AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I absently kept one eye on his brother’s antics with the nanny while he continued to seem content in my lap. What would it be like to have children of my own, with Yuri? What would they look like and what would we name them? I could almost picture a miniature version of him, following him around the house with his nose in a comic book asking a string of questions. Or a little girl running after us on the trails, her phantom giggles ringing in my imagination and making my heart swell. Did I want that? It sure felt like I did. If things were different.
It was too much to think about, flooding me with sadness. It was impossible.
There was another knock at the door and I jumped to answer it so the cook wouldn’t be bothered. Thinking it was a delivery, I was dismayed to see it was my father, and I hurriedly stepped back from the fear that still wouldn’t leave me. Over his shoulder I saw Genno standing by his car with his arms crossed, as if my father needed guarding here. No, I wouldn’t kill him in Yuri’s home. I had far too much respect for Yuri to leave a mess like that on his property. I settled my face into something neutral, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing how uncomfortable he made me after he already saw me jump.
We stood in the doorway, at a standoff, when Theresa popped her head out of the living room. “Everything okay?” she asked in a sunny voice, but I could sense the steel underneath.
I turned and nodded to her. “I’ll see my father in Yuri’s library.”
She nodded in return, her eyes telling me she’d be there if I needed her. I’d never pull her into any ugliness with him, but her presence might keep him somewhat in line.
I slammed the front door on Genno’s stupid, ugly mug and led my father to the room where Yuri sometimes worked. The traditional library might have been straight out of one of the nineteenth century novels I liked, with leather furniture, walls lined with bookshelves, a vast mahogany desk with an old-fashioned blotter and crystal inkwell, and dark curtains pulled across ceiling high windows.
I pulled open the curtains to keep from feeling trapped, my anxiety easing when sunshine flooded the room. Always fight evil with light. I motioned for my father to sit on one of the leather wing chairs, asking if he’d like a drink.
“Never mind that,” he said. “You don’t have to pretend you’re a worthy hostess when I know the truth.”
I sat in the chair across from him, subtly pushing it back a few inches to be out of striking distance. He snorted, shaking his head at me in disgust. No matter how hard I tried, he always sensed even the smallest shred of weakness from me. I gritted my teeth. His demise couldn’t come soon enough to suit me.
“Why are you here?” Why bother with false pleasantries when he wouldn’t deign to return them.
I hadn’t moved far enough back and he leaned over, his fingers digging into my wrist. I stayed silent and tensed my muscles. It would do no good to try to pull away. Like any predator, an attempt at escape would only ignite his attack instincts. Unless he escalated, I’d deal with this minor assault by pretending it wasn’t happening. His short nails cut into my skin and I worried Yuri might notice if he left a mark. He’d want to take matters into his own hands and my father was mine to deal with.
“You’re a failure as usual,” he spat. “The Morozovs are being completely unmanageable. I’m not getting what I deserve from this deal, so I can only surmise it’s because you’re not making your husband happy.” He looked me up and down with a sneer, letting go of my arm and wiping his hand on his pant leg, as if I was foul to the touch. I barely refrained from rubbing where he’d squeezed hard enough that there would surely be a bruise later. “Look at how slovenly you’ve become. Can’t you wear a dress like a real woman? You always did run around looking uglier than a boy. No wonder things have become such a mess. He must despise you. You’re despicable and a disgrace to the Orlov name.”
I’d never been happier to be a Morozov now.
“Could it possibly be you asking for more than they agreed on?” That sounded more likely. The worst thing I could do was take my father’s nasty words to heart. They weren’t true. I knew they weren’t, so why did they sting so badly?
I stood up and moved away, sensing a slap brewing in him. He gripped the sides of the chair, searing hatred blazing from his eyes as he also stood. “You don’t know anything about our deal and wouldn’t understand if I tried to explain. I need you to do your part.”
“I did my part,” I said. “I married Yuri.”
“Useless wench. Make him happy. Seduce him. I need information from you.”
I shook my head, moving to the doorway. “That was never part of the deal, and he doesn’t tell me anything, anyway.”
“Liar,” he shouted.
“You need to go,” I told him, moving far into the hall so he could pass.
On the way out of the library, he moved with snakelike speed, whipping around to grab me by the neck. “You’re lucky I don’t have another daughter, but my patience is growing thin. Get me the information I need.”
I kept my hands at my sides even though every instinct made me want to tear at his hand that slowly squeezed the air from my throat. “What information do you need?” I asked. Perhaps he’d tell me something I could use against him.
He lightened his hold, thinking I was about to be helpful. “They’re trying to push me out, send me to Boston, when I’d rather be here.”
“Who wouldn’t,” I said agreeably, acting like I’d never acted before and praying he’d slip up. If I didn’t get the information before he left I may never get my chance at revenge. “The weather here is amazing, no?” It should have been surreal to speak so calmly about the weather with someone threatening to strangle me, but I’d grown up with this man. This was any ordinary afternoon.
“Make it so I can stay here,” he demanded, shoving me back as he released me. “I won’t leave, and if they push it, there’ll be trouble, marriage or no marriage.”
“I’ll make it so you’ll never see Boston,” I promised. Not alive, anyway. Where they sent his corpse was not my problem.
“Good. And be quick about it. After the shipment lands on Dodge Island they think I’ll go quietly. But I’m not happy with their paltry payment.” He shook his head. “You’re not worth much, but I won’t be insulted by what they think you are.”
“You’ll get what you deserve,” I said.
He smiled and nodded, stamping out the door and slamming it behind him.
