Page 59 of Forced Bratva Bride

Chapter 19 - Maxim

“Have you lost your fucking mind?” I yell, dodging another punch as Stefano swings in a blind rage.

“You fucking Dubrovs are all murderers, and I need to get the fuck out of here.”

“Don’t you think you would be dead already if that is what we wanted to do? Why the hell would we waste our time looking after you for weeks just to kill you?”

I have to shout, because Stefano doesn’t seem to be listening at all.

He grabs a small statue from the hallway table and flings it at me. I catch it in the air, wondering what he's trying to achieve. I move to set the statue back down on the table.

“Stefano, just take a breath,” I say, stepping toward him, and he slaps my arm to the side, sending the statue flying again. This time, it shatters against the wall.

“For crying out loud,” I yell, getting more and more frustrated.

Stefano spins toward me again, and as he moves, I step aside, then twist my arm around his throat and throw him to the floor. This is getting ridiculous. I don’t even know what triggered his anger.

“Stefano, stop,” Chiara shouts, stepping closer. She has been hanging back and watching us in horror.

“Chiara, stay there,” I snap.

She steps away again, to my relief. I don’t want her getting caught in the middle of this mayhem.

I lay the weight of my body over Stefano and press his face against the floor. He squirms and yells, trying to get me off him, but my arm is locked around his neck and he can’t move.

“Just kill me and get it over with,” he says, sounding defeated.

For a second, that is exactly what I want to do.

Every moment that he disrespected Chiara over the past few weeks flashes through my mind. He's been treating her like shit, speaking to her like shit, and being a total fucking asshole, even though she has been gentle and kind the entire time.

My lips curl into a snarl, and I want to tell him that it's about time I end his ungrateful waste of an existence.

But instead, I close my eyes.

I clench my jaw.

That isn’t who I am.

Violence doesn’t solve anything, even against this idiot who only knows how to use it in any situation.

“Take a fucking breath,” I snap.

Stefano kicks.

“Stefano. Take a breath. Calm down for one fucking second, man.”

I ease my grip around his neck, and he doesn’t fight. His body is limp, and his breathing is heavy. “Stef, seriously, fighting like this is not the solution. You have to get over this hatred, or whatever your problem is with me and my family. If you can’t, we'll never be able to solve anything.”

“How can I get over the fact that you fucked up my life?”

I sigh.

“We didn’t fuck up your life. Just be open to the idea that you might be wrong about how you think things happened. Stop blaming us for everything.”

I lift my weight off him and stand up. Stefano slowly moves onto his knees, still looking furious. I step back, giving him space as he runs his hands through his hair. His entire body looks tense. So is mine, though. All of the adrenaline is still coursing through me.

As Stefano gets to his feet, I step between him and Chiara, unsure about what he will do.

---