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It’s starting to feel less like an experiment and more like a family.
I don’t need to be his wife. I just needthis.
Which, of course, is when I hear the thundering slam of a door and the hideous, unwelcome thump of two heavy feet. One thought and one thought only races through my head.
I spoke too soon.
Reagan buries her face in Ruslan’s chest, Caroline shifts to cower at his side, and Josh tosses me a nervous glance that he quickly shifts towards the door.
Ever since the incident, Ben has kept his distance. He comes home late, long after the kids and I go to bed, and he leaves around midday, when I’m at work and the kids are at school. None of us are expecting him here at this hour.
“Why don’t you excuse me for a bit, guys?” Ruslan stands up and props Reagan back on his chair. “I have something I’d like to discuss with Ben.”
My eyes go wide with panic. “Ruslan…”
He ignores me completely. “I won’t be long.”
He doesn’t wait for me to tell him all the reasons why talking to Ben would be a bad idea. He leaves the kitchen, clapping Josh on the back on his way out.
“Josh, stay with the girls, okay? We’ll be right back.”
Then I rush into the living room behind Ruslan. Ben is already sprawled out on the couch, looking like he’s crawled out of some dank, smelly hole.
His eyelids burst open when he sees Ruslan emerge. “What the—”
“Get up,” Ruslan rumbles.
That tone.Good Lord. It’s got the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. I can only imagine what kind of effect it has on Ben.
Enough, apparently, to get him on his feet.
“You and I are going to go downstairs and have a little talk,” Ruslan continues.
Yeah, okay, maybe it was a mistake telling Ruslan about the incident with Josh the other night. I’d just been really upset and talking to him made me feel better.
Until right now, of course.
Now, I wonder if I’m about to witness a murder.
“W-why can’t we talk right here?” Ben gulps.
I used to think of Ben as a big man. He’s six feet tall and built well. But next to Ruslan, Ben looks like a hobbit. And he looksafraid.
“Because I don’t want to upset the kids. You’ve done enough damage as it is.”
Ben looks at me. “Emma?”
Does he actually expect me to help him out here?
Ruslan slides in between us and points for the door without breathing another word. Ben scowls, but he stumbles to where Ruslan is directing him and the two of them slink out.
I turn back to make sure the kids are staying tucked out of sight. Josh gives me a brave thumbs up, then drags his sisters back onto the couch.
With a sharp inhale, I follow the men out.
Ben has followed Ruslan to the sidewalk. The street is quiet and empty of people, except for the line of cars parked along the curb. I keep my distance.
“Okay,” Ruslan says, turning to Ben. “I’m gonna speak slowly so you can understand. Lay a hand on any of those kids ever again and I’ll cut it the fuck off and feed the birds with it. If you won’t protect them from the world, then you leave me no choice but to protect them fromyou.”
