Page 45 of Until Death or Defeat

“And this right after the missing cargo? You think this is fucking acceptable? I didn’t plan to bring this up, I was going to wait until you’ve settled into yourmarriage,” he spits the word out like venom, while flickering his eyes towards Giselle.

“But you’re embarrassing this family with these careless mistakes. You think the men will respect a little boy who doesn’t know how to run the operations properly?”

“You can’t—” I grab the back of her neck, trying to silence her. I see his eyes meet hers with disgust, but back at me once she stops.

“Yes, sir,” I mutter again. He nods with his jaw clenched, looking at Giselle with dark eyes before he stalks out of the kitchen.

“What the hell Artem? Why would you let him?—”

“Did we not discuss you not fucking undermining me?”

She searches my eyes, finding only disdain.

“This ismyfamily,myshit to deal with, you stay the hell out of men’s business. How many times have I told you to not involve yourself where you don’t belong?”

“You know what, fuck youandyour family, which IthoughtI was a part of now, but I see that I was wrong,” she says, looking hurt but masking it with anger as she storms out of the room.

She can hate me all she wants, but I couldn’t have let her talk back to my father the way she does to me. If she had an outburst, he wouldn't have hesitated to hurt her. I’ve let her get away with too much, and she’s not realizing the real danger that exists outside of our dynamic.

I’ve dealt with my father’s wrath my entire life—I can endure some more of it for her. Why does she not see why the fuck I do everything that I do? She hates my control over her, she hates how I constantly force things to go my way, and doesn’t even realize thatI’mthe one protecting her.

She doesn’t even notice how coddled she’s been her entire life. She’s always thought that she just knows everything and that she can handle anything life throws at her, and she’s wrong. She grew up living an easy life, with a family who took care of her and worried for her constantly. She never had that weight on her shoulders.

If she had grown up the way that we had all been brought up, just maybe she’d get it. Her father never beat her for disobeying, never forced her to kill someone as a child, never had to watch him hit her brother or mother, and he never made her let go of the dead body of the one she loved and leave them behind like they were trash.

I’ve tried all these years to show her what could happen to her if she isn’t careful, but I think in doing it, she’s just become determined to push her way through any dangerous situation she pleases without thinking of the consequences. This is exactly why I know that her staying here with me like this will only end badly.

11

Giselle

Irun out of the kitchen, passing everyone in the entryway as I go up the stairs.

I hear Artem’s mom call out to me, but I don’t want anyone to see me crying. Luckily his father stops her from following me, and I slam the door closed and lock it behind me. I feel bad knowing she’s leaving for Russia again and that was our last interaction, but I can’t help it.

How fucking dare he say that to me whenI’mthe one who was forced to join this family?

I didn’tchooseto get involved in his circus. I’m involved whether either of us like it or not because he’s my husband now, and whatever he does is also a reflection on me, and vice versa.

I know his father knew exactly what happened. I’m more than sure Roman would have told him. Not that I think Roman would have really had a choice, considering the interaction I just witnessed.

I have never in my life seen Artem ever take shit or bow down to literally anyone. Seeing him stand therecalmly as he’s being berated pissed me off for some reason, and I can’t stand seeing him say nothing to defend himself.

Especially because it was allmyfault. I didn’t think at all when I did what I did, I was blind with rage, and Artem could’ve just easily thrown me under the bus to save his ass and I would’ve had to accept it.

And for a moment when he took the blame, I had let myself think he was doing it just to protect me. But then he goes and opens his stupid, perfectly shaped mouth and reminds me who he really is.

It wasn’t that at all.

It wasn’t forme.

It was because in his mind I’m nothis, I’m just his liability.

I swipe at my face angrily as the first tear finally slips free.

No.

He doesn’t deserve my tears. He doesn’t deserve to constantly be able to affect my emotions and my mood with only a slip of his tongue.