Page 11 of Bound By Hate (Born in Blood)

“I invited you into my house. You should learn to show some respect, Viktoriya. You wouldn’t want me to marry you off to any of these men, but I can, and I will if you piss me off.”

“How would I do that?” I’m keeping a brave face on, but my heart is beating a mile a minute.

“You tried to make Sofiya leave me once before. Don’t let it happen again.”

“I swear. I have no intention of making Sofiya leave you. I just want …” What do I want? To make my own choices. To not be ruled by men. To find a man who is my right match. To not be mortified I can’t dance any longer. To not be upset that no man wants me.

Mikhail doesn’t press me for more. He just nods and leaves the room. I slump against the counter and stare at a plate full of lobster balls. I grab one and stuff it into my mouth.

As soon as I swallow, I regret it.

I rush over to the sink and force myself to throw it back up. It stings, but it feels good. It’s a relief. If I can lose the weight, I can dance again. Then everything will be all right in this world. Gleb won’t be a threat. I will find the man who’ll make me happy.

I can do this.

I rinse my mouth out when I hear someone behind me.

“Ate something bad?” a man asks.

I gasp and stand up and whirl around, subtly wiping at my mouth. “Yes, I—” I stop abruptly.

I know him.

I don’t know him well, but I’ve met him before.

Aleksander.

He was one of Mikhail’s party guests. I distinctly remember him trying to force me to dance when I didn’t want to. He also told me I should be careful what I say around the men in the other room. Of course, I didn’t listen.

No man will ever tell me what to do.

I’m struck by how handsome Aleksander is. I think I forgot. Dark hair that falls slightly into his eyes. A mischievous grin. Tall and broad-shouldered.

He looks down at the lobster rolls on the counter. “I guess I should avoid eating those, shouldn’t I?”

“Why are you talking to me?”

“Why shouldn’t I talk to you?”

“Because of …”

He raises an eyebrow. It makes him more handsome, which only makes me more annoyed. “Of …”

Ok, Vik, I say to myself.Don’t let him get under your skin. You’re better than him in every way.

I push away from the sink and walk up to him. “What gives you the right to talk to me? I don’t like you.”

“I’m allowed to walk into the kitchen and grab a drink.” He walks around me, grabs a bottle of vodka off a shelf, and pours himself a glass. “Mikhail is stingy with his alcohol, but that doesn’t stop me from indulging.”

“Well, drink your drink, then leave. The kitchen is my domain.”

“Oh, so you’re saying you like being in the kitchen? Are you going to make me a sandwich?”

My jaw drops. “I cannot believe you just asked me that.”

Aleksander slowly approaches me, almost like a big cat going in for the kill. “You don’t like being told what to do, do you?”

“No. I don’t.”

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