Page 39 of Until Death or Defeat

“She died, a little over two years in. It was . . . sudden.”

Oh. Well, I wasn’t expecting that.

“How did she die?” I ask and he doesn’t answer. “Seriously? You won’t tell me?”

“Why don’t you ask Artem?”

I shake my head. “Because I’m asking you, I thought you said earlier we’re family, right? No secrets?”

“This is probably the only thing I won’t tell you,” he says sincerely.

He sees my expression and comes back to sit by me. “Look, I know you and Artem enjoy your little feud, and it’s fun to watch, I won’t lie. But, if you ask him, don’t be a bitch about it.”

I slap his arm, furrowing my brows. “Don’t call me a bitch.”

“You know what I mean,” he says with a light chuckle as he takes a sip from his water bottle.

“Artem isn’t delicate,” I remind him.

“He isn’t, but he’s still just a person.” I huff and stand up from the stool.

“Fine, enough of this then. I have his card and I’m ready to blow it on some food,” I say with a smirk as I pull his card out of my pocket. He smiles back, and I pull out my phone to order.

The hours flew by as we sat and watched some horror movies while eating. Honestly, I’ve never been a huge horror fan, but Maxim seems to be having a good time watching me squirm at all the gore and explaining random lore to me, so I’ve allowed it.

I think he’s weird, but I don’t really mind his company. I at least find him predictable, and that’s comforting.

I check my phone and see it’s already almost ten.

“Artem is pretty late, huh?” he asks with a smirk.

“He said he would be,” I say casually, locking my phone.

“Yeah, I bet he did.”

“Why the hell are you laughing?”

He shakes his head, and I take one of the pillows to hit him. “I just bet Lana is keeping him busy, he went over to her father’s house anyway for business.”

“And who the fuck is that?”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t seen the little blond with fake boobs clinging to him before?”

That son of a fucking bitch. If he thinks he gets to go fuck bimbos while married to me, he is mistaken.

“Are you being serious right now, Maxim?” I try to confirm, before I lose my shit.

“What? He didn’t tell you where he was going? I wonder why.”

I snap up from the couch, my hand balled in a fist. “What’s the address?”

He laughs, “you can’t go in there.”

I shake my head, with a mischievous smile. “No, I’m not going in there. But I’m going to teach him a lesson.”

“Fuck it, I’m in. I’d love to see this.”

He hops off the couch and walks to grab his keys to drive me over to wherever he is.