Page 81 of Defiled Innocence

“He was just leaving,” Dmitri says through gritted teeth.

“No. Not yet.” Christian wipes a hand over his face. “You need to know something,” he says, eyeing Dmitri as he speaks.

“Amelia, go upstairs,” Dmitri orders.

The gentleness of this morning, of only half an hour ago, is gone. Back now is the ruthless man I met in his office only weeks ago.

How can it only have been a few weeks? It feels like a lifetime has passed between us. At least it did, but now with that hard tone and the steely gaze he levels me with, I’m not sure which reality I was living in.

“No. I want to know what’s happening.” I stand my ground.

Christian is obviously upset. Something’s happened.

“Amelia.” One single word from Dmitri.

Just my name, but it means so much more. It means go upstairs and don’t argue. It means obey me because you vowed to. It means do what I say without thinking for yourself.

“No.” My voice shakes a little, but it’s from irritation, not fear. I’m not afraid of this man.

He may tower over me.

He may have a glare that could scare a saint to confess sinful deeds.

He may still be wearing that thick leather belt I hate to love so much, but I am going to stand on my own two feet.

“I want to know what’s going on, and I want to know now.” I turn my back to my husband, an act he told me men wouldn’t dare. “Christian, what do you need to tell me?”

“It’s about your mom.” Christian’s eyes flick to Dmitri.

Some of the wind has gone out of his sails. His shoulders slump back, and he keeps swallowing.

“What about her?” I fold my arms over my chest.

There’s a long pause. They keep staring at each other; Dmitri with a heated glare and Christian with a plea in his tired eyes.

“She didn’t overdose.” Christian swings his attention to me as he speaks.

“What?” I glance to Dmitri who is still trying to kill Christian with his glare. “What is he talking about?”

A moment later Dmitri turns his glare on me, but there’s less anger and more worry. “If you’ll just go upstairs, I’ll come up and explain everything.”

“Yeah, so he can lie to you again. And he can kill me,” Christian barks, jabbing a finger in Dmitri’s direction.

Dmitri shoots something off in Russian that neither of us understands. But the tone says enough to make Christian take a step back.

Boris and two other men show up, probably after hearing the shouting, and stand ready in the doorway.

Dmitri doesn’t even have to look at them to give them orders. They just stand there, ready to intervene if they need to.

“Okay.” I rub my temples. The banging in my head is returning rapidly. “Okay, everyone just relax. Christian, just tell me what you want to tell me.”

Dmitri makes a low sound, like he’s just about ready to lose his temper.

Christian swallows hard again, looking over my shoulder at the men ready to jump in if needed.

“Don’t worry about them.” I sidestep, putting myself between Christian and the men. “Just tell me what you wanted to tell me. Why do you think she didn’t overdose?”

Christian brings his bloodshot eyes to mine. “Because she didn’t. She and your father got into an argument and he…”

---