Page 100 of His Prince
“I hate you,” I whisper, and Mikhail’s nostrils flare, his hands curling into fists at his sides. “You’re awful. A hateful, terrible man. I wish I’d never married you.”
“Is that what you wish?” he hisses, moving so close to me I could reach out and lay my hand on his ticking jaw. But I don’t do that. We don’t touch. We do nothing but stare at one another.
“Yes,” I reply, a lump in my throat, my eyes stinging. “I wish I’d never met you.”
“Fine then, my little devil. We can dissolve the contract. Get a divorce. Whatever the fuck you want.”
As he says that, something moves across his face, something indiscernible, but it’s there. And I wish I knew what it was. I want to know despite everything.
“Did you offer her a divorce too?” I can’t help but ask. “Or did you just murder her instead?”
His eye twitches uncontrollably. “Do not speak about her in this house.”
“I will if I want to. I didn’t even know you had a wife, Mikhail. Is lying second nature to you or did you just not respect me enough to tell me?”
“She’s inconsequential, a blight, no one of importance.”
“She was your wife!” I nearly scream. “And you murdered her!”
“I did!” he shouts, his body almost growing in size with his anger. “I did. I slit her fucking throat and watched her die. And I’d do it again! I’d fucking murder her again.”
The admission makes me shrink back, and for the first time fear snakes through me. I married a monster, a man so calloused, so unfeeling that he regrets nothing.
I should have left right away. I should have never tried to make this work.
There’s nothing in him worth saving. Nothing redeemable.
“I’m leaving. Do not follow me,” I say and step to my side.
“You’re leaving the house?”
“No. Just leaving the room.”
He deflates slightly, and I bite back a sob. But I don’t break down, not in front of him. Not in front of anyone. So I turn and run from the room.
I’m such a fool.
Such a fucking fool.
I sleep in bed with Diablo and Skylar that night, tucked into my twin just like we used to when we were younger.
“I’m going to murder him,” Diablo whispers into my ear as I try to sleep. Not that I can. I’m distraught. “I’m going to cut him to pieces and bury him where no one can find him.”
Skylar grumbles next to him, the bed shifting as he tries to get comfortable. But he’s not sleeping any more than we are. Poor guy. He didn’t ask for this, but let me in their bed all the same.
“I don’t want you to kill him. I just want to leave. I want to be happy, Diablo.”
My eyes are wet, leaking onto my twin’s shirt, and I can feel him vibrating with anger.
“You will be happy when we get you out of here.”
“Please don’t tell Dad, though. Not yet. I want to enjoy my time with him and Tatum. When they leave, I’ll get this sorted.”
“I’ll stay until you do.”
“You don’t need to.”
“I will. I’m not leaving you with him.”