Page 108 of Capuleto

"Okay," the boy admitted, defeated, "but this weekend, you have to take me to the shooting range. Or to hunt deer, like Aunt Nikita did with my other dad." My still-husband's expression hardened. He didn’t expect the mention of Yuri.

"Go on, obey and go to bed. Do you have your amulet?" I asked. He swung it with a smile. "Perfect, now go, and dream whatever you want, you know that in the world of dreams, you are the master."

The boy ran toward us, and Romeo had no choice but to stop pointing the gun at me. Adri hugged both our legs.

"I like living with you much more than at my mom’s house."

"And we like living with you too, son," my husband added, not taking his eyes off mine. He ruffled the boy’s hair and sent him to bed.

As soon as Adri walked away, the barrel returned to my chest.

Without asking, Romeo snatched my gun away.

"Move."

"Why? Don’t you want my ghost haunting your house? Or does it bother you that I’ll water the grass with my blood?"

"I don’t have to explain what I want or don’t want to do. Walk."

I had no idea what he intended, but it was a good sign that I wasn’t dead yet.

I entered the house, and when we reached the stairs, he muttered, "Up."

"You plan to drown me in the jacuzzi because it's cleaner?"

"What I do from now on is none of your business. So shut your fucking mouth. You and I are finished as a married couple, and forget about the divorce, I prefer to be a widower."

"Widower," I clicked my tongue. "That redhead’s pussy will be soaking wet."

"Wash your mouth before mentioning Irene." I elbowed him in the stomach, and he pulled my hair, slamming me against the wall. "Don’t mess with me, Koroleva, or your journey ends here."

"Then don’t compare me to that whore."

"That whore has more class than you. They say time puts everyone in their place, and in your case, it’s a mass grave," he panted over my lips.

"So what the hell are you waiting for? Weren’t you going to shoot me before Adriano showed up?"

"My son’s visit gave me the time I needed to think. It will be much easier to finish off Yuri if I have you in my hands. We’ll see what your little brother is capable of to get you back. Move!"

He turned me around, pulling my hair, then pushed me, making me stumble and climb the first steps clumsily.

I wasn’t going to resist being his prisoner, after all, it would be much easier to win him back alive than dead. I had to find a way to make him see the truth.

I bit my tongue regarding my thoughts about using me as bait to lure my brother. Yuri wouldn’t risk himself to get me back, but I wasn’t going to tell R that.

I remembered Andrey’s words, I was the wind, capable of turning the sails of Romeo’s ship to guide him back to port. Capable of setting any empire on fire, whether it belonged to my brother or anyone else.

I had chosen, and R was my choice. Even if he didn’t believe me yet, I would make sure to prove it to him.

43

Matchstick and bonfire

Icame home with the intention of killing her, of shattering her heart, of destroying her as she had done to me, and yet there she was, glowing like a fucking crown jewel and tied to my bed.

She attracted and repulsed me in equal measure, because Nikita was designed to ruin the life of any fool who dared to desire her, like a curse.

Nikita Koroleva didn’t belong to anyone. Lesson learned. Her "I love you's" had the same value as a sugar diamond, inflating your ego only to dissolve in your mouth and disappear.