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Calla drops her chin in a slight greeting, her eyes locked on the floor. The man who walked in at Pavel’s back leers at her in a way that makes me want to pull out my knife and spill his guts across the floor. The only thing stopping me is the hold I have on my wife’s hands.
She unclasps her hands and turns one so our fingers can twine together, grounding me and reminding me she’s right here next to me. That she’s safe.
Both men notice the movement and narrow their eyes. If they’re about to say anything, they don’t get the chance when Nikolai’s voice draws their attention to him. “Pavel. As you can see, your sister is perfectly well and is happy in the union between herself and Viktor.”
Pavel nods slowly, his eyes shrewd as he glances around. He puffs up with faux confidence. “I’d like to hear that from my sister directly. I have tried to reach her recently, but she didn’t answer. Is she not allowed to talk to me?”
“No,” my voice is hard, “she’s not. Not when you threaten her and speak to her like she is nothing more than her body.”
“Is that not what she is? A doll? A toy for men to play with?” Pavel’s mask slips and he lets out a chuckle that is pure evil. “Don’t try to tell me that she hasn’t already been passed around. We all know the only thing she is useful for is spreading her legs.” His eyes meet mine, the amusement in his expression clear. “Did you get to pop her cherry? Was it everything you thought it would be?”
Calla seems to stop breathing next to me, but her fingers grip mine so tight that they start to ache a little. I’ll happily experience the pain as long as it means she’s sharing hers with me.
“Enough,” Nikolai roars, standing and putting himself in front of Mistie who is fuming so badly I’m almost afraid she’ll explode. Pavel’s sparkling eyes meet my brother’s, and he scoffs. Nikolai’s tone holds little room for argument, “You will not speak about a woman in that way here. Not in my home and not in hers.”
“Women are good for breeding, but they have no value in our world,” Pavel grits out through his teeth, clearly not happy about being given an order by Nikolai.
“They are the heart of us,” Sergei is the one who speaks, his tone dripping with a threat from where he’s stationed himself behind Pavel and his goon. “You’d do well to head the warning.”
Pavel doesn’t turn around, but his sidekick does, his eyes sizing up Sergei. I know who would win in a fight. I wonder if Pavel’s lapdog does as well.
Pavel squares his shoulders and smooths out the expression of malice on his face. He looks down at Calla, his hatred for her clear in the way his eyes take her in. “I don’t think this is the right environment for you, Calla,” there’s no gentleness in his tone, even though his words make it seem like there should be. “We’ll annul your marriage and find someone who understands your place.”
Calla raises her eyes slowly as she looks at her brother. He has no idea the kind of woman she is. He has no idea her strength or her character. How could he when he was too busy looking down at her and assuming she had no worth?
“No,” Calla’s voice is firm and strong. “I will not be annulling the marriage.” She smirks slightly. “How could I anyway when our marriage has been consummated,” she glances at me and adds, “many times?”
Pavel waves his hand as if that’s a minor issue, even though we all know it’s not. “That’s not the only grounds for annulment,” he speaks to her as if she’s stupid.
“I know,” she shrugs one delicate shoulder, “but it doesn’t matter because I won’t be leaving. I am now Calla Orlov,” a fire burns in her eyes that has my cock taking notice even though it’s inappropriate, “it’s for the best that you remember that.”
Pavel snarls, “You will listen to me. You are under my control. I will not allow this farce of a marriage to continue and to allow these people,” he spits the word, “brainwash you into thinking you mean anything. You’re nothing. You’re just some hole for aman to use and then you’ll be thrown away. I’ll make fucking sure of it,” he rants.
Calla doesn’t flinch even with the amount of ridiculous vileness coming out of the mouth of her brother. She stares him down and shakes her head slowly as if he’s slow. “No.”
One word.
One edict.
One decision.
Then she flicks her eyes away from him and looks at me with so much love and devotion it makes my heart skip a beat. I can feel the raw fury rolling off Pavel, but she doesn’t look at him again, showing him with her actions that he’s dead to her.
I could kiss her right now with how fucking proud I am of her. And why shouldn’t I kiss my wife? I lean into her and take her mouth in a brutal kiss, one that isn’t just for show, but might seem like it to her unhinged brother. I don’t care either way. I need to taste her.
“You will not bother Calla again,” Nikolai tells Pavel. “She is part of this family now. She is my brother’s wife. She has the full weight of the Orlov name and family at her back.” His voice drops an octave, his words knives, “Don’t test me or you’ll find that I will not hesitate to give you the same consideration you gave your parents.”
If Nikolai’s implication surprises Calla, she doesn’t show it as I pull back from her mouth and lock our gazes. I can see the pain there and I’m sure she suspected the same thing that my brother has. It’s fucked up, but it wouldn’t be the first time that power caused someone’s death. It won’t be the last time either.
Pavel scoffs before he storms away, his bodyguard following him closely. Sergei moves after them silently and I’m sure he’s going to speak to all his men about ensuring that Pavel goes home and is watched.
“Th-thank you,” Calla’s voice is a broken breath that pierces my heart and has me wrapping her up in my arms to pull her into my lap.
Nikolai walks over and smooths his large hand down the back of her head. When she looks up at him, his eyes are soft and imploring. “You do not need to thank anyone. What I said is true. You are an Orlov. You are family. We take care of our own.”
“It is our vow,” Ivan speaks for the first time since we came in.
Calla looks over at him with tears shining in her eyes and offers him a smile full of gratitude. If I were the lesser man I used to be, I would be jealous, but I’m not. She needs all the love, support, and family that she can get. If my family can give it to her, then I’m grateful.
