Page 59 of Bound By Hate (Born in Blood)

“What do you want from me?” I ask. Every step to the side sends a sting of pain up my body, but I ignore it.

“You don’t bend easily. You’re a challenge. I like a challenge.”

“Clearly. So, you want to make me kneel before you like a trophy wife? You’ll have to think again, Aleksander, because that’s not happening.”

“I’m going to make you kneel because I think it’s what you need.”

“And what about what I think?”

He taps his fingers to my temple, and it sends a jolt of goosebumps over me. “I think you’re too in your head and need someone to help you get out of there.”

Before I can reply, he finishes the dance and steps away from me. “Now, I’m hungry. Let’s eat.”

He holds his hand out to me, but I brush past it as I head for our table, keeping a grimace off my face. On the way there, I spot Vera and her friends again.

Fuck it.

I head straight for them.

“Viktoriya,” Aleksander warns.

I ignore him. “Hello, ladies,” I say as I reach their table. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“We were already here, so we thought we could come. Your brother-in-law invited us,” Vera tells me. “How’s the face, darling? Looks painful.”

“It is. Getting punched in the face will do that to you.”

She giggles. “Well, maybe you deserved it. You do tend to open your mouth when you shouldn’t. You really need to learn to be more like us.” The rest of her friends nod.

“You know, Vera.” I lean in close to her. She flinches and backs up, but I just move in even closer. “I just killed a man the other day. Because he thought he had the right to tell me what to do. Do you think you have that right?”

Her mouth gapes open, and nothing comes out. The other women look scandalized.

“I’ll answer for you,” I continue. “You don’t. You don’t have the right to make me feel bad. I could hurt you so easily. I could grab your face and smash it into this table. I know I’m capable of that now. What are you capable of?”

Still no answer.

I smile and stand back up, gritting my teeth against the pain in my side. “Don’t fucking mess with me,” I say. “I am Viktoriya Morozova. You will respect me.” I walk away with my head held high without giving Vera a chance to respond.

Aleksander watches me curiously as I take my seat beside him. “What was that about?”

“Just putting those women in their place. I can do that, too, you know.”

He smirks and takes a sip of his wine.

Vera leaves right away with her friends, giving me a small sense of satisfaction. At least I won't have to look at their judgmental faces the entire night.

But I’m not out of the woods yet. There’s still Aleksander to deal with.

“You are not touching me,” I tell him as we eat our dinner. Well, he eats. I just push my food around. “I know what happens on a wedding night, and I’m telling you now, that is not happening.”

“I would never dream of forcing you, Viktoriya. But you’re missing out.”

“I’m not missing out on anything.”

“Oh? So, you’ve had sex before? And you didn’t like it?”

I can't stop the flush from crossing my face. “No. I haven’t had sex. But?—”

---