Page 18 of Married with Blood
But his home will never be mine.
Force me to take his name.
But I will forever be a Garcia in spirit and blood, and Iwilldo our family’s legacy justice even if you can’t.
Glaring at my brother would be too telling of how I felt about his decision to practically get rid of me. But I could let my anger simmer. I’d stew and rehearse how I could let him know how dumb this decision was when I found the first opportunity to fill him in on anything that could constitute as intel.
Without a real farewell since Arturo stepped aside to take a call, I was dismissed.
I was sent away, engaged to this tall man with dark energy as he strode toward the cars that would take us to his plane.
Although Maksim glanced at me here and there, he paid attention to Viktor as they carried on conversations with the guards who’d accompanied them. I knew some Russian to pick up on how they decided the transportation of my things. It wasthen that I realized they hadn’t come here with any intention of leaving with a bride.
They were just as surprised and caught off guard about this arrangement as I was.
Yet, as I sat in the backseat of the car and refused to make eye contact, choosing to watch the scenery blur by outside instead, I wondered why they’d agreed.
Why did Arturo agree?
I picked through possible explanations for why he’d wanted me to go through this arrangement.
To get me out of the way.
That came to mind first and foremost.
But that couldn’t be it.
What if he’s actually being smart about these other partners, whoever they are? And he wants me to get intel about the Volkovs to use against them?
I held in the urge to huff at that idea. Arturo was never that practical, that forward thinking or strategic. He was more of a reactive sort of person than proactive, and that was a huge reason I was so nervous about what he could be plotting to change up.
We arrived at the airstrip and the car stopped. Only that event forced me to have to face my fiancé or his brother. Never mind the entire ride where I rode the adrenaline rush of being near him at all. And never mind my apprehension of knowing he was watching me, too.
Viktor exited and Maksim followed. And damn, did I hate myself for checking out his ass as he turned.
Heat filled me, but I cleared my throat and fought to clear my mind ofanyimages of the fine, built, tatted up, and muscular?—
Argh! Enough!
Attraction was a base, primitive thing any animal could feel. Nothing mandated that I let these observations of Maksim Volkov matter or linger.
I stood, surprised when he held his hand out. As if I needed his assistance to place my feet on the pavement. Perhaps I’d shifted on my weight a little. I wasn’t falling over.
“Would you like some assistance?”
I gave his hand a pointed look then raised my brows at him.
“Youdospeak, correct?”
I shrugged, just to goad him. “I wasn’t aware I was supposed to.”
He rolled his eyes.
He actuallyrolled his eyesin irritation.
I was plenty used to pissing off my brother, and this little reaction wasn’t going to get a rise out of me. I didn’t particularly care what he thought of me, either.
Play along.
