“I’ve already had the pleasure.” I can’t help rubbing my wrist where bruises have already appeared.
Ivan’s hand shoots out, taking my elbow and dragging my wrist up for inspection. A gentle finger traces over a bruise. He turns to stone. “Who did this?” The words are soft, too soft.
Our eyes meet and what I see makes me tremble. I nod at the question, my throat too tight to allow the words to escape.
He turns to Mishka. “Get out of my home. Now. You have thirty seconds. Your things will be sent to your parents. You will never set foot here again. I will speak with your parents to explain why. If you step within twenty feet of me or Christina again, I will ensure you will regret every second of your life thereafter.” The words are brutal, final. “You are now down to twenty-five seconds.”
Her mouth opens then closes once, twice. She shoots up from her chair, not turning away as if afraid to show her back to Ivan, then with a wail runs from the room. Only seconds later the front door slams, echoing through the house.
He sighs, as he strokes a bruise on my wrist. “I am sorry. I should not have left you alone with her for even a second.”
Where has this Ivan been for the last day? Why was he so cold? I pull away yet can’t stop myself from trying to lessen the guilt because I know, no matter what, he feels it deeply. “You couldn’t have known. It’s not your fault.”
“Why the hell are you always so quick to excuse me w
hen you sure as fuck shouldn’t?”
“Because despite what you think, you are not the fucking ruler of the universe, Ivan. How the hell—”
Hannah is laughing so loudly it clicks we’re fighting in front of someone else. It’s strange—outside of the office it feels like it’s just us in our own little bubble, like no one else but us exists.
Blushing, I shake my head. “I apologize, I forgot...”
“That I was here? Yeah, I got that. Ivan, love, you are not going to take her down without a fight. You deserve it.”
***
Ivan
I am convinced Hannah is drawing out the evening in order to piss me off. It’s working. I need to get Christina alone. It’s driving me crazy the way she keeps pulling away. With Hannah’s sharp eyes watching our every movement, I am forced too far from her.
It doesn’t help I know it’s because I hurt her. I always knew I would, but it would not be until the end. After I got off the phone with Gemma, I was sure this was the end. She would hate me for what my mother had done. Wonder how the hell she could be with someone who drove his own mother to suicide. I was bracing for the impact of our fall. But I was too much of a bastard to be the one to end it, forcing Christina to do it.
Except she had no plans to, at all. She did not blame me. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears as she called my mother selfish and cruel. I hated the pity, but I would take her any way I could get her. All that mattered was she didn’t walk away. Even though I hurt her. I will make it up to her, whatever it takes. Only I can’t do that until I get her upstairs, alone.
That’s it, I’m done. “Christina, it is time for bed,” I say as I rise, reaching out to take her hand.
“I’m not tired.” She crosses her arms in front of her.
“Yes, you are.” I pick her up, swinging her into my arms, my hold tight as I walk out of the room.
“That’s the ticket, Ivan, manhandle the girl. Honey, brother dear, more flies with honey,” Hannah calls.
“Put me down, Ivan. If you drop me, I’ll kill you.”
I hate the way she thinks of herself as overweight. Scoffing at her concern, I shake my head. “I am not putting you down, nor will I drop you. You are nothing in my arms. As you might have noticed, we’re now on the second flight of stairs and I am not even out of breath.”
In our room I set her down, wishing like hell I did not have to. The way I knew she would, she is on the other side of the room in the time it takes me to close the door and lock it for good measure.
“Don’t you dare look at me that way. Not after the way you’ve been acting for the last day. You lost that right the first time you froze me out.”
I take a single step but stop at the fear in her eyes. It sends ice through me. The last thing in this world I want is for Christina to fear me.
“Don’t touch me. No, Ivan, I mean it this time.”
“I am sorry, so damn sorry.” I can’t think of what to say. I’m lost for the first time...in ever.
“You promised, Ivan. You said it like a vow. You wouldn’t let anyone hurt me, not even you. But you did. You hurt me and I just don’t know how I can give you the chance to do it again.”