Page 57 of Caged in Desire
“Well…” he says, again scratching his neck in a nervous tic. “He had a piece of paper in his hand when he died. Nobody saw it when he was found here, but they included it in the report.”
Henry and I both wait for him to tell us what might be the only clue to my father’s death.
“The only thing written was a name, in his handwriting.Natalya.”
Chapter twenty-seven
The past seventy-two hours have been a whirlwind, to say the least. Being pulled out of my perfect, magical, otherworldly sex bubble that I had only just created with my wife is one thing. But having to leave our bubble to attend her father’s funeral and play politics with her family, well. That’s grated on my patience in ways I couldn’t have comprehended three days ago.
As we approach the gates to her family’s estate, I pull the hand I’m holding from her lap to my mouth, kissing her knuckles and enjoying the smile she gives me as she turns to me in the back seat. She’s been a trooper during this trip back to her gilded cage, playing the part of the grieving but strong daughter perfectly. And she is strong, certainly, even if she isn’t necessarily grieving. Maybe grief for a paternal relationship that could have been, but I hope she doesn’t hold any guilt over that. It wasn’t her fault that Pavel Taranov didn’t see what a lovely daughter he had in front of him. In any case, she has a daddy now to take care of her. She won’t ever feel unloved again.
After the burial and reception yesterday, we had a tense but pleasant dinner with her uncle Ivan, cousin Sasha, and variousother distant family members. Following dinner, Ivan requested to speak with me in his office alone, but I could see that Katarina was flagging. By the time we made it back to our hotel, it was all I could do to get her showered and tucked into bed before she was fast asleep. I watched her for a while, trying to make sure she wouldn’t have any nightmares, before allowing myself to drift off too.
Now, we just have to listen to the summary presented by the lawyers from their meeting earlier this morning, get through my meeting with Ivan Taranov, and get back to the jet to go home. I’ve blocked off more time working away from the office and taking a lighter load, utilizing the company’s family grief policy, although, of course, as CEO, I set my own schedule. Still, Danny assured me that the feedback from my absence has actually done the business some good, as perception of me has shifted to a family man who’s caring for my new wife. Apparently, my willingness to do something other than work makes me seem “more well-rounded and stable”, he says.
Not everyone is taking my absence well, though. I had to hang up on Linda yesterday when she wouldn’t stop blowing up my phone with calls and texts. She can’t seem to understand that Katarina is my priority now, and work is well down the list, orders of magnitude below my wife. After trying to patiently explain that my work had mostly been divvied up to lesser executives, I lost it when she told me I no longer had my priorities straight. I told her my priorities were exactly as they should be, and if she called or texted me even once in the next ten days, she was fired. So far, she hasn’t.
“I’m very ready to get this over with and go back home,” Katarina says softly as we take off our coats and make our way to the conference room for our meeting with the lawyers. “I miss our bathtub, our bed, our crosswords…” She blushes, and I knowwhat she means.I miss doing nothing all day but lying around naked and fucking on every surface we can think of, too, Kitten.
“Ah, there they are. Now we can begin!” says a portly man who I believe is the Taranov counsel. I nod to Danny, who gives me a smile and a wink, signaling that this shouldn’t take long and won’t be too painful.
Katarina’s uncle is looking at us intently, and I sincerely hope he’s ready to man up and ask his questions when we meet in his office in a few minutes, because I’m tired of him staring at my wife, uncle or not.
“As we briefly discussed yesterday, there were really no surprises in the will. If you’ll all turn to page three hundred and ninety-four of your packets…”
After thirty-five minutes and many signatures from everyone in the room, our legal business is thankfully adjourned. Katarina made it clear to me that she had no designs on her family’s business shares or a seat on the board, although I offered to fight Ivan tooth and nail for whatever she wanted. We looked over big picture finances on the way here, and seeing provisions for herself and future children taken care of, her only concern was if it would benefit me to absorb any of her father’s stake in the company.
My sweet girl, thinking of how to help me even in her own stressful time. She’ll be rewarded for that.Ultimately, Danny said that since it was a minority stake, the benefits down the line likely didn’t justify fighting now and adding any stress to Katarina. As such, the meeting was relatively simple.
Now, as I sit with an ankle over my knee in Ivan Taranov’s office, I find myself nearing the end of my patience with his scrutinous gaze. I decide to cut to the chase in an attempt to get out of here as soon as possible. The quicker we can fly home, and I can be in my house with my wife on my cock, the better.
“Mr. Taranov, I thank you for your hospitality in hosting my wife’s father’s funeral the last two days, and for your willingness to swiftly conclude the legal matters,” I begin magnanimously. “I hope that you’ll forgive me for asking that we settle whatever other business you have with me quickly as well, as Mrs. Sinclair and I are tired from the whirlwind of travel and anxious to be home again.”
There, I can play nice. He can state his peace, and we can leave.
“I’d like to offer you the chance, and encourage you to take it, to sell my niece back to me,” he says placidly, as if he didn’t just throw a bomb on my doorstep.
I remain seated, not because I’m not enraged, but because I know the benefits of staying coiled and ready to strike, rather than brashly making a show of my size. But what the actual fuck is wrong with this guy?
“I beg your fucking pardon,” I spit out, unable to keep the vitriol from my tone. A cloud of red descends across my vision, and it’s only the reminder that the documentation of our marriage is legal and binding that keeps me sane. He can’t have her back.Mine.
Sighing, Ivan sits back in his chair, looking ragged from the toll of the past few days.
“I can’t put it any clearer than that, Mr. Sinclair,” he says. “You were forced into a business contract by my brother, with my much younger niece, who you objected to. While I’m sure the two of you have made the best of it, there’s no denying the natural incompatibility that accompanies such an age difference. I can’t imagine you have much in common, and surely, you don’t want her having to deal with you in your old age while she’s still spry. Not very fair to her, I’m sure you agree.”
This fucker is sitting behind his desk, as serious as a heart attack, calmly explaining to me why it’s a ridiculous idea for meto keep my wife. I’m obviously doing too good of a job hiding my emotions because he continues.
“I won’t deny that we’ve missed her, and her place is here. I’m sure she misses her home, and we can certainly compensate you for your time and emotional distress in this whole nasty business—” He’s cut off as I interrupt him. We’re done here.
“That’s enough,” I snarl, finally standing and making my way to Ivan’s desk to lean heavily against it and place my face as close to his as possible.
“I beg your pardon?” he asks, and this guy must be an imbecile not to read my face and body language right now.
“That. Is. Enough.” I’m whispering by the end, belying my rage. If I walk out of this office without killing this man, I should win a medal of honor for my restraint. I go through two cycles of breathing exercises before I think of Katarina waiting for me to join her to fly home. Taking her home is the only thing grounding me to this planet right now.
“I will say this, and you will listen, and you will never speak of this conversation again unless you have a death wish,” I say lowly, making sure I have Ivan’s eye contact so that he can see that I mean every word.
“I would kill you and anyone else on this planet a thousand times over if it meant keeping my wife. You’re lucky I don’t kill you now for insinuating that I do not covet her, cherish her,loveher.” My voice cracks, just a hair. I’ve known that I love her for a while, but saying it out loud magnifies it in my heart and soul. I can’t believe I haven’t told her yet. That ends today.
