Chapter 12 #2
I’ve never experienced anything like that—my father sucking the joy out of everything and everyone—but I’ve seen it on TV and when I’ve visited my friends. And it’s what I want. A doting husband who will make me and our children his world. A life with love and happiness.
Only when I wake up, reality is nothing like my dream. Owen is being dragged out of the bed. I’m screaming for my father to stop. Begging him to let him go.
“Brielle,” Kane says, bringing me back into the present.
I don’t even realize I’m crying until Kane reaches out and swipes my tears from under my eyes.
“I don’t share,” he says, tipping my chin up with his finger. “And the next time I see you flirting with another man, I will end his life. So, think long and hard before you use another man to make me jealous. If he dies, the blood will be on your hands.”
The blood will be on your hands …
“Just remember, you did this,” my father says as one of his men points the gun at Owen and ends his life. “You chose to run, and now his blood is on your hands. Let’s go. We have an appointment at the clinic to get that bastard taken out.”
“You can force me to live with you, but I won’t be sleeping in this room,” I blurt out. “I want my own room. I need my own space away from you.”
Kane’s jaw tics, but he nods, thankfully choosing not to argue.
“I need to go,” I choke out, needing to get away from this man, from this life.
Every time I take one step forward, I’m knocked three back.
I pull up the rideshare app, and Kane must see because he says, “Your car is here. The keys are downstairs. I had Daniil drop it off for you.”
Daniil …
My thoughts go back to last night. Kane threatened his job because he’d found out that Daniil allowed me to do as I pleased behind my brothers’ backs.
Another life in my hands.
I follow Kane downstairs, taking in what is now the place I’ll be living, and while it’s beautiful, it’s clear that it was professionally decorated, not a personal item in sight.
It’s probably because he recently bought the home, but I always pictured my first home to be warmer, filled with pictures of my loved ones.
This isn’t your home, I remind myself. It’s just another prison, where you’re being forced to live.
“The kitchen is here,” he says. “I need to order groceries, so if there’s anything you want, let me know. And I’ve hired a cook to make meals since I prefer not to cook. She’ll make them and deliver them. If you have any foods you enjoy, I can add them to the list for her to make.”
The way he’s nonchalantly discussing meals—like we’re a regular couple, taking the next step and moving in together—only moments after he threatened to kill any man I flirted with, is dizzying.
I should be used to this since I was raised in a world where violence was the norm, but I’ve always avoided anyone like my brothers—hence me dating Owen and then Theo.
“Can I go now?” I ask, feeling dead inside.
Kane stares at me for several seconds before he nods and swipes my keys off the counter, handing them to me. “Your stuff will be here shortly. I’ll put it in the guest room upstairs for you to put away.”
Since the only thing I can think to say in response is thank you and I have no intention of thanking him for forcing me to move in with him, I nod and walk out the door.
Not wanting to go home—since it’s no longer my home, and if we’re being honest, it never was—but needing to shower and change, I call Nicole, who tells me she’s home and I can come to her place.
“What the hell happened last night?” she hisses when I walk inside her apartment.
It’s on the smaller side, above the coffee shop and bookstore she owns, but it’s adorable and all hers.
“My future husband is a fucking psycho,” I say, heading straight to her kitchen to make myself a much-needed coffee.
“Daniil took me home,” she says. “I was so wasted that I threw up twice on the way,” she groans. “So, he came in and stayed with me until I fell asleep.”
I glance at her, taking in the softness in her eyes, and wish my life could be that simple.
“Daniil works for my brother,” I remind her.
“I know,” she says, waving me off. “But it was still sweet.”
I pour milk and creamer into my coffee and mix it, then take a large sip, sighing as the hot liquid flows through my body.
“How did it go with Kane?” she asks, chewing on the corner of her lip.
“Oh, you know … after he threatened Daniil and the guy at the bar, he brought me back to his house. When I woke up this morning, he gave me a mind-blowing orgasm and then told me my stuff was being packed and I’d be moving in with him immediately since I couldn’t be trusted.
” I roll my eyes. “Then he warned me if I acted like that again, he’d kill the guy. ”
Nicole snorts out a laugh. “A mind-blowing orgasm, huh?”
I shake my head. “Of course you would focus on that detail. Did you not hear the part about him forcing me to move in with him now?”
“Yeah.” She waves me off. “But he lives alone, right? You always complain that your brother’s house is like Grand Central Station, so at least now you’ll have some quiet.”
Oh, Nicole. Always the optimist.
“I need to go to the gym. You coming?”
“I can’t. I have to head down to the shop before the morning rush.”
I finish my coffee, then grab a quick shower to rinse last night and this morning off my body.
Then, after I borrow some of Nicole’s gym attire, I head to the gym to get a workout in.
I notice there’s a boxing class this morning, so I join it, hoping to relieve some of the built-up tension, thanks to Kane’s demands.
When I arrive at my brother’s place a couple of hours later, sweaty and a bit lighter from my workout, I find everyone in the playroom. Peyton is on the floor, reading the twins a book, while Damien colors at the kids’ table.
“Hey,” she says when she notices me standing in the doorway. “I was hoping you wouldn’t leave without at least saying goodbye.”
“It wasn’t my choice,” I tell her.
“What do you mean, it wasn’t your choice?” my brother barks from behind me. “Kane said you requested to have your stuff sent to his place.”
“He requested it, not me. You didn’t even bother to text me to confirm, so …” I shrug. “Anyway, it’s for the best. Now you can use the room when you undoubtedly knock up your wife again.” I chuckle, but even to my own ears, I sound petty.
God, when did I become this bitter, angry person?
“You know you’re welcome here anytime,” Peyton says with a frown. “And we’re done with three, so the room isn’t being used for anything.”
“It’s fine.” I wave her off. “I’m just going to make sure Daniil grabbed everything.”
I turn on my heel and make it a few steps before Dominick catches up.
“It’s not too late,” he says. “Say the word, and I’ll call the expansion off.”
“And set you back millions, possibly billions, of dollars while pissing off several bigwig investors? It’s fine. You and Matteo did a lot for me, growing up, so this is the least I can do.”
And it’s the truth. They might think they failed me because of what happened with Anthony and Andrey, but that was only one incident in a sea of hundreds.
When I messed up, Matteo would step in between Andrey and me, not allowing him to hurt me. When I wanted to join the cheerleading team, they helped me hide it from Andrey. When I wanted to go away to school, they went to bat for me.
We might not be close, but they’ve always had my back in their own way, making sure I was as safe as I could be. Now, it’s my turn to protect them.
“If you need anything, we’re here,” Dominick says as I step into my room.
It’s been cleaned out, only the queen bed and furniture left behind. I don’t have much stuff because I didn’t bring anything with me when I moved back here from Russia, and since I’ve been home, I’ve just been kind of coasting.
“It took an army of men to box up your clothes,” Dominick says dryly. “And I’m not sure you have enough shoes. I think he lost count after a hundred.”
I laugh softly, imagining the look of horror on Kane’s face when he sees all the clothes, shoes, and makeup I have.
I should move into his room just so I can take over his closet.
And with that thought, an idea forms.
Brielle
Change of plans. Put all my stuff in Kane’s master bedroom.
Daniil
You’re lucky I kind of like you.
Brielle
You mean, I’m lucky I pay you well.
Daniil
That too.