Maksim inclines his head. That tells me everything I need to know. I can’t trust him and yet, I have to. He’ll surely tell Nikolai about this and then who knows what will happen?
I can’t ask Doris to call the police. I have no evidence to use against Nikolai. Him telling me he’s killed people is not enough. I don’t have any details. I can’t get him locked up.
I’m stuck with my husband who confuses me and strangely excites me. When he took my wedding dress off, it made me tingle in a way I hadn’t been expecting. Almost like… arousal.
But I know I can’t fully trust him. Not when he has so much power over me.
“I can help you,” Maksim says. “Come with me.”
There is one thing I do know though: Nikolai claims he wants to protect me. He did save me from being bought… only to force me into a marriage. The whole thing is confusing. What I do know though is that I can’t trust Maksim. He could be lying. Nikolai did tell me that he has enemies. Maybe Maksim is one of them.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I say. “I’m staying right here. If you’re a friend of my husband’s then prove it.”
He pulls out his phone and makes a call. “Nikolai? Sorry to wake you up but your wife is in the lobby. You should probably come down.” He hangs up and gives me a satisfied smirk. “See? Friend.”
I relax slightly. At least Maksim is a friend of Nikolai’s and not an enemy. That only comforts me a tiny bit.
A few minutes later, Nikolai comes storming into the lobby. Anger is visible in his eyes.
“What’s going on here?” he demands.
“Sir,” Doris cuts in, “I am going to have to ask you to be calm.”
Nikolai stares at the woman like she’s insane before he takes my arm and walks be across the lobby. Maksim hovers near us. “What is going on? Why aren’t you in our room?”
“You said I could go wherever I wanted.”
“I did. But I also said with me or a guard. Not by yourself.”
“But your friend, Maksim, is here.”
Maksim decides to join our conversation. “She was trying to get help. Trying to leave you. That much was obvious.”
All the air leaves me. So, while Maksim is a friend of Nikolai’s, it’s clear he’s loyal to my husband, which makes him someone I can’t trust. He sold me out to Nikolai within seconds.
Nikolai turns his anger-filled eyes onto me. “Is this true?”
There’s no point in denying it. “Can you blame me?”
He sighs, running his hand down his face. “No. I can’t blame you. I figured you would try to run at some point. I just didn’t assume it would be on our wedding night.”
“Were you at the wedding?” I ask Maksim.
He inclines his head. “I was.”
The wedding passed by in such a blur, I don’t even remember the people there. How sad is that? Also, how terrifying. I couldn’t even recognize someone at my own wedding. I don’t know any of Nikolai’s friends. I don’t know… anything.
“Let’s get you back to your room,” Nikolai says.
“She was going to call the police on you,” Maksim adds.
“No!” I rush to say. “I just… wanted to get away. Get somewhere safe.”
Nikolai sighs and takes my arm gently in his hand. “Come on, Irina.”
With no other choice, I follow him back to our room. Maksim fortunately doesn’t follow.
Once it’s just the two of us in our private suite, my heart begins to pound so fast, it makes me woozy.