Page 25 of Scorch

“Shut it off,” Lydia snaps, looking away. “My mother shouldn’t have intervened. My father was the one who arranged for our marriage.”

Her father who’s dead now.

I wonder if she really believes that, or is she only saying that as an excuse for Yudin’s behavior?

She doesn’t have to believe me. I know why I took her, and I know why she’s marrying me.

When my phone rings, I glance down to see Mikhail’s calling and stifle a groan. I turn away from her and take the call.

“Yeah?”

“Aleksandr tells me you’re not attending our meeting. Our meeting I called specifically to make a plan with you, Viktor.” The inherent disapproval in his voice sets my teeth on edge. I love my brothers, all of them, but I don’t know if they have the first clue about what matters most to me.

“I know,” I tell him. “She’s scared. I don’t want to leave her alone.”

“She’ll be fine. I expect you to join us. Immediately.”

He ends the call. I shove my phone in my pocket when Lydia speaks up.

“I don’t know what you think I’m going to do here,” she says as she nibbles a ripe berry. “I have nowhere to go.”

But there’s a look in her eyes I’ve seen before… the look she gets right before she does something rash and dangerous. “Lydia,” I say warningly.

“It bothers me how familiar you are with my name despite the fact that we hardly know each other.” She tosses her head. “I want to talk to Vera. Go, have your meeting, and tell them I want to talk to Vera.”

Turning away from me, she lies on the bed and gives me her back.

She’s playing something, but I don’t know what. My phone buzzes with a text, though.

Mikhail: where the fuck are you

Jesus, Mikhail.

I shove my phone in my pocket.

I grab my jacket and head down to the office where my brothers are waiting. I’m halfway down the hall when the overhead lights flicker. I scowl, looking upward.

Strange.

Unlike my brothers’ homes, mine is smaller but closer to my mother’s. I like knowing I’m within walking distance of my sister and mother’s house if they need me. So I settled for a home that was smaller than I wanted and instead made some modifications so it would be comfortable for a guy like me. Home gym. Gated yard for Nikita. Large doorways and sturdy furniture.

I also don’t like staff milling about the place, so I hired a housekeeper but no one else. I vetted the fuck out of her background.

I stalk toward my office, every step igniting my temper. I’ll kick Lev's ass for drugging her. I'm fucking pissed at Aleksandr for getting involved. I hate that Mikhail has made me leave when my place is with her. And if anybody else?—

I shove the door open, and it slams into the wall behind it. Six pairs of eyes are riveted on me. Mikhail, Aleksandr, Lev. My brothers Nikko, Ollie, and Kolya.

Nikko gets on his feet, the largest one in the group after me and the one who's most likely to actually stand a chance against me. He heads toward me. I hold up a palm, trying to stop him before I kill him.

“Stand the fuck down, Nikko.”

Kolya tries next, Mikhail and Aleksandr behind him. I shake them all off. Lev stands. I swing and punch his jaw. In one swift motion, I grab him by the front of the shirt and throw Lev across the room and onto the couch, where I know he'll land without breaking bones, but it won’t feel good.

I shrug off Mikhail, kick Aleksandr back, and swing at Nikko. I'm breathing heavily. They’re staring at me.

“Viktor,” Kolya snaps.

I blink. I start to come to my senses. Shit. If I had raised a fist to Mikhail…

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