Page 109 of Emerald Malice

She smiles. “I wouldn’t count on that.”

As I walk back to the main house, I’m torn between the desire to check Natalia’s newfound confidence and the desire to lock the pool house door, throw her in her bed, and never let her leave.

Before I can decide either way, I hear a scream. “Mudak! You’ll kill her!”

“Yelena!” I roar through the house. “What’s going on?”

Yelena rushes clumsily around the corner, gasping. “It’s Viktor. He’s gone mad!”

More screams echo from deeper in the house, and I follow them to the sitting room.

There, I find my brother, walking wild-eyed and wrathful across the room, dragging Mila by the hair behind him.

38

ANDREY

“Stop!”

Viktor freezes where he stands. All the sound drains out of the room, but his fist is still curled in Mila’s hair.

To her credit, Mila doesn’t look scared. She’s pissed.

Her cheek is red from where he must’ve slapped her. Judging from the scratch marks scored into Viktor’s cheeks, she gave back as good as she got.

“Let her go,” I snarl.

“This is a private matter between husband and wife, brother. This is for me to?—”

“You have three seconds to release her or I will cut your hand off at the wrist.” My deathly quiet warning has the intended effect; he drops his hand at once.

Mila scrambles to her feet and glares at Viktor with an expression that gives new meaning to the phrase, If looks could kill.

I look back and forth between the glowering couple. “What happened?”

“I’ll tell you what happened!” Viktor seethes. “I walked into our bedroom and?—”

“I was talking to Mila,” I interrupt.

Viktor flushes scarlet and his hands ball into fists once more. His knuckles are split and bloody.

Mila takes a deep breath. “Viktor walked into my bedroom?—”

“Our bedroom!” Viktor inserts.

“I had no idea you considered it ‘ours.’ Especially given the number of whores you’ve entertained there.”

“I don’t need to pay for sex! Just because you have no interest in fucking me anymore doesn’t mean?—”

“Enough,” I snap. They both fall silent until I nod at Mila to continue.

“He walked in on me and—” She drops her gaze to her feet. “On me and Leonty.”

Viktor’s eyes are trained on me, watching, waiting for my reaction. I keep my expression carefully masked as I process that.

Do I wish Mila had chosen someone other than my cousin to have an affair with? Obviously.

Am I going to intervene? Not a fucking chance.

---