Page 42 of Desperate Measures

My father’s demand was made in a tone that was both quiet and threatening. How he made it across the room so quickly was just a testament to his speed and strength.

I gasped as my father reached out and grabbed Liam by the collar.

“Stop!” I shouted.

My father only snarled and Liam, well, he just smirked and pulled me behind him.

“You don’t want to do this, Mr. Volkov.”

“What do you know of my wants?”

Still, Liam made no move against Dad. Probably a good idea since my uncles, Marat, Josef, and Andres, all came rushing inside the office at the same time.

“Ad, let him go,” Uncle Marat said, grabbing my father’s arm.

“Uncle Marat, make him stop,” I begged, as fear danced up my spine.

“Sonovabitch!” Dad growled, his teeth way too close to Liam’s face right before he pushed him away.

I had to hand it to my husband. He didn’t even flinch. And my father looked scary as fuck.

“Come here, Micky,” Uncle Andres beckoned me, but I couldn’t move.

Liam was still holding my hand.

“Mr. Volkov, I appreciate we surprised you, but the situation is this. Michaela is my wife. We are married, sir, and there is nothing you can do about it.”

A stream of Russian flew out of my father’s mouth as Uncle Josef got between him and Liam, pushing my father back when he would have advanced once more.

“Easy, Adrik. Calm down!” Uncle Marat shouted.

“Micky, explain,” Uncle Andres said.

“Well, we-we’re married,” I said, my chest heaving with emotion.

Liam wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me towards his side. He was protective and while I was curious as to why he suddenly felt that way after ignoring me all week, really, I appreciated it at the time.

Liam’s support was more than welcomed. Something crashed, and I saw my father had thrown one of his awards across the room, shattering the crystal into a million pieces.

I gasped. I knew Dad would be mad, but he was flying off the wall.

This all felt like I was stuck in a nightmare. I mean, Liam and I didn’t marry for love, and what I was doing to my father was sort of unfair. But he didn’t know that.

After the kind of relationship he and my mother had, you’d think he would be open to the idea of a whirlwind romance. I frowned, wishing we really were in love, but whatever. The point was, as far as Dad knew, that was exactly what this was!

The nightmare continued as my father and uncles all started yelling over one another. It felt like the kind of dream where everything is moving around you at regular speed, but you’re stuck in slow motion. I felt like I was caught in a thick, glutinous fog.

“Calm down? This prick tricked my daughter! What did you do, you fuck?” Dad yelled.

“I just married her, Mr. Volkov. I get that you’re upset. But it’s done,” Liam said, sounding calm in the midst of the raging storm that was my father.

“No! I won’t have it! Admit what you want, you sneaky sonovabitch.”

“Tricked? Tricked!” I repeated, finally registering some of what was being said.

“You think I am stupid, don’t you?” I asked, completely aghast.

“What? Doshen’ka, no,” my father replied, shaking his head as he tried to catch his breath.

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