AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It’s time to punch my way out of it.
50
PAIGE
The next morning, I wake up to an empty bed.
I don’t expect anything different at this point, but I still slide out from under the comforter as quickly as possible. The sooner I move on to the rest of my day, the sooner I can forget how it started.
I stretch and head towards the bathroom, but on my way there, I notice a pale blush box placed neatly on the bench at the foot of the bed.
“Here we go again,” I mutter. It’s probably a crown bedazzled with the family jewels for me to wear. Or maybe a collar with a big “O” for “Orlov” on it, just so the world knows who I belong to now.
I flip open the lid with a quick jerk, ready to get this over with.
Then I stop.
It’s not jewels inside the box, but fabric. I stroke my hand over the softest pair of white trousers I’ve ever felt. I pull them out, careful not to crease them, and find a pale pink blouse beneath them that matches the lid. There’s a bow at the neck, as well as a pair of nude heels with a bow at the back of the ankle and a heel thick enough that I don’t have to worry about toppling over.
An embossed piece of cardstock tucked into the side of the box reads“Consciously Created.”
He got me a gift. Not an off-the-cuff “throw money at her feelings” monstrosity he found on the nearest mannequin at Gucci, not an Orlov heirloom designed to remind me who my new masters are, but agift.The kind that says,I was thinking about you.
An outfit for today’s board meeting, made by artisans who care about the environment, crafted for my taste and body and values.
I can’t stop smiling.
A lightness spreads through me that alleviates some of the nervousness I’m feeling about the board meeting today. I hurry through my shower and take my time dressing in every piece of clothing Misha chose. Not because I want to please him, but because I genuinely like everything he gave me.
By the time I finish with my makeup, I feel capable of handling anything the day might throw at me.
My car is waiting for me outside in the drive, but Konstantin is standing next to it with a mischievous smile. “Mind if I bum a lift to work with you?”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t play coy with me. Misha made you my personal bodyguard, didn’t he?”
“Bingo.” Smirking, he gets into the passenger seat. “But the way I see it, you’re a lucky lady. I’m nicer to look at than anyone else on the security team.”
I toss my heels into the back and climb into the driver’s seat with bare feet. “I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“You’re only saying that because you don’t know Petyr Ivanov like we do,” he warns. “Trust me, Paige: this is necessary.”
I realize all at once that Konstantin must have known Misha’s brother, too. I don’t know why it hasn’t occurred to me before, and I don’t know why it occurs now. “Were you close with Maksim?” I ask.
Konstantin’s hands tighten on his knees. “I, uh… yeah. We grew up together. I was over at their house more than I was at my own.”
“So you know what happened… between Maksim and Petyr.”
He glances at me inscrutably. “Yeah,” he breathes. “I know what happened. In some ways, it was inevitable. The Orlovs and the Ivanovs, they’re… they’re… Shit, I don’t even know what they are.”
“You’re saying it’s a family thing?”
“I’m saying it’s complicated,” Konstantin offers up evasively. “And, more to the point, it’s Misha’s story to tell.”
“Seems to me it’s as much your story as his.”
“Maybe. But you are his wife. I’m not about to step into that.”
I know he’s making the smart move. If I was anyone else, I wouldn’t want to interfere in Misha’s business. Yet, if Misha is going to assign Konstantin as my guard, I’m going to do my best to make the most of it.
