Page 108 of Gilded Cage (Kovalyov Bratva 1)

I take my time with the sails for her benefit, flexing my muscles and moving closer to her than I need to.

It’s payback for the stunt she pulled yesterday.

Two can play at that game.

We don’t talk much at all, but for some reason it doesn’t seem to matter. The silence is comfortable.

When we circle back around, the island comes back into view, but I stop the boat again within swimming distance.

“Why are you stopping?” Esme asks.

“I want to take in the sun here.”

She frowns. “I’ve had enough. I want to go back.”

I stare at her. So much for this dreamy summertime world where my wife doesn’t fight me every chance she gets.

We’re back to harsh reality now.

“It’s not time yet. We’ll go back when I say so.”

She narrows her eyes. I see that familiar fire flare again. I’m ready for her to start arguing.

Instead, she turns from me and clambers onto the boat’s bow.

“What the fuck are you—”

Before I can finish my sentence, she’s diving right into the ocean.

“Goddammit,”I curse.

I rush to the edge, ready to jump in after her when I see her resurface.

She doesn’t look troubled in the least. Her hair floats behind her in the water as she glides seamlessly along the gentle wavetops in a smooth breaststroke.

She doesn’t look back. Not even once.

I’m left on the boat, staring at her and shaking my head in a mixture of awe and frustration.

Nothing is easy with this girl. Can’t even take a fucking boat trip without a blow-up.

30

Esme

The swim back to the island leaves me feeling both exhilarated and exhausted.

On one hand, fuck Artem. It felt good to turn my back on him and dive into the water.

He’s so hellbent on controlling me. On keeping me where he wants me, when he wants me there.

I’ve spent a lifetime doing that with Papa. Now that my father is dead, I won’t ever let myself be chained down like that again.

But in the bigger scheme of things, I don’t have much of a choice. Like it or not, Artem is a mob boss. There’s no place I can go that he can’t come find me and drag me back kicking and screaming.

So for now, running isn’t an option.

I have to find smaller rebellions.

---