Page 65 of Claimed By the Pakhan

“Where are you going with this?”

“I still stand by what I said, and I need you to listen.”

“I’m all ears,” I drawl, dumping myself on the bed upstairs.

“You’re in love with the wrong man.”

“You met Emil briefly and think you have the man figured out.”

“I don’t know the man, but I do know you. In the hospital cafeteria, you told me you needed to get as far away from Emil as possible, unable to trust your body around him,” she says, taking a beat, like she’s pausing for dramatic effect. “You know you need to take action and run far away from this man, who, by the way, is a murderer,” says Chloe. “I understand why you’re reluctant to leave. Your husband is the god of celebrity crushes, wanted by every female in the world, but that doesn’t change the facts of who he really is at his core, when you look at things objectively.”

She’s encouraging me to think rationally, huh…

“He’ll ruin you, Fia.”

“But maybe I’m to blame for us meeting. Perhaps I ran into trouble with him. Inserting myself into people’s business is something I’d do for answers.”

“I know,” says Chloe. “And I see what you’re saying, but regardless of how you met, enough is enough. Talking to you about this is hard because I risk falling out with my best friend, but I don’t want to attend your funeral, Fia,” she sighs.

“Emil won’t murder me.”

“But you’re sucked into that world. You could become collateral. Think about the twins, about the promise you made to yourself in the graduation book…”

I screw shut my eyes, sitting back in bed and groaning. “I love him.”

Those three small words make me incredibly vulnerable, but my feelings for Emil is the only thing that is making sense at the moment.

“I know, but I loveyou,Fia, which is why I will never stop fighting for you. Out of all the people I know, you deserve happiness more than anyone after your rough childhood.”

“Then let me be happy.”

“Even if it results in your death?”

“Quality over quantity, right?” I joke, propping myself up against the headboard, the fingernail marks causing my head to spiral.

Emil shows similar characteristics to my father, but unlike him, I trust that my husband would never hurt me.

“I knew something before,” I tell Chloe. “That is why I was hit by the car.”

“You think you were set up?”

“No, Iknow,” I say, biting my lip. “Look, I have to go.”

“Think about what I said,” suggests Chloe. “Because in the real world, a man kidnapping you every time you run away is fucking weird.”

“Yeah,” I say into the receiver before ending the call. “I get where you’re coming from. See you later.” I end the call, tossing thephone across the bed so I can rub my face aggressively with both hands.

The kidnapping thingisfucking weird, but replace ‘man’ with ‘Emil’ and the scenario instantly becomes hot.

Deciding I’m well and truly fucked, I head downstairs and become even more fucked when my husband walks over, offering me scrambled eggs, toast, and a kiss on the lips to make the pain all go away.

23

EMIL

A foghorn reverberatesthrough the yard, guiding one of the ships into port. I stand on the top of a shipping container watching it dock, the wind blowing my hair away from my face.

The freight ship approaches, bright white lights cutting through the haze, causing me to shield my eyes for a few seconds. The watch tower, towering above over on my left, is in complete darkness, but someone could be squatting in there. They could be taking the docks from me right now, but Alexander and his crew lack bravery, which is why I’ve succeeded for so many years.