

“English literature,” I say.

“Ah.” Maxim shrugs. “Well… then don’t let me ruin my wife’s chances of learning all about…?”

“Shakespeare,” Professor Romanov says flatly.

“Shakespeare it is. Please. Do this one favor for her.” He gives my teacher the most charming smile and some of the icy coldness in her melts away.

“Well… I guess I can make an exception this one time. But only this time. Now, I want to begin class. Please leave.”

Polina’s smug grin disappears and I can’t help but smile.

Maxim nods and throws a wink in my direction before leaving.

The rest of the class goes smoothly and when I’m done, I head for the library to get some studying in. After I’m seated at a desk, Alexei slides in across from me.

“Are you really married to that guy?” he asks.

“Yes. I’m married.” It’s still a surreal thing to even think about.

“But… how? You never mentioned it to me.”

“Maxim and I weren’t dating. We just… got married.”

“You just got married? I don’t understand.”

I shift around in my seat and draw my books in closer. “I have to study, Alexei. I can’t really talk about it right now. I’m sorry.” If ever. How do I explain the mafia world I belong to? I want to keep Alexei out of it. I want to keep Alexei safe.

“He’s a bad man, Elena. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out. You shouldn’t be with him.”

“We don’t all get choices in life,” I snap.

He raises his eyebrows, looking shocked. I never talk to him like this. “Did he force you into a marriage? Does he have something on you? I can help you, Elena.”

I snap my book closed. “I don’t need your help, Alexei. Please stay out of it.”

“I can help you though. You can stay at my place.”

And then Maxim would probably kill him.

“No thank you,” I say in as firm of a voice as I can manage. “I don’t need your help. I am fine with Maxim.”

“You don’t seem fine.”

“How would you know?”

“Because we’ve been friends for the past year now. And you don’t seem fine.”

“Did I ask for your help?”