Page 27 of Torn Souls

It took a lot of courage to come here today. I’ll be rewarding her for the rest of our lives.

CHAPTER 9

MAXIM

Oaklynn is quiet as I drive us home. I’m a little surprised she didn’t put up more of a fight about going back home. Most women would be talking about how she needs clothes and face care or whatever shit women need to live their lives.

Not our woman. She hasn’t mentioned it, and I don’t get the feeling it’s because she knows we’ll take care of her. I have no doubt Kirill has already contacted his personal shopper, but Oaklynn doesn’t know that.

My curiosity gets the better of me along with the silent tension between us. “Why aren’t you worried about going and getting some of your things?”

She turns toward me, giving me her full attention. My body hums with awareness having her eyes on me and I have to bite back a groan. I’m not sure what kind of magic this woman wields, but it’s something I’ve never experienced before.

How does she do this?

“I have the most important things with me,” she whispers. When I arch an eyebrow, my eyes still on the road, she lets out a sigh. “I have my laptop and tablet in my bag. The only piece of jewelry I’ve ever cared about is around my neck.” She pullsthe pendent out of the blouse slightly and whispers, “It was my mom’s necklace.”

“Don’t women need more than that?”

She scoffs and chuckles softly. “I’m sure there are a lot of women and men,” she adds those words pointedly, “who need more. What are we really talking about? Clothes? I’m wearing my favorite heels. I’ve never had clothes that are my choice anyway, not since my mom died and my father couldn’t be bothered. He’s had a personal shopper picking out my clothes ever since, all to his specifications. Why would I want to bring any of it with me?”

I swallow down a growl as my hands tighten on the steering wheel. Everything in me demands to turn the car around, head over to where she’s grown up, and beat the hell out of Chambers. Even though I shouldn’t be surprised with her confession, I am.

Then I realize I just thought about Kirill using his personal shopper to deck out our woman and cringe. “Kirill has probably already contacted our shopper to get you whatever you need.”

The sigh that comes out of her has me hitting a button on the screen of the car. It only rings once before Kirill answers the phone, his voice tense, “Is everything okay? I know you haven’t made it home yet.”

“Did you consider that Oaklynn hasn’t been able to pick out her own clothes for years?”

The silence on the other end of the line tells me everything I need to know. I expect Oaklynn’s face to fall with disappointment, but instead her bright laughter fills the car. It’s a beautiful sound.

“Your brother mentioned you probably already contacted your personal shopper after he asked me why I wasn’t worried about picking up any of my things. I told him I have everything I need and everything else can be left behind.”

“The only job I gave them was to give you enough to make you comfortable,” Kirill admits. “I want you to feel like you can make our house a home, including in the closet. Everything else you can shop for however you want without a limit.”

Oaklynn shakes her head. “I’m not destitute. While I haven’t been working since graduation, I have worked in my life, and I have no intention of being a kept woman.”

“But you are,” Kirill growls, “you’re our kept woman. When we buy you things, it’s not about keeping a tally or molding you into someone you’re not. It’s about taking care of you.”

“As long as our woman is able to have her own style,” I insist.

“Of course,” he agrees immediately.

I hang up without saying goodbye knowing I interrupted him in the first place. Now that Oaklynn has shown up at the office, all of his focus will be on making sure she’s safe from everyone including her father. I’m not going to interrupt him more than I need to.

Oaklynn huffs, a sound of annoyance and frustration. “I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You’re the farthest thing from a burden,” I grit out through my teeth.

I’m not mad at her. I’m pissed at anyone who has ever made her feel that way. Chambers is at the top of the list.

When I’m given the green light, I’ll be gutting that man.

“Chambers deserves to bleed out slowly,” I mutter under my breath.

“Sounds messy,” Oaklynn chirps.

I panic a little because she heard me even though I didn’t mean for it to happen. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Oaklynn wince as she adjusts her position in the seat and the thought of being covered in her father’s blood is almost too much temptation.

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