Page 81 of Doctored Vows

Ano believes it is the latter. “I’m sorry, boss, she?—”

Maksim cuts him off by slicing his hand through the air before he requests for the building to be placed into lockdown. “No one is to come in or out until we have a handle on the situation.”

He glares at me during his last word, and it announces my ankle wasn’t solely ensnared the night we wed. The trap tonight is pronged with just as many maiming stakes.

“Don’t even think about it,” Maksim mutters in a low tone when I attempt to skirt past him and follow his straggling guests out.

He grabs my arm forcefully enough that instincts have me rearing up to defend myself. I slap him hard enough that the crack of my hit echoes in the silence of the foyer. We’re surrounded by a handful of the tenants Maksim allowed to stay and construction crew members, but the tension is so white hot they’re not willing to breathe in case it forces them to miss a snippet of the action.

“Let me go, Maksim,” I scream when he walks me toward the elevator while I struggle to be freed from his hold.

When he ignores my demand, I stray my eyes across the people watching me being forcefully placed into the elevator.

Not a single one comes to my defense—not even the security guards paid to protect the occupants of this building.

“Cowards,” I mutter, too angry at myself not to deflect it onto someone else.

“They’re not cowards, Doc. They’re smart.” Maksim lowers his massively dilated eyes to me. “Smart enough to know I would rip them to shreds if they even considered coming between us.”

“Because you’d hate for anyone to wedge a gap between you and your guarantee of continued freedom.”

The fact he doesn’t try to deny my claim hurts more than anything.

“Did you do what they assume you did?”

My stomach drops to my feet when he answers nonchalantly, “Yes. I killed them.”

I stumble back until my winter coat scrapes the glass wall of the elevator, while mumbling, “Why would you do that? Why hurt innocent people?—”

“Innocent?” he roars, his voice bellowing. “There was nothing innocent about them!”

When he spins to face me, I learn why he is talking so openly. The red light in the security camera is no longer flashing. His confession is only being heard by me—the person he married so he couldn’t be testified against.

My stomach revolts as more truths seep through the confusion clouding my judgment. “Every time we were together was so you could have an alibi.” When he remains quiet, I continue pushing. “That’s what you told them, isn’t it? You made out you were with me.”

“I was with you.”

I’m up in his face in an instant, stupidly unscared. “Before or after you hurt them, Maksim? Because you sure as fuck weren’t with me when you… you…” I can’t say the word. I can’t picture him in that situation, much less speak about murder as if it is the norm.

“Does it matter?” Maksim asks, his eyes bouncing between mine like he can’t understand the reason for the wetness brimming in them.

“Yes,” I reply, nodding. “It matters to me.”

“Why?” He truly looks confused, like he can’t possibly understand why I am upset.

“Because this is the exact opposite of my beliefs. I’m a doctor. I save people’s lives for a living and you… you take them.”

After a disappointed flare darts through his eyes, he spins back to face the elevator panel and jabs the button several times to hurry it along. He wants our conversation over, whereas I know it is only just beginning, although my next set of words are harder to speak than they should be. “Marital privileges are the spouse’s choice.” Cracks form in my heart when I say, “That means if I want to testify against you, there is nothing you can do to stop me,” proving I’m not scared of the repercussions for threatening him. I’m petrified of losing him like I did my father, and in all honesty, I hate myself for that.

“I know,” Maksim replies, his voice low and softly spoken. “But you won’t.”

I laugh like I am as loony as he is. “Don’t be so sure.”

“You won’t.” His confidence agitates me to no end. “But even if you did, you were not technically present, so your testimony will be pointless.”

“You just admitted guilt. I could have you put away for life.”

“You could,” he agrees. “But you won’t.” He hits the emergency stop button before he turns back around to face me, his speed dangerously slow. “I know you?—”

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