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“Not a chance, why did you try to drown Natalya?”
Of coursehe knows her name.
“None of your business,” I spit back at him. His grip on my waist tightens as Natalya begins screaming that I’m crazy. I’m not about to share with Alexi that I was defending Damien in front of all these people, or that I didn’t like the way she was talking about all of them.
“My boat, my business,” he says harshly, turning me in his grip so we’re face to face.
“I don’t have to defend my choices to you.”
His nostrils flare with anger, letting go of me with a shove. “That’s exactly what you have to do, Princess. Did you forget where you are? Who I am?” He makes a spectacle of our conversation by throwing his arms out wide.
“You may be a King, Alexi, but you rule with fear. And I think I’ve made it very clear, I’m not afraid of you.” I cross my arms over my chest, making it clear where I stand.
Alexi reaches out to grab my arm. I expect him to be rough because of my defiance, but instead he’s surprisingly gentle. I let him pull me along and down to one of the main suites. It’s a large open room with a bed in the back and a large bar along the side.
“You seriously won’t tell me why you decided to attack a Russian mafia princess? My family has had ties with hers for over seventy years. She’s going to cause problems.” His whole demeanor changes once the door shuts and we’re in private.
“Not that I need to give you a reason,” I say, shaking my head, “but she challenged me. I went easy on her. I even got up to leave.”
I cross my arms and sigh. “Except the bitch didn’t get the point and decided to try and shove me under the water.” I’m standing on the carpet in dripping wet clothes, getting water everywhere. Alexi doesn’t seem to notice though. “That’s why I took it so far. I wasn’t going to kill her. I just had to remind her of her place.”
Alexi laughs and my mouth feels like it drops to the floor in shock. He continues laughing as he walks to the bar to pour us some drinks. “You’re starting to sound like me.” He must notice my shock as he turns to face me. “What?” he asks.
“I um…” I blink up at him at a loss for words. “I didn’t know you laughed.” I finally get out while my eyes try to look anywhere but his face. I like his laugh and I don’t want him to see the heat rising to my cheeks because of it.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watch him as he lifts his drink to his lips. He’s about to say something when Lev and Damien come barging in.
“Natalya is losing her shit down there saying you tried to kill her,” Damien says, walking over to me.
I roll my eyes. “If I wanted the bitch dead, she’d be dead,” I say seriously.
“Did she hurt you?” Lev asks, taking my hand in his. I didn’t even realize it was dripping with blood from where her nails repeatedly clawed into me. He grabs a towel from the bar and wraps it around my hand.
“I’m fine,” I tell him honestly. “I didn’t even feel it.”
He shakes his head, a small grin tugging at his lips and I swear the goosebumps on my body are no longer from being cold.
What the fuck are these men doing to me?
“I’ll go grab the first aid kit,” Lev says after wrapping the towel around my hand tightly and securing it there.
“I’ll grab you some dry clothes,” Damien says, kissing my head before he walks out behind Lev.
Alexi throws back what’s left of his drink before walking around the bar. It takes my mind a minute to register that my thigh strap is in his hand, holding my blades. They have been banning weapons on the boat lately so I don’t know why he’s offering me mine. They are the only ones allowed to have them.
Hesitantly, I take it from him when he holds it out. “I do laugh,” he says quietly. “It’s just that no one usually gives me a reason to.” He slides my drink over to me, and with one last burning look he turns on his heel, and walks out the door, leaving me speechless.
???
I carefully walk to the bar, sitting on one of the stools while I wait, trying not to touch anything or track water too far into the room. There’s a soft knock on the door and a smile graces my lips, assuming it’s Damien. “Come in.”
Except it’s not Damien. Instead, Bryce walks into the room with his head down. I sit up straight, glaring at him. He’s still wearing a stupid bandage on his arm from where I cut him even though it’s healed.
“What do you want?” My voice is strong and commanding.
He keeps his head slightly bowed as his eyes look up at me, “I…” he clears his throat. “I came to apologize,” he says.
I let myself relax slightly. If he wants to fess up to being an asshole, he’s welcome to do so. I set my drink on the bar and turn to face him fully. “Alright.” I gesture for him to go on.
