Chapter 18
Aurora~
I knew that Viktor was pissed, but I was too busy still trying to process that one of my own had tried to have me killed.
Everything also felt like it was quickly spiraling out of control.
In only a matter of a month, the Korolevs knew most of my secrets, and I didn’t like it.
I didn’t have any other aces up my sleeve, something that I was always going to need around these men, and despite Viktor’s pledge of love and loyalty, I still couldn’t afford to let my guard down.
I also had a pretty strong suspicion of who the traitor was, though I was keeping that to myself for the time being.
While Kasimir was questioning Armen’s sister and niece, I was hoping that he’d come back with something of proof before I said anything, but if he didn’t, my gut instinct was screaming at me that I was right about this.
Now, while lots of people had been upset over my marriage to Viktor, like the businessmen that they were, they’d seen the benefit to the alliance, and rather than risk the lifestyles to which they’d become accustomed to, they’d chosen to get over it and keep their hefty paychecks.
So, while many people had been against it at first, they’d chosen to trust my father to keep everything under control, my father being known for his levelheadedness.
So, on the surface, there’d been no real threat.
There’d been no threat to any of the Marchettis until I’d gone to lunch with my father and had made the comment about what would happen if I ever did fall in love with my husband, and that’s where the threat had come from.
Everything would be fine and uncomplicated as long as I never developed feelings for Viktor, which would complicate things greatly if I’d ever have to choose between loyalty and love.
We had also discussed how Viktor had been good to me, further suggesting that me falling in love with him was quite possible.
Had I portrayed Viktor as a monster, then things would have been fine, an expected relationship between mortal enemies.
Instead, I’d been honest, and for that honesty, someone had placed a price on my head.
Of course, while I couldn’t prove it just yet, it was the only thing that made sense, and out of the two guards with me and my father that day, only Decio Fontana knew that I had a photographic memory.
Granted, I couldn’t be certain that it was the best-kept secret that I’d always hoped that it’d been, but I knew for a fact that Decio was aware of my gift.
About six years ago, he’d found out by accident, my mother talking too much and a bit too loudly, and even though my father had reprimanded her, the damage had already been done.
At any rate, that afternoon at Olga’s, when my father had asked me how Viktor and I had been getting along, I had admitted to feeling confused about him and not being able to read him just yet.
Then, when he had asked me if I could ever possibly fall in love with him, I’d been truthful by saying that falling in love with Viktor would be a total disaster.
Honestly, the more and more that I thought about it, the more that it seemed the most plausible explanation.
Decio had been with my father for as long as I could remember, so I could see him feeling like he’d needed to do something to save the family.
I could see him falling under some misguided idea that my marriage might ruin us all.
However, because Decio’s been with my father for so long, I didn’t want to accuse him without really looking at all the angles and giving my theory some more consideration.
Not only would my father feel betrayed, but I knew that he’d also feel hurt, so I wanted to have all my ducks in a row before flinging accusations everywhere.
Honestly, there was just so much to consider now.
Not only were Aleksei, Viktor, and Kasimir Korolev aware of my secrets, but Stefano wanted me back home-under his watchful eye-and Santino agreed with him.
Even though the betrayal had come at the hands of a Marchetti, my brothers wanted me living with one of them to ensure my safety.
After all, the hit might have come from our side, but I’d been attacked on Korolev territory, and by someone who had worked for my husband.
As for Aleksei Korolev, I had no idea what he was thinking, but he seemed to be just fine with his eldest son handling things, so I wasn’t about to push on that front.
Truthfully, the only person who didn’t seem to be losing his shit was my father, but I wasn’t really surprised.
While I was certain that he was worried about me, he also had this quiet confidence in me.
Yeah, my mother was a different story, but it was my father who had raised me, and so he knew more about what I was capable of than she did.
In fact, it hadn’t even occurred to me to call her when I’d been attacked.
Now, had I been raped, then maybe I would have needed her then, but even then, I couldn’t be sure of that.
For all that she was married into the Mafia, Rosemary Marchetti was just different.
At any rate, after we’d left my father’s, I’d had Viktor stop at a local deli on the way, further pissing him off because I still refused to eat anything in his house.
Yeah, you’d think that we’d be past that by now, but I couldn’t change who I was overnight, so it was going to take a while before I ever felt comfortable in Viktor’s home.
Hell, the bedroom might be the only place that I’d ever feel like I belonged, but that wasn’t a complaint.
I had no issues with living in the bedroom as long as Viktor kept touching me the way that he did.
So, that’s why I automatically headed upstairs once we got back, and I honestly felt like a hot bath might be in order. Even though it was late, it was worth it to just soak in some therapeutic bubbles, giving my mind a minute to just process everything.
However, the thought of a hot bath quickly vanished when Viktor followed me upstairs. In theory, he should have headed towards his office to call his father and/or brother, but instead, he was hot on my heels, no doubt itching for a fight.
“What the fuck is your problem?” he snapped as soon as he shut the door behind us.
Turning to face him, I asked, “What are you talking about?”
“How many fucking times do I have to say it?” he bit out as he stormed over to stand in front of me.
“You’re my wife, Aurora. You’re my goddamn wife, and I will not have you running to your father and brothers every time that you need help.
You’re a Korolev now, and I’m sick and fucking tired of having to remind you of that very significant fact. ”
“Marrying you doesn’t erase that I have a family of my own,” I shot back.
“I’m your fucking family!” he roared in my face. “I’m the most important family that you have!”
“That doesn’t change the fact that I still have parents, Viktor,” I almost yelled back. “I have brothers, cousins, nieces, and nephews. I wasn’t an orphan when you married me, and they deserve to know if I’m in trouble or not.”
“This is not about them knowing if you’re in trouble,” he argued. “This is about them trying to take control of the situation, and that’s unacceptable.”
“It was a Marchetti that kicked this off,” I reminded him. “Of course, it’s their place to take care of the situation.”
“It was a Marchetti who ordered the hit, but Armen was a Korolev,” he fired back. “And not only did he work for us, but the hit also took place on our territory, which makes this our problem to handle.”
I threw my arms up in frustration. “Jesus Christ, you guys are over here bumping dicks like territorial idiots when the truth is that I don’t need any of you guys to handle this for me. I can take care of whoever is behind this myself.”
“Over my dead body,” he spat as he grabbed my arm, yanking me towards him. “I almost lost you once, and if you think that I’m willing to ever go through that again, you’re very mistaken, zhena.”
I jerked back, freeing my arm as I said, “You’re not comparing apples to apples. We were unaware about the set up when I’d been attacked, and that’s the difference.”
“It’s not me missing the point, it’s you,” he flung back.
“I am a Korolev, the first son. What do you think would happen to the structure of things if it got out that we allowed the Marchettis to avenge you?” Before I could remark on that, he added, “I’d die before ever allowing your family to have that level of power over us. ”
“That goes both ways, Viktor,” I bit out. “Someone in their fold betrayed them, and you’re out of your mind if you think that they’ll just stand back and do nothing. Besides, I thought that we were all in agreement about who would handle what.”
After my father had shut down the conversation about cheating, we had discussed possible strategies and all kinds of other stuff pertaining to the attack.
We had narrowed down suspects, and it’d even been agreed upon that Kasimir would speak to Armen’s sister and niece, minus the usual torture methods that the man was used to.
“We did, but this is about you not knowing your place,” he shot back, and fire licked down my spine like a coiled viper, ready to strike.
“Excuse me?”
“You still think that you’re a Marchetti, and you’re not,” he said, ignoring the warning in my tone. “You’re a Korolev, and it’s time that you start acting like it.”
“Or else what?” I challenged.
“Don’t do that, Aurora,” he warned. “Do not test me when I’m feeling like this.”
A normal woman would have listened, but I was definitely far from a normal woman.