Page 76 of Cruel Knots

“What pills?”

“I need to get back on my regular meds,” I explain. “I can’t risk going into another heat after a few months or worse, end up being pregnant.”

She chuckles and stares me in the face as I blush hard. “You’re one damsel in utter distress, huh?” An amused grin curves her lips. “You should’ve agreed to let me have you even if you’re straight. I could’ve protected you from my brothers easily.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” a grim voice sounds from the corner.

Whirling around, I face Mikhail.

Seated on a nearby couch, he’d been so quiet and still, I hadn’t even noticed his presence. The black wifebeater he wears reveals his blood-stained arms. Flecks of crimson cover his flawless, handsome face. He must’ve been fighting and killing the men Callum sent to bring me back.

I glance toward Lilja. A deep frown comes over her pretty face. “Get out of my room,” she shouts childishly. “Lucia’s fine. I told you she was. Now, get the fuck out.”

His steel-gray eyes dance with mischief as he gazes at Lilja. Soft chuckles escape him. “Just wait until I tell Damien and Leon what you’ve been up to.”

Lilja’s cheeks turn red and her dark eyes flash dangerously.

“She’s trying to fool you, Lucia,” he says with a chuckle. His steely eyes fall on me, fixing me on the spot. “Our sister’s not into women.”

My gaze turns toward Lilja who’s fuming.

“She can’t stand being out of the action,” Mikhail says with a snort. “She’s one needy baby.”

“I’m going to murder you!” Lilja screams, making me jump. With a sudden move, she leaps across the room and launches herself at Mikhail, attacking him with her fists.

Mikhail laughs even as she hits him in the jaw, stomach, and arms. Those power-packed punches have got to hurt but he’s shaking with laughter and doing his best to get her off him. Not once does he hit her back.

“Geroff!” he shouts, finally throwing her off him and sprinting toward the door.

She runs after him but he’s quicker and shuts the door in her face before she can pursue him further.

“I hate him!” she shouts, stomping her foot on the ground.

It’s a struggle to smother my chuckles. These guys are lethal assassins but when it comes to family, they’re like a pair of brother and sister who breathe to annoy each other.

“Let it go,” I say. “We can still be friends, you know?”

Lilja’s glare is still strong when she glances at me. Gradually, the anger in her eyes clears up and she fixes me with a grim gaze. “Will you tell me what my brothers are planning, then? I want every detail of their plan.”

“I think you know more than what I know,” I say. “At first, I didn’t even understand why they were tormenting me. It took me a while to even recognize them.” Sinking onto a couch, I lean against the backrest. “The past few days have been tough but I’m starting to understand them.”

“Do you still want to run away?”

“I’m not running away to go back to Callum,” I confess in a grim tone. “Our relationship isn’t the same as your connection with your brothers. Callum controls me by keeping my dad hostage. He punishes me by hurting the innocent maids and valets who work for us. I’m easy for him to manipulate because I can’t stand someone getting hurt because of me.”

“They want to destroy Callum utterly,” Lilja says with a grim look in her eyes. “They won’t give him the luxury of death even if he begs them for it. That’s the kind of revenge they’re going for.”

“Would it be selfish to say I want that too?” I ask in a bitter tone.

Moving closer to me, she clutches my shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go.”

“What?! Where?”

“I need a drink,” she says. “Showering can wait.”

“Are we going out?”

She knocks on my forehead lightly. “I told you not to think about escaping this place. We’re going into the kitchen.” Moving away, she chucks a pair of slippers at me. “Use these for now.”

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