Page 50 of Nobody Wants Me
“So, Harris is not my dad?”I asked.
“No,” Ivan said.
I had rarely spoken to Ivan Volkov.We had danced at the wedding, but from what I had been told, he danced with all new brides.He was my brother, or my half-brother.My mother was dead, and my father had kidnapped me from my family.Although, it was the same family that was also dead.The only one alive was Ivan.My real family was as bad as my fake family.
“Do you hate me?”I asked, turning to look at Ivan.
“No, I don’t hate you,” Ivan said.He ran fingers through his hair.“If I had known, I might not have let you marry Victor.”
This made me chuckle.“Does that mean you want me to divorce him?”
Ivan shook his head.“Unless you want to.”
Victor was outside, and I glanced toward where I saw him standing, hands in his pockets, looking out over the ocean.Did I want to divorce this man?At first, I thought, hell, yes, I want to.I didn’t want to stay married to him, but at the same time, he helped me make sense of everything.
“Can you ask me another time?”I asked.
Ivan laughed.“Victor has that way about him.”
“I ...uh, I don’t know what to say to you.It’s not ...I don’t ...we’re not...”
Ivan put a hand on top of mine.“You don’t need to tell me more.I get it.Victor is a hard man, and he will not allow himself to be open with anyone.Vulnerability to him is a weakness.Trust me, there is a guy in there that you are going to love.”
“Did you choose me because you hated me?”I asked.
My brothers.At least those two assholes who I had kind of grown up with weren’t related to me.That was a welcome relief.
“No,” Ivan said.“I chose you because I knew you were damaged and I knew your life was difficult.That is why.”
I had tears in my eyes.“That doesn’t make it easier.”
“I have a thing about helping women,” he said.“Women are to be cherished.Don’t get me wrong, I know there are a lot of women out there who do not deserve it, and that is on them.I want to help those that have been dealt a bad hand and didn’t deserve it.You’re one of them, Freya.Being my sister changes nothing.”
“You’re a softy,” I said.
“No, I’m not,” Ivan said.
I smiled, because it didn’t matter what he said, I knew the truth.He was soft.He cared.For Ivan, he just showed it differently.
“Does this change anything about The Grid?”
“Nothing, not right now.”
“Do you think it will?”I asked.
“No,” Ivan said.“It’s why they need to be brought to their knees.”He spoke normally, and yet I heard the threat within his voice.
He was not joking and was being deadly serious.The Grid had become Ivan’s new target.
I nodded.
He didn’t stay for dinner, but he did pull me in for a hug.“One day soon, you and I will have a good friendship.I will be your big brother, and I will do everything in my power to take care of you.”And he kissed my temple.
I watched as he left, going to Victor.I went to the kitchen.
I had a half-brother.Okay, up until a few hours ago, I had a dad and two brothers I hated.Now, I had a half-brother, and I got the feeling I was going to like him a lot more than the family I grew up with.
Had Harris wanted to kill me?
