Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Calina
I head straight to my own room, lock the door, and go directly into the shower. The moment the cool water hits my skin, I let out a shaky breath.
My mind keeps replaying what just happened, the heavy weight of his body on top of mine, the thick, hard press of his morning erection against my stomach.
The way his breath fanned across my lips. I wanted him to kiss me. God, I wanted it so badly my whole body still trembles with the thought.
I squeeze my eyes shut and try to push the memory away, but it only makes it worse. My hand drifts down my stomach before I catch myself and snatch it back.
Then his words echo again.
“With a snap of my fingers, I could have five women in this bed right now who are more than willing.”
Jealousy flares in my chest. I hate it. It makes me want to scratch that imaginary woman’s eyes out.
I’m not even a violent person, yet the image of Maxim touching another woman makes my blood boil. This isn’t a marriage of love. I shouldn’t care. But I do. And that pisses me off more than anything.
I finish showering quickly, trying to scrub the confusing feelings away along with the sweat.
Just as I’m drying off, my phone pings on the nightstand. It’s a message from Milana:
Milana: Heading over soon so we can start wedding planning! Kira doesn’t feel well and Irina needs to stay with Oleg, so they can't make it. It's just me.
A real smile breaks across my face for the first time today. I’m going to see my sister. I’m going to spend the day with her. That’s what I need right now.
I get dressed and head downstairs for breakfast, hoping to avoid Maxim.
No such luck.
He’s already at the dining table, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, looking every inch the powerful, controlled Pakhan. When he sees me, the corner of his mouth lifts in a small, knowing smile.
I sit down without a word, refusing to acknowledge him.
“Something wrong?” he asks, voice smooth.
I pick up my fork. “No. Why would there be something wrong?”
He shrugs, eyes gleaming with amusement. “You look like you have something stuck up your ass.”
I can’t help it, a surprised laugh bursts out of me. “Seriously? I’m the one who looks like I have something stuck up my ass? You’re the one who walks around like you have a permanent chip on your shoulder.”
He doesn’t reply right away, just watches me with that infuriating half-smirk. “I’ll take that as a yes then.”
“Maybe it's because I didn't like being woken up by your morning wood poking at me.”
My remark doesn't quite get the effect I was going for, because he's smirking.
“Oh, I think you loved it very much. You were practically grinding against it in your sleep.”
My mouth falls open. “No I wasn't.”
His voice lowers. “Trust me, you were.”
I open my mouth but my brain can't seem to catch up, so I decide to stuff my mouth with eggs instead, and avoid his eyes.
We eat in tense silence for a few moments before I speak again. “My sister is coming over today. We’re going to start wedding planning.”
He nods. “That’s fine.” Then, after a beat, “You still haven’t decided on a wedding dress.”
“You’ll just have to find out on the wedding day,” I reply sweetly.
He considers that for a moment, then shrugs. “Whatever you want.”
The casual acceptance throws me off. I expected pushback, demanding he see whatever design I choose, before the wedding day.
After breakfast, Maxim leaves for work with just a curt nod in my direction and a reminder that I’ll have security if I go anywhere.
I don’t bother replying. The moment his car pulls away, the heavy tension in the house seems to lift a little.
Not long after, Milana arrives.
The second I see her step out of the car, something inside me cracks open with relief. I rush outside and pull her into a tight hug, holding her like I’m afraid she might disappear. She hugs me back just as fiercely, her familiar scent wrapping around me like home.
“I’ve missed you so much,” I whisper into her hair.
“I’ve missed you more,” she says, voice thick. When we pull apart, her eyes are already glistening. “How are you faring? Really? Are you okay here?”
I try to smile, squeezing her hands. “I’m fine. It’s… not as bad as I thought it would be. The house is huge, the food is good, and Maxim hasn’t… he hasn’t hurt me or anything.”
Milana searches my face, unconvinced. “But this isn’t the life you wanted, Calina. You wanted to fall in love. You wanted to marry a man who loves you back. That’s what we both wanted.”
I let out a soft breath. “Yeah… I know. But if wishes were horses… this is my situation now. There’s no point fighting what can’t be changed.”
Her guilt is written all over her face. “Artyom and Mikhail are still looking for a way around all this. They haven’t given up. They’re determined to stop the wedding.”
“There’s no way out,” I say gently. “If there was one, Artyom would have found it already. I’m going to marry Maxim in a few days, and I’ve accepted it. There’s no use fighting fate.”
Milana’s eyes fill with tears. “How can you just accept it like that?”
I take both her hands in mine, squeezing tightly. “Because there’s nothing else to do. This isn’t your fault. It’s not mine either. This all started the moment our father decided to sign that stupid blood contract and give Maxim’s family an open check.
“He chose to collect in the form of a bride. None of us could have stopped it. So please… stop feeling guilty. I need you to stop carrying that weight.”
She nods slowly, though I can tell she’s still struggling with it. I pull her into another hug, rubbing her back the way I used to when we were younger.
“Come on,” I say, forcing lightness into my voice. “Let me give you a tour of the house. It’s ridiculous how big it is.”
Milana manages a small smile. “Lead the way.”
I give Milana a full tour of the mansion, showing her the grand living areas, the library, the massive kitchen, and the beautiful gardens visible from the windows.
“God, this place is massive,” she says, eyes wide as we walk through the endless halls. “It feels more like a fortress than a home.”
I nod. “Tell me about it.”
When we finish, we settle outside by the infinity pool. Olga, brings us fresh lemonade and warm cookies. The sun feels nice on my skin, and for a little while it almost feels normal, just two sisters sitting together.
Milana takes a sip of her drink and sighs. “About the wedding… we don’t have much time. Irina and Kira already met and planned out a lot of the decorations and venue details. They’re handling most of it.”
I stare at the pool water. “That’s fine. I’m not really enthusiastic about any of it anyway.”
She reaches over and squeezes my hand. “I know this isn’t the marriage you envisioned.
You wanted to marry someone who chose you, not someone who claimed you.
But even so… we should make it count. Let’s go shopping for your dress tomorrow.
We’ll find something beautiful, even if we have to get it off the rack because time is short. ”
I manage a small smile. “Yeah… maybe tomorrow or the day after. Let’s do it.”
We spend the next hour talking through whatever details I’m willing to engage with. When Milana finally leaves, I feel both lighter and heavier at the same time.
I head upstairs to my room, but the second I open the door I freeze.
It’s empty.
All my things, the clothes I bought, my toiletries, the few personal items I had, are gone.
I storm back downstairs and find one of the maids. “Where are my things?”
She looks nervous. “They’ve been moved to Mr. Orlov’s bedroom, miss. It was his instruction.”
Anger surges through me so fast I feel dizzy. “He did what?”
I don’t wait for her answer. I already know.
He decided on that without asking me. I don’t even get to keep the small sliver of independence I had left.