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The front door closes, signaling Demetri has returned home. I stand up shocked since he said he wouldn’t be here tonight. Charlotte picks up one of the canvases and runs to him. “Look, Daddy. I’m going to paint this.” She excitedly shows him.
“Is that one of your new paintings?” he asks, giving me a kiss. Unlike this morning, I kiss him back. I laugh at his question, because he knows good and well I didn’t paint it, since he gave them to me. He lifts a brow in question.
“Thank you for the gift. It was a very sweet gesture.” He gives me a confused look, so I add, “You just… sent them to me… today.” My heart pounds at his confusion.
Why would anyone but him send me a gift?
“Charlotte, move away from the pictures.”
I’m left frozen once I hear the urgency in his tone. He steps forward, taking the canvas out of her hands and tossing it next to the others on the floor.
He takes his pocketknife off his belt. “Polina, take the girls out of the house immediately.” And she does just that.
With a flick of his wrist, he cuts open the three colorful squares, and a handful of diamonds falls out with a piece of paper. “Katrina, what were you thinking, bringing this into our home? It endangers everyone.”
My hand moves up to cover my mouth. “Why would someone send me diamonds?”
He’s barking orders into his phone, and two of his men come inside, walking past me. My question lands on deaf ears.
“There could have been a bomb in here, bugs, anything,” he yells at me like I’m one of his men.
“Were you using my gallery for your diamond business?” I ask, my voice becoming stronger.
“Our house could have been blown up and the girls killed, and you’re worried about your business that doesn’t even exist anymore?”
“Answer the question, Demetri,” I demand, crossing my arms over my chest.
“You don’t care, do you?” he questions.
My heart is beating incredibly fast at his accusation. “Yes, I care, Demetri.Youplaced all of us at risk. It’s not my fault that I thought you gave your wife a gift!”
“Who was on duty and should have swept the package?” he yells, and another man pushes one of my guards onto his knees in the entrance. I go to stand in front of the poor man, wanting my husband to hear what I’m trying to say, but Demetri just lifts his gun. My heartbeat has my chest feeling like it’s about to crack open. One of his men lifts me out of the way, my feet kicking as I fight to stand on my own. With zero hesitation, Demetri shoots the man on his knees in the head. A piercing scream leaves my throat, and I’m placed back down. My eyes are wide as I watch the man slump to my feet, his blood splattered on me and seeping over the white tile of the foyer.
My eyes are wide as I take in the scene in front of me. My husband just killed a man with zero regard for his life. The blood seeps onto our white tile floor. The red liquid should gross me out, but I stand here in shock. The sight of a dead body is all too familiar, with how I grew up. I only screamed because of the fright of it all. When I glance up, Demetri’s gaze is heated. His muscles are tensely protruding in the sexiest way. He’s never looked sexier. Confusion of all of my different emotions ram through me, and I realize I’m a monster for not feeling guilty for the man’s death when he tried to do his job and I refused to allow him.
“I’ll never hesitate when it comes to my family’s security,” he growls. He’s angry, and I watch as he tries to control his breathing. The men in the room go about their business, while Demetri’s eyes connect with mine. I swallow down the lump in my throat.
This is not the time to be aroused, yet I can feel my panties becoming wet over the power of his possessiveness. I slip off my shoes and step over the mess of blood.
“Katrina, you need to be more responsible.”
Hold up.
“Excuse me? I don’t deal with diamonds. You don’t get to walk around here looking like the hero, when you can’t tell me why diamonds were in that delivery. You didn’t even answer my question of if you were using my studio for your business. I’ve been walked on and taken advantage of all my life. I will not allow you to do that to me,husband. I deserve better than that.”
For the first time in my life, I’m standing up for how I want to be treated. I’m not willing to settle anymore.
“I don’t want you alone with Charlotte if you’re not going to take this seriously.”
With that one statement, he crushes my heart. I fight the tears to stay at bay.
“You can’t be serious.” My voice cracks at the end.
“I can only do so much to keep everyone safe. You refuse to listen to me. You won’t allow the guards to do their duties. You’re so wrapped up in how I might be using you that you can’t see the bigger picture.”
“That’s because you refuse to answer any of my questions.”
“I won’t ever talk business with you. You need to stay out of it for the girls’ sake. If I told you anything, it would only endanger you more. Why can’t you see I am protecting you?”
