5. Giselle #2
Artem only nods in response, his eyes watching where my brother holds the small of my back.
Artem and Caesar have never liked each other; way before I ever officially met Artem, they had some sort of problem with each other.
I never pried to ask my brother why, but I doubt he’d tell me anyway.
He doesn’t often have problems with people, although Artem is so unbearable I guess I could believe it’s possible.
“Let’s grab a drink,” Caesar says to me, grabbing my upper arm lightly to lead me off.
Artem’s big hand latches onto my opposite wrist, and I stop. “What?” I ask harshly as I try to whip his hand off my wrist, and my brother glares at him for the way he’s grabbing me.
“I’m going to announce it soon, so don’t wander off,” he drops his hand. I roll my eyes and grab my brother’s arm, walking with him to the bar.
“He’s a little intense tonight,” my brother says with a smile as we reach the bar.
“Tonight? He’s like this every night,” I scoff as he orders for me like always before he replies.
“He’ll get better with time, I’m sure.”
His attempt to reassure me doesn’t land, and I roll my eyes as I take a sip of my drink. “Has Dad said anything?” I ask, my eyes darting to the side to see his reaction.
“Well, he’s pretty much been avoiding talking about you. But it isn’t because he doesn’t care, Gigi. Seriously, I feel like he just has no idea how to talk to you without hurting you.”
I shake my head, swallowing the liquor in my throat.
“He’s spent most of his life hurting me.”
I’m annoyed at how Caesar loves to play Switzerland, always trying to keep the peace. I wish for once I could see him be passionate about something and put his all into it.
He’s so good at being there for me and loving me, but he doesn’t put his foot down and defend me when I need him the most. He’s too afraid to sacrifice for other people, and I hate that kind of love.
I wish someone loved me enough that they would burn down a fucking city to seek vengeance for me; that someone would easily kill or die for me without a second thought.
It’s already hard knowing I don’t have family who would do that, but now I’m going to marry someone who would probably happily feed me to the wolves too.
“Look, Dad has his flaws but he does love and worry about you. You have to make tough choices when you’re the head, and sometimes it means doing things you don’t want to do.”
My eyes flash up to him, my brows furrowed. “You’re seriously defending him? After what he said to me?”
The hurt is clear on my face, and Caesar tries to touch my shoulder.
“Don’t touch me,” I spit out as I turn my body to avoid his arm.
“How could you? After you told me you’d never turn your back on me like that, you suddenly defend his actions?
” My voice raises while I try to hold back the tears in my eyes.
Caesar looks around awkwardly, not wanting anyone to hear us, before giving me a pleading look.
“What do you want from me, Gigi? I love you, and I hate that you’re hurting and unhappy, and I wish I could take all your pain and anxiety away and keep the monsters out from under your bed but I just can’t.”
My eyes look down at my glass on the table, trying to focus on it to keep from letting the tears spill out.
He tries again to reach for me, but when I protest and move back, a muscular arm reaches from behind me and grabs Caesar’s hand.
“I don’t give a fuck if you’re her brother, if she tells you not to touch her, you don’t.”
I look over my shoulder and I’m shocked to see Artem, looking pissed. He and Caesar get in some sort of weird alpha male staring contest before Artem releases Caesar’s hand. I’m in shocked silence, still wondering why the hell he would come and do that.
“Gigi, I know you’re pissed right now, but I swear I don’t mean anything how it came off, okay? I love you, and I feel like a dick.”
I just nod, and he stands from his bar stool.
“I’ll see you soon alright? I’m always a call away,” he says with sad eyes. He looks back at Artem with an unreadable expression before turning to go back to where my father is sitting.
I still feel Artem looming over me, and I don’t turn to face him. I hate that he keeps catching me in these moments of weakness.
“Why did you do that?”
“Why didn’t you do it for yourself? Do you only reserve your fire for me?”
I don’t even have it in me to go back and forth, so I stay quiet as I take my last sip.
“You’re telling me you fight me on anything I say like a goddamn bull, but you bow down to others so easily?”
I shake my head, annoyed. “You know, my brother may be an idiot but he’s the only one in this world who loves me and respects me. I’d appreciate it if next time you avoid overstepping into my life.”
“Overstepping?” His jaw clenches as he comes to sit beside me at the bar. “Do I need to remind you that marrying me means you’re becoming mine, princess?”
“No, my life is mine, Artem, I don’t give a shit whose name I carry. And Caesar is harmless. I don’t think he’s ever even killed a bug before, let alone would he ever hurt me.”
He lets out a dark chuckle and shakes his head. “You underestimate people, that’s going to get you killed one day.”
“He’s my brother, I’ve known him my entire life.”
The bartender sets a drink in front of him, and he goes to down it in one sip. “No man becomes the head of a Family without having their hands stained red first.”
His words ring in my mind as I process them. Could Caesar really be capable of the violence? It’s hard to even imagine, someone so happy and normal doing anything like that. Either way, my brother would never hurt me. I know I’m being hard on him, but it’s so hard not to take it out on him.
“Not just him either,” he says as his eyes look to mine, a serious look on his face. “All men, Giselle, trust none of them.”
“Even you?” I ask, turning to fully look him in the eye.
“Especially not me,” he slams the empty glass down on the bar and pushes it forward. “Come on solnishko, let’s put on our show for the crowd,” he suggests, as he stands and puts his hand out for me to grab as he leads me to the front of the room.