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Was I judging him?
He once had a stutter. He’d been cast aside.
“I know what it’s like to be thrown away as if you mean nothing. This treaty was never about your sister. You were not our second choice.”
“You’re lying. My father made his choice.”
Ivan chuckled. “I’ve killed people for less of an insult.”
I tensed up as he reached out to touch me. I didn’t know what he planned to do, but he merely put a hand on his arm. “I knew immediately who he’d give to me, and I didn’t want a fickle bitch in my camp. I wanted a woman who’d been cast aside her whole life. Who had a reputation for being nice and kind, and loyal. I’m not a stupid man, Aurora. I take care of my men, and you were perfect for him.”
With that, he turned on his heel and left.
What the hell just happened?
****
Slavik
Bethany was a viperous bitch.
Her claws were out.
“I can’t believe Aurora would lie about me. I’m a good woman. A much better match to Andrei than my sister. She doesn’t have what it takes to please a man like him. I know how to.” She tried to press her body against mine. “I can do things that will blow your mind, Slavik. There is nothing I won’t do for you.”
For the past five minutes, she’d been offering her body up to me. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? To think you won. That you took Aurora’s husband from her. I know who you are, Bethany, and to be honest, I don’t like what I see or what I hear.” I glared at her. I was done playing nice. “If I ever hear you talk about my woman, or you hurt her like you did the last time, I will fucking kill you. Do you understand me?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Aurora is a liar. She can’t stand to have friends, and her aim is to make everyone feel sorry for her.”
This time, I smiled. “You’re wrong, and do you know how I know this? She heard you, Bethany. At the last lunch you shared together. She heard the nasty shit you said about her. I’m telling you to be glad you’re a guest at this wedding, and I’ve promised to be on my good behavior. For insulting my wife, I’d make you pay for that. I’d make you scream and beg, and I wouldn’t stop until I carved up your face and tore you to pieces.”
With that, I released her and went out of the room to where I saw my wife disappear.
Ivan came back through the door.
No sign of my woman.
“Aurora’s outside. You do know she’s in a great deal of pain,” Ivan said. “The shit that happened long before you ever met her. It plagues her.”
“Stay away from my wife,” I said.
“Or what? You’re going to keep more secrets from me?” Ivan asked. “Like … the baby?”
I glanced over his shoulder. “It’s not a secret.”
“She has no idea she’s carrying your baby.”
“She’s not ready to know and you know she thinks I do everything out of duty.”
Ivan chuckled. “If you do everything out of duty, then follow this order. Tell your woman how you feel and end this misery between the two of you. She’s yours, Slavik, you just have to take her.”
He brushed past me, and I turned toward him. “I can’t kill her.”
Ivan smiled. “I never said you had to.”
He walked away, and I left the building, finding my wife on the porch, her body pressed against the stone railing. I stepped behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. I heard her sniffle and knew she’d been crying.
“Do you want me to kill him?” I asked, brushing my fingers against her shoulder.
“No. He didn’t make me cry. How was your dance with Bethany?”
“I made you cry?”
“No, not really. I guess you did. Seeing you with her hurt.”
“I never want to cause you pain.”
She sighed. “You can’t make promises like that. I’m … I’ve got a lot of … issues.”
I chuckled. “We all have a lot of issues.”
“All my life, all I’ve ever been told was that I don’t measure up. I am second best. I am not liked. I’m unlovable, and seeing you with Bethany after she said that you will be with her, that you’d make love to her, it hurt.” Aurora turned toward me, tears glistening in her eyes. “I … I can’t stand the thought of her or any other woman being with you. I know I’m not perfect.”
“Don’t,” I said. “I don’t want to hear another word out of that mouth of yours that makes the claim you’re not good enough. Screw them, Aurora. You think I don’t know how you feel? I was left to rot in the dirt for years. I fought my way. That fight you witnessed, that was fucking clean compared to the shit I’ve put up with. I am loyal to Ivan, but I’m also loyal to you. There isn’t going to be another woman. I have no desire to screw around.”
