Page 27 of The Bratva's Hostage

Could he not trust me to be on my own for however long he would be gone? Did he think I would use this as an opportunity to find whatever it was, I desperately needed from his office?

I let out a humorless laugh. He was right not to trust me, of course, as I would have done the same if I were the one who held the power. We were enemies and no one trusted their enemies to be alone in their home where they had the advantage.

Chapter 13 - Maksim

It had been over an hour since Elena and I got into the private jet for our trip to Chicago and so far, she had said nothing to me. I lowered my phone to look at her and just as earlier, her eyes were fixated on the magazine she’d been reading since we began our trip.

“Elena, how long do you plan to keep this up?” I asked her, amused by her persistence. As she had done the last time I asked, she remained silent, avoiding any form of eye contact.

I frowned. It had gone on long enough. Initially, I found her demeanor amusing. Maybe she didn’t do well on flights and was nervous. That thought had quickly flown out the window when instead of gripping her seat hard during take-off or running to me for comfort, she had picked up a magazine, nonchalantly reading through it.

The first few minutes of the flight, I spent asking her what was wrong, choosing to indulge in her childish antics and silly games, but now, it had long gone past that phase. I was no longer amused, and I wanted to know the reason for such a reaction as her persistence was beginning to grate on my nerves.

I reached over from my seat opposite her and lowered the magazine, forcing her to look up at me since trying to gently coerce her had not worked.

“Spit it out already. What’s with the attitude? Is there something on your mind you want to talk about?” I asked her, leaning back into my seat.

She closed the magazine, setting it on the table with a smack. “I don’t have an attitude,” she replied, although her tone suggested otherwise.

I rolled my eyes, studying her. “We are going to a meeting with the Philips. If you cannot talk about whatever it is that is bothering you right now, then it would be a good idea to figure it out before the plane lands.”

She turned her eyes to the window, folding her arms in front of her chest.

I sighed, massaging my forehead. That had come out ruder and more insensitive than I wanted it to. Goddammit. She was making me question everything that I did and spoke.

“That came out wrong,” I said, setting my phone aside and going to sit beside her. “For fuck’s sake! I’m your husband, I want to know what I did wrong so I can make it up to you and make sure it never happens again. No point in keeping silent about something that annoys you. It won’t solve anything.”

Elena eyed me with uncertainty, unfolding her arms as she let out a sigh. “I don’t know how to explain this, I am mad at you, but I don’t want to sound whiny.”

“I want to know your every thought, every question, and why you are mad at me, Elena. Knowing what you want and demanding it isn’t the same as being whiny. It’s the code I live by,” I lowered my voice, not taking my eyes away from hers.

“I just wish you would have run the idea of this meeting by me,” she said suddenly.

I waited for her to continue, confused as to what she was getting at.

“You called me to tell me that we will be having a meeting. I had to ask questions before you told me it was in Chicago, with the Phillips. It felt like you were making all the decisions and all I had to do was follow orders like some puppet being pulled at the strings. It just made me feel like I wasn’t respected. As if you see me as less worthy than you, how could I ever trust you,” she said, her voice breaking towards the end.

I facepalmed. I’d heard the bitterness in her voice although she spoke calmly. When I had told her about the trip, I’d been in the middle of signing documents, so I hadn’t been able to focus long enough to give her as much information as she needed.

I should’ve realized anyway. I’d gotten so used to being the boss who gave instructions for everyone to follow but she wasn’t like everyone else. She was my wife, and she deserved my respect and attention. She was also my business partner in a sense and smart, she deserved to be treated better and more differently than everyone else.

“You are right, I should’ve given you more information. We are after all in this business together, I know you’re used to calling the shots yourself so, it must have felt insulting. But you must understand, there are business dealings I can’t talk with you about, those are purely Bratva dealings, okay?” I said firmly.

“Okay,” she said. Her face radiated shock, not that it surprised me. She had thought the worst of me and expected me to act in a way that showed the brute she’d always thought I was. I was not sorry to disappoint her.

I grinned at the thought and cleared my throat before filling her in for the intentions of this trip.

“We are heading to Chicago to meet with the Phillips as I have told you already. They’re a large crime family. We signed a deal with them, we, the Wolkovs, will provide them with the illegal weaponry that they need, and the Morettis will oversee the transportation and delivery of the products,” I said, keeping it as short as possible.

“What?” she stared at me with wide eyes. She shook her head rapidly, her body tensing and her hazel eyes freezing as she glared at me.

“Was this why you were so eager to marry me? To use my family name whenever you want without running it by me? I never signed any of this, Maksim, and I will not honor a deal I know nothing about,” she said angrily.

I remained in my seat completely unperturbed by her outburst. She only needed to think of what this deal could mean, and she would see reasons to agree.

“Elena, I understand that you are angry because I went behind your back to do all of this, but I need you to shut your ego for a moment and think. Focus on what truly matters, which is the business, and think of how good it could be for your organization and mine. This is mutually beneficial. I can’t see why you would turn it down,” I looked her in the eyes as I waited for her to make her decision.

Her nose was scrunched, and her lips pursed. She didn’t look away from the intensity of my gaze. I knew what the answer would be before she even had to say it, she was a savvy woman, and all that was left was to hear her terms.

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