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My heart flipped at first until I heard about his condition. I thought about a way to get around it, to have them all, but nothing came to mind. I finally thought of a solution and looked him in the eyes at last.
“I choose my king,” I replied and watched as he tried to understand my statement.
“I said one of them,” he grunted. “One only, or I’ll choose for you.”
“I can’t choose,” I replied. “I want them all here with me.”
“Then I’ll let Avery choose,” he said. “I don’t fucking care which one it is, but she might have fun.”
Avery giggled and shivered in delight, ran her hand along his shoulder, and said, “I know exactly who to pick.”
“Good girl,” he replied, not looking at her. “Now go, do it.”
I left the bathroom and noted that the rug was gone and was replaced with a new one that was similar but with a deliberately faded pattern. Somebody in the house was hoping he wouldn’t ruin this one so fast.
Maksim was also changed, his clothing fresh and clean. He was wearing a loose linen top with tight jeans. His chest was exposed as he hadn’t done up all the buttons on the shirt, and I could see several tacky gold chains around his neck like he was hoping people would pay attention to him and remark on his good taste.
“You like them?” he asked, catching me staring. “I can get you one once we’re married. Anything for my bride, as long as she obeys me.”
“I’m okay,” I replied, gripping the chair with my fingers once more. “I don’t care for jewelry.”
“You will come to love it. I want you dripping in gold. Dripping with my spunk and dripping with my gold,” he laughed to himself at his horrible joke. “I want to be honest here, you’re coming off as a frigid bitch, and I don’t like it. We’re gonna have to think of ways to loosen you up.”
I shrugged and didn’t say anything.
“I like you frigid,” he continued. “In fact, I can’t wait to see how you handle what’s coming. And I can hear Avery down the hall, so brace yourself to discover a new part of your soul, my bride.”
I hated the sounds of that, the dark intention behind his words. I shuddered and braced myself for the impact of what was coming, but nothing could prepare me for who was going to walk through that door.
CHAPTER6
At first,I didn’t recognize him. It’s not that he looked completely different, he was older and had gained weight, but he still had the same glittering, leering eyes and the same stiff gait.
Of course, he still walked as if he was in pain, and I hoped he was. I had been the one who had shot him, after all. I was the one responsible for his new way of walking.
Reg had never been the same after I’d torn his flesh apart with a bullet, the bullet that had meant to kill.
I knew I’d see him again one day, and I’d mentally prepared myself for a thousand different scenarios over the years. Like if Mom took him back or if he showed up to Nat’s high school grad.
But nothing could have prepared me for this.
Nothing could have ever strengthened me against the gut-punching sensation of seeing your former abuser walk into the room of your current captor. Nothing could have warned me that I’d feel more exposed and vulnerable when facing him than I did even when I lived with him.
Because it was unexpected, the shock hit me hard, and the quakes continued through my body and my soul for a few moments afterward. Right up until he smirked, lifted his mouth up on one side only in that arrogant, cocky grin he wore when he thought he was winning, and he said, “Hey, Everly girl. Long time, no see. How’s it hanging?”
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I replied, glowering at him as I slowly stood up. “Where the fuck have you been?”
“Well, both of those questions require long answers, but I don’t have the time or patience for either of them,” he laughed. “Why don’t you come to give your dear old dad a hug?”
“You’re not my father,” I spat. “You never were. You’re a fucking pig. A rapist. A pedophile.”
“Oh, do tell me everything,” Maksim said, raising his eyebrows and tenting his fingers on the table where he now sat. He leaned forwards as if to be certain he wouldn’t miss a single word. “I thought he was just one of your many boyfriends, my bride. At least, that’s what he told me. Now, what’s this about being a pedophile?”
“I’m not!” Reg exclaimed. “I waited until she was old enough.”
“You fucked Everly when she was under your care as your daughter and didn’t even bother to do it when she was small?” Maksim asked, and his mouth stretched straight for a moment as he grimaced in disgust. “What a missed opportunity, you stupid fool. There are men who would have paid millions on the dark web to watch you deflower her before her first blood.”
“I didn’t even fuck her,” Reg snapped. “I’m not like that, not even for millions. Tell him I didn’t fuck you. You were a virgin until you met those high school jocks.”
