“You make it sound easy.”

“It can be.”

He cups my hand with his. “For you, maybe. Not for me.”

“Don’t push me away again,” I whisper. “I can’t take it.” I place his hand over my stomach, and he inhales sharply. “I could be pregnant. I don’t even know. But one day, I want to be. And I need to know that I can fully trust you. I know you’ll take care of me, but what about our future child? Or my sisters? I need to know, Mikhail. Please.”

He grabs my hips and pulls me in closer to him. “I will protect your sisters. I know that now. I will never make you doubt me again. As for our future child … I will protect him or her. You have to know that.”

“But will you be able to love him or her?” Will you be able to love me?

“I will try. That’s the best I can offer right now.”

Mikhail doesn’t know it, but he’s breaking my heart. I can’t force him to love me or our child. I just wish he would.

“Ok,” I whisper, holding back more tears. I didn’t think it was possible for me to cry this much.

“Now, let us go to bed.”

“Will you stay tonight?”

“I will stay tonight,” he says.

That’s something, but it doesn’t wash away my sadness.

Unsurprisingly, when I wake up the next morning, Mikhail is gone. And when I go downstairs, Mary tells me he’s left. Of course, I don’t even know for what. Mikhail doesn’t share much information about what exactly he does. I think it might be better if I don’t always know.

“Do you know when he’ll be back?” I ask.

Mary sneers at me. “Do I look like a clock? I have no idea. Mr. Ivanov will return when he wants to return.”

“Look, Mary, I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I shouldn’t have fought with you.”

“No, you shouldn’t have.” She’s flattening dough with a rolling pin.

“I’m not expecting an apology from you, even though you were the one to slap me.” I know it’s petty. I know Mikhail expects better of me, but when it comes to Mary, I just can’t help myself. She drives me insane.

“I slapped you because you were acting like a brat.”

Her words feel like another slap. Between crying all night, Mikhail spanking me, and him telling me he couldn’t even guarantee loving our future child, I am exhausted.

And I am tired of Mary acting horribly when I’ve done nothing to her.

Instinct takes over me, and I grab the rolling pin from her hands and smack it against her arm. She cries out, backing away from me.

“I am tired of your attitude,” I hiss at her. “You can tell Mikhail about this all you want. I don’t care. But I am done, Mary. Done.” I toss the rolling pin to the ground. It’s satisfying to watch Mary flinch when I do it. “You will treat me with respect, or I will hit you again with that rolling pin. Look at it as karma. You hit me; I hit you back. Now, do your damn job and leave me alone.”

I leave the kitchen, feeling like a badass. I’ve never had the confidence to tell someone off before. It’s exhilarating.

It’s freeing.

I find Vik and Mila in the living room, watching TV.

“You look oddly happy,” Vik comments, muting the TV.

“That’s because I just stood up for myself. Mary won’t bother me again.”

“I’m impressed. Normally, I have to fight your battles for you.”

“Or you’d create them,” I say.

She gasps and pokes me in the arm. “Only you would bring that on.”

“Vik, you were always trying to one-up me. You brought it on yourself.”

She rolls her eyes and turns the TV back on. “Fine. I’ll admit, I can be a little … intense sometimes.”

“Sometimes?” Mila teases, making Vik toss a pillow at her.

We all share a laugh. Looking at my sisters, I know they’ll be all right. Mikhail promised me he would care for them, and I believe him now. It’s just his heart I’m not sure about. Will he ever be able to give it to me? Or will our marriage just be one of lust and discipline?

“I talked to Mikhail,” I say. “You’re safe. What happened at the party last night will never happen again.”

“You’re sure?” Vik asks.

“I’m sure.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” a familiar voice says.

We spin toward the hallway to see Boris pointing a gun at us.

“How did you get in here?” I ask, slowly standing up and blocking his view of Mila. Vik does the same. She wobbles for a second but regains her balance. Her ankle is still pretty weak.

“During the party.”

“You’ve … been here all night and day?” The thought is horrifying.

“And your powerful husband didn’t even realize. Some leader he is. Now, I’ve come for Mila. Hand her over, and no one has to get hurt.”

“You know we’re not going to do that,” I say. Vik and I slowly take each other’s hand. I can feel Mila behind me. I just hope she doesn’t move. Boris cannot have her.

“What’s going on in here?” Mary asks, entering the room. Boris immediately turns to her and fires. The bullet lands in her stomach, knocking her to the floor. Mila screams, I gasp, and Vik stands there with her mouth gaping open.

“Think I’m still not serious?” Boris asks.

The front door bursts open, and the guard, Fedor, runs inside. Boris shoots him before Fedor even gets the chance to raise his gun. It’s a headshot. Fedor slumps to the ground, right beside Mary.