Page 88 of Silenced

In another world.

“I’m sure.”

“I don’t understand why you’re so possessive of her,” he complains. “You’re never possessive. Of anyone. Myata is hot as fuck but you don’t care if she goes to the New Year’s party with someone else.

“You drop chicks like they’re diseased after a couple fucks. Beatriz and Klara lasted longer than most because you’ve alternated between seeing them once a week for the past few months and we’ve been busy.

“I just don’t understand why this one is different. Hasn’t she been through enough? I think she’s earned her peace.”

His defense of her is annoying, but it’s also…reassuring.

He just wants to protect her.

Whether it’s because he believes they could be related or simply because I inadvertently raised a good man, I’m okay with that.

“I agree,” I sign. “I’m giving her peace. I’m giving her safety. She will never be hurt again. Not under our protection.”

“So why are you making her scream?”

I blink at him. “Dmitri, do we have to have the talk again?”

“The talk?” He frowns. “Which talk?”

“Ptitsy i pchely.”

“Hummingbirds and the bees…,” he mutters as if struggling to translate, then he gapes at me. “Wait, you mean the birds and the bees?! You’refuckingher?”

“Why else would she be screaming?” I sign with an ease that he isn’t feeling.

If anything, he’s blushing.

Lips twitching, I study him as he shakes his head. “And she wants you to?”

“I’m not a rapist.” When he rubs his brow, I ask, “How bad was her file?”

“Bad.” He swallows. “Do you want to read it?”

A part of me does.

Another part, the part that wants to keep her locked in my master suite forever, knows that if I want more from her, she’ll have to share this with me on her own terms.

That she’ll have to trust me with this information and that my researching her could be construed as a betrayal.

Which matters.

For the first time, someone outside of my brothers and sonmatters.

Rapping my knuckles against the desk in annoyance, I shake my head. “It goes against my instincts, but I’ll let her tell me.”

“She’s been here over two weeks now.”

“I can count.” And still nothing on Rundel’s whereabouts.

“You’re going to let her out at some point, right?” He clears his throat. “I mean, she isn’t a prisoner, is she?”

I want to reassure him, I do.

I want to say I could let her out—of course.

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