Page 26 of His to Own

“Are you a virgin, Elena?”

“Why are you asking me that? That’s… that’s a rude question to ask someone.”

“It’s not a rude question when I’ll be your husband. Married couples do things together, you know.”

“Yes. I know. I’m not completely naïve,” I snap. The venom in my voice shocks me.

Maxim raises his eyebrows. “Oh. So you are capable of having some fight in you. I wasn’t sure. I’m glad to see it.”

“Can we stop talking about this? You’re not my husband.”

“Not yet.” I’m not sure if it’s a promise or a threat.

“You need my father’s permission and you don’t have it.”

“I could just kill your father. That would solve a lot of problems, wouldn’t it?”

I go still. Maxim murdering my father. What would it be like to live my life without my father’s overbearing presence on me? But he’s still my father. I can’t want him dead.

I can’t, I repeat, trying to convince myself that I want him alive.

Maxim chuckles. “I won’t kill your father, Elena. That would cause more problems than I need. Don’t worry. I’ll get him to see reason.”

At that moment, he pulls into my driveway. The large mansion before us is imposing. Stark. I know how cold it is inside of that house.

“Let me walk you to your door.” Maxim gets out of the car and opens my door for me. “I can be a gentleman.”

I stay quiet as we head to the front door. I know my father will be on the other side, angry that I left home without his permission.

Maxim knocks on the door and it’s my father who answers. His pinched face says it all.

“I found your daughter for you,” Maxim says.

“I can see that.”

“And as you can also see, she’s all in one piece. I didn’t hurt a pretty hair on her head. So no need to worry.”

My father crosses his arms. “Are you saying I should thank you?”

“I’m saying that you should thank me by marrying me to your daughter. I could have hurt her, Gregory. I could have kidnapped her. I could have brought her to a church and married her without your consent. But I want this deal with Nikolai and I know I need you to agree. So let me marry Elena and let’s stop fighting. You’re making this all more difficult than it needs to be. Don’t you think?”

Father looks between me and Maxim. All I can do is lower my head like I’m used to. “We will discuss this later. Elena, get inside. Now.”

I flinch and can feel Maxim looking at me but I don’t have the strength to look back. I hurry inside the house and Father slams the door in Maxim’s face.

“Is that wise?” I whisper.

“You will not speak to me right now. I told you to stay in your room and you disobeyed me. You’re lucky I am not going to hit you right now. I might do more damage and I don’t want your face to be ruined. That will only make it harder for me to marry you off. Now go to your room and if you even think of running away again, you will regret it.”

“Gregory,” Mother says. I gasp and turn to see her standing by the entrance to the foyer. “Don’t threaten our daughter like that.”

“Stay out of this, Masha.”

Mother sets her eyes on me. “Go to your room now, Elena. Now.” There’s a sense of urgency in her voice. She’s trying to protect me.

I hurry to my room and Adriana just has to burst inside. I can’t find any peace.

“You got caught?” she asks, flopping onto my bed. “You weren’t supposed to get caught.”