Page 23 of Viripotent

“Why? Would you like to use it when you ask my grandfather for a favor? Expand your territory, maybe?” I fire back and regret it instantly.

His eyes darken, every feature sharpening, and I dumbly refuse to back down and continue glaring at the side of his head for the rest of the drive.

TEN

Vlad

Inessa shuts her mouth but hatred burns through her eyes as I revel in it. She has no sense of self-preservation, always feeling free to mouth off when she doesn’t do that shit usually. I’ve seen her around other people, Misha and Anastasia have always said she’s a cold-hearted bitch. But she isn’t when it’s the two of us, she becomes fearless and proud, unable to back down.

I slow down to give me enough time to get the information I need, and she turns rigid thinking I’ll throw her out. Hopefully, the threat of it will make her be honest.

“Did Len touch you?”

There’s no softness to my voice and I harden exponentially with each second that she’s silent. I don’t trust the cunt and if he fucks this up just to be a spiteful bitter bastard I’ll be at zero again.

Her choice of not answering makes it worse as she orders me around, again.

“Pull over.”

I don’t stop and she spits between gritted teeth, “Please.”

The magic word has me acquiescing, and she turns in her seat, leaning against the door to look at me head on.

“Is there something I should know about your father?”

He’s a grade-A cunt that the devil himself would disown, but I don’t tell her that when it’s obvious from being in his presence.

She softens and puts her hand on my arm. People don’t touch me, or look at me, willingly. Looking from her hand to her delicate features, she maintains eye contact and her voice is gentle.

“Vlad, if he’s a threat to me I deserve to know. Especially if you’re concerned he’s going to rape me or whatever else is going on in your head.”

The urge to be truthful with her has my mouth opening, but I change the words on the tip of my tongue.

“Just stay away from him. He doesn’t give a fuck about your familial ties and I’m not going to have you ruin everything I’ve worked for.”

The soft openness leaves at my harsh tone and her face contorts in disgust. Her hand drops off me and she sits straight to look out the windscreen. I’ve found her off switch, and she doesn’t say anything else. This is how Inessa should be, not to make other people’s lives easier, but for her own sake. She’s already getting attached to Viktor and she’ll break her own heart by letting any Vartanov in.

There are no other cars as I pull into Maximoff’s driveway, and the ice princess comes out as she masks her rage. Dariya greets us at the door, giving me a disinterested look while scanning Inessa for a hair out of place. If I wanted to fuck her, I could have done it when she was naked below me, for fuck’s sake. I don’t need their disapproval staring at me like I’m some fucking predator leading an innocent lamb to slaughter when she’s a foul-mouthed irritant.If they cared so much about theirprecious heiress, they shouldn’t have offered her up, knowing the only people who would have agreed to keep her were violent.

Inessa walks ahead, her shoulders straight and Dariya at her side. I bypass them both, not caring about their gossiping, and walk straight to Maximoff’s office. She follows me and there’s no complaint on her tongue. Finally, she’s got them all out. She’s been relentless voicing them to me like I’m a sounding board, but utter silence in front of the man who could change it if he wished. Her thoughts are transparent, and I still don’t understand them — she clearly wants this marriage, but she’s going to be infuriating, complaining every step of the way.

Maximoff doesn’t waste any time once we’re seated and there’s no flicker of remorse in his eyes knowing Inessa won’t be a happy bride. Maybe he’s sick of her constant chatter too and wants to get rid of her. His tone is even, and I can see the resemblance in their mannerisms as he sits like a king giving his order.

“As you have already moved in together, your official engagement will be announced on Friday. I expect you have already got the ring and the party will be held here while both of your parents are visiting.”

There’s no argument from my bride-to-be and she nods once. His lips quirk as I stay relaxed, moving the timescales works in my favor. The sooner Inessa is my wife, the sooner she’s out of my life. Hunting for a wife only had one check mark that needed to be completed, is she connected enough to get me where I need to be. She could have been any other person and we both know she was going to be bartered to some fucker within the Bratva, at least I’m kind enough to have a contingency for her to have a life instead of serving me as a place to drop my cum and expect a meal.

I’m the biggest feminist in the brotherhood putting that get-out clause in for her fucking benefit. But my thanks is in hercoldness as she drops the act as soon as we’re out of sight from her grandfather.She increases the distance between us and acts as though I’m not capable of harming her.

I’ve dealt with Valentin’s tantrums for over twenty years, and she beats him easily. Her pout is in full force as we walk back to the car, and she pulls the door open with less maturity than my nephew. Everyone in my life is either a child or a fucking moron.

She’s still pouting the entire drive to the jewelers, only perking up when she sees the luxurious frontage. Inessa can’t hide her glee. She can pick whatever worthless stone she wants if there’s no more insolence. Following her excitement, the manager takes a step back as we walk in. If I was going to rob the place, I wouldn’t do it wearing a $50,000 suit or park right out-fucking-side in view of the cameras.

The dumb spoilt act comes out as Inessa looks into each display. She extends her voice filled with fake sweetness as she turns to me and bats her eyelashes thinking I give a fuck.

“Can I really get whatever I want?”

Nodding once, she throws herself at me and wraps her arms around my middle while dollar signs pop up in every sales assistant’s eyes. Meeting them one by one, she sighs letting them know I’ll be paying their fucking debts off.

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