Page 29 of Wicked Knight 2

“Does it still hurt?” Tore asked.

“Hmm.” I faced Tore. “No. Force of habit.”

I glanced out the tinted window, searching for Donata’s face. Every night, I expected to hear the news that she had escaped. According to Belinda, Donata had settled into a routine. The kids and the men kept her busy with a myriad of injuries. Donata was also more than happy to help with the cooking. That was surprising. A mafia princess like her, I would’ve thought she’d never set foot in a kitchen before.

If she seemed different or not didn’t matter. I had to stay focused on the task. In the three weeks I had spent away, I couldn’t come up with a decent plan to make her suffer while in the compound. So far, the only two things that scared her were the dark and sex with me. I fisted my hands.

“Fuck.” I said aloud. Without meaning to, Donata had become the bane of my existence. But her family deserved to feel the pain my family felt all those years ago when Mom disappeared. Only to come back pregnant with me.

“See what I mean.” Ivan slapped Tore’s arm. “The whole goddamn trip has been like this. Shit, Maxim. Just fuck her and be done with it.”

“Fuck off,” I grumbled.

When we finally arrived at the compound, I bolted out of the SUV. I didn’t want to hear anymore of Ivan’s brilliant advice. I took long strides down the corridor. The commotion toward the courtyard caught my attention. By the way the guys cheered, I figured someone had gotten into a fight. Great idea. I sprinted toward the laughter, ignoring Ivan’s comments about some welcoming committee.

The minute Boris came into view, I saw red. He had his arms around Donata while she struggled to get free.

“All you need is a good fuck.” His words echoed in my head.

I thrust through the crowd, grabbed him by the collar and punched him in the nose. “You touch my wife again, I will kill you.” I hovered over his body on the ground while adrenaline rushed through me. “Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you now.”

“It was a joke. I wasn’t gonna do anything.”

“That’s not what I saw or heard.” The fucking asshole was pulling Donata toward the house. He meant what he’d said. The thought of someone else touching her made my stomach churn in anger. “Get out of my sight.” I gripped the front of his shirt. I meant to pick him up and send him on his way. But instead, my fist connected with his face again. His head bounced off the pavers, before he grabbed my forearm. That wasn’t enough. I hit him again.

“I’m going.” He cradled his head. “I’m sorry.”

I finally stood back, panting a breath. When I glanced up, Donata was a few feet away from me, all pale, and glaring at me with her mouth slightly open.

“Donata.” I reached for her, but she flinched back in fear.

“Maxim.” Belinda came out of nowhere and sprung into my arms. “You’re finally home.”

“Yeah.” I peeled her arms from around my neck. “What the hell happened?” I pointed in the direction where Boris had taken off. “Why didn’t you tell me this was going on?”

“He’s been messing with Alexei. Donata was just defending him. But you know how Boris gets.” She shook her head in disgust. “I went to get Papa, but he was on the phone. I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Where is he?” I asked Donata.

“Um who?”

“Alexei?”

“Oh, um, probably ran back to the kitchen.” Her chest heaved as if she couldn’t catch her breath.

“Let’s go see him.” I motioned for her to go on, then addressed the guys at large. “Find something to do. The courtyard is closed the rest of the day.”

The crowd scattered quickly until it was just Donata and me. And Belinda hanging from my arm. “Did I suddenly grow two heads?” I met Donata’s gaze. “Before you couldn’t look at me. Now you can’t stop staring.”

“No.” She shook her head. “You still have just the one head. Um. Let’s find Alexei.” She glanced around her, as if looking for her purse or whatever else she’d left behind. When she didn’t find anything, she rushed into the house.

When she was out of earshot, I turned to Belinda. “You should’ve told me Boris was causing trouble.”

“We had it under control. Donata can handle Boris. This wasn’t the first time.” She crossed her arms over her chest. Her tits bounced a bit, and she smiled. “Let’s go upstairs.”

“Belinda.” I braced my hands on my hips. “We’ve talked about this. I’m married now. End of story.”

“It’s not even a real marriage.” She gripped my dress shirt. “We all know you haven’t fucked her. There’s a reason for that.”

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