Page 53 of Until Death or Defeat

I consider her words, but not even Roman wouldn’t be willing to sit and digitalize years and years’ worth of shit.

“My father was old-fashioned,” I mutter as I close the drawer.

“Don’t you want to avoid someone doing this again?”

“Sure, I’ll spend the next few weeks uploading all of these and just let my little brothers run shit,” I say sarcastically as I run a hand through my hair in frustration.

“Well, I’m here doing nothing all day anyway. I could do it.”

My eyes flash to her as she says that. “You’re offering to download years’ worth of documents for me?”

“It isn’t foryou, Artem. Whether I like it or not, I guess I’m a fucking Sokolov now.Andas the wife of thepakhan, I have to make sure my husband has everything in order.”

I look at her, my eyes taking in her body as I try to keep back the comments I want to make about the pajamas she’s in.

“As my wife, huh? Is that right?” I step forward and run my hand down her waist, stopping at the top of her shorts. “Tell me what you’re really up to,solnishko, before I fuck it out of you.”

She sighs, and then starts again. “Well in exchange for helping, you could maybe see if there’s anything else I could be useful for at least.”

“I can find many uses for you,” I say as my fingers pull on the waistband of her shorts, trying to peek at the panties she’s wearing but she slaps my hand away.

“No, you fucking pervert. Real uses for me, in the business. I’m educated and I’m?—”

“No,” I say, cutting her off, and a scowl forms on her face. “I don’t need my wife poking her nose in and causing trouble.”

“Excuse me? Causing trouble? Ifthis,” she says gesturing to the many file cabinet, “Is your definition of fucking organization and success, then you’re the one in trouble. You know I’m capable and you’re still going to sit here and do that whole act as if you think I’m someuseless woman?”

I can see her hazel eyes burning into mine as she goes off, and I ball my fist. “Is that really what you think of me, Artem? Anything I can do, a man can do better?”

I don’t answer, and the silence that envelops the room deepens the tension.

Of course, I know she’s capable.

I don’t think there’s a woman in the world more fucking well-rounded than her.

Gorgeous, respected degree, well-spoken, strong, determined. But I already put her at risk tonight, and all she did was sit prettily in my home.

She’s hardly safe just living with me and I can’t let her anywhere near the rest of this.

What if he didn’t just leave as easily as he did? What if he had come to hurt her? What if he wanted those papers so badly, he’d have killed her for stopping him? I would’ve come home to find her dead. I don’t think an inch of this god-forsaken city would be safe if that happened.

“Why don’t you understand why I do what I do? Do you know why women are left out of these things, or are you just that naive?”

She shakes her head and looks down, biting her cheek.

“It isn’t fair. I already have to hear it from my own family. You’ve practically beaten the idea into me yourself, but you know I’ll never give it up. I’m not born to be your arm candy, Artem, I can’t live my life being a scared girl who won’t go for what she wants because a man told her no. Ineedsomething to myself here. I need a purpose in my life, Artem.”

Her words almost punch me in the gut, and I have to avoid her eyes. I hate looking at this strong woman in front of me and breaking her down until she’s confused and insecure, but I don’t know how else to protect her.

“I would give you literally anything else,” I say as I softly hold her chin, “just name it. Anything but that, I just can’t.”

Her jaw tightens as I can see her trying to keep her eyes from watering.

“You can hit me, scream at me, stab me again, I don’t give a shit; just want something else. Please.”

“Why? The real answer, Artem.”

I release her chin and step back, swallowing hard.