Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
If anything, I feel more solid.
“I can see why. That man dotes on you. I may not approve of him, but—” He takes another long drink, looking reluctant. “He’s clearly a good husband.”
“So why do you keep acting like a bastard?”
“I guess I’ve been testing him. You know, pushing his limits? Seeing if I can make the monster show up. But no matter how much I poke and prod, he keeps himself under control, especially when you’re around. It’s admirable, honestly. I respect him for it.”
I laugh at the sheer audacity. My brother’s a lot of things, like charming and conceited and sometimes even funny, but I never pictured him as brave and protective. Apparently, I got him all wrong.
“Okay, I’m glad my husband passed your weird little hazing ritual, but can you please cut it out? I’m tired of the fights.”
“I really do need to give my men something to do,” he says, then makes a surrender gesture with both hands. “But I’ll back off. For now, anyway.”
“Thank you.” Relief floods me. This tension has been such a pain, and it’ll be nice if they could get along for the remainder of Evan’s trip here.
“One more thing, though.” He leans in closer. “Have you told him yet?”
“About… what?” I swallow, already sure of the answer.
“You’ve come out of your shell way more than I ever thought you would, but you’re still the same old Dash.” He beams at me, but I don’t share his amusement.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re locking all those feelings up. That’s what you’ve always done, right?”
“I don’t, I mean, you’re not—” I cross my arms, my cheeks turning red with frustration. Because I know he’s right.
Bury it down. Chin up, spine straight. Act all prim and proper, become the perfect submissive girl, and nobody will hurt you.
That’s been my mantra for twelve long years.
Make all the trauma disappear through sheer force of will.
But it doesn’t work anymore. I can’t keep living my life pretending I’m one thing when really, I’m another entirely.
I’m not prim. I’m not proper. And I’m sure as heck not perfect.
I’m just Dasha, and I’m still trying to figure it out.
“You should tell him,” Evan says, glancing toward the kitchen before he stands up. “I bet he feels the same.”
“I don’t know.” I’m burning with butterflies and nervous fear. “Maybe he doesn’t.”
“Dash, you’re insane. Have you seen the way he looks at you? It’s like you’re a princess. No, like you’re a freaking angel.” He pats my shoulder as he walks past. “Tell the mudak I said I’ll talk to him later. And next time, we’ll get along, all right?”
“Wait, hold on,” I say, hopping up. “Are you serious about, you know—”
“See you later, Dash.” He walks off, leaving me alone in the dining room. I plop back down in my chair, feeling depleted and scared. Not because anything’s wrong, but because if Evan can see what I really think about Tigran, then I can’t keep it hidden for much longer.
Tigran emerges a few minutes later with some tea. “Did your brother leave?” he asks.
“A little while ago. I made him promise to get along with you better.” I take a sip of the herbal sleepy-time blend. “And now you’re going to do the same.”
He scowls, shaking his head. “Why would I do that? The vngstan has been nothing but a pain in my ass.”
I have no clue what that word means, but I suspect it’s not really good happy friend.
“You’ll do it for me. And also because Evan’s just being protective.” I arch my eyebrows and blow on my tea. “Sound familiar?”
“He’s lucky I’m married to his sister,” Tigran grumbles. I love it when he gives in to me. I doubt he bends for basically anyone else. “Otherwise—” He cuts a hand across his throat.
“Make peace. He will too, I promise.”
“Fine. For you, anything. You know that.”
More butterflies assault my belly. Right where our baby’s growing.
“I know,” I say, grinning at my gorgeous husband.
Chapter 35
Tigran
“You know, I expected to hate this city,” Evan says as he walks beside me. He’s got this obnoxious swagger to his gait that annoys the hell out of me. “But it’s actually not so bad.”
“I’m so glad you approve of my city.”
“It’s not Philly, but Baltimore’s got charm.”
I give him a withering look. “Coming from you, that’s such a fucking compliment.”
He laughs, ignoring the scowl I keep pinned on him, and keeps on strutting along.
Dasha’s brother annoys the hell out of me. We’re two very different people. I’m quiet and brooding while he’s outgoing and charming. Or at least he thinks he’s charming. I find him annoying for the most part.
But he’s been trying to get along with me ever since that dinner two weeks ago.
Since Dasha asked me to do the same, I haven’t killed him.