Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
So, after breakfast, Ivan took his leave and promised to see us tonight. I was alone with my wife. Great. Just fucking great.
****
Lottie
I had a feeling Ive didn’t like me. Maybe it was the silent treatment, or the constant glare that seemed to be glued to his face. Either way, he wasn’t happy, and I had a feeling it was my fault. I didn’t ask to be invited along on whatever business he had to deal with. Stuck in the back of the car while Hubert drove us toward the city.
If he thought silence would be a problem to me, he was mistaken. I liked silence. It was fun, calm, easy. Staring out the window, we left what seemed like the countryside where there was barely anyone around, to being completely immersed into city life, and I hated it.
The people were miserable. I didn’t see a single person with a smile on their face. I’d grown up relying on facial expressions to know people’s moods. No one was happy.
I’d rather be back home where I saw the occasional staff and guard. Michael was far more talkative than my husband. Even Hubert was talkative, but not Ive. No, he was pissed off because his boss told him he had to take me along for the ride.
Turning back toward my husband I nibbled my lip. “You know, I could have stayed home.”
“Ivan would have found out,” Ive said. “He told me to take you, so I’m taking you with me.”
“But you’ve got work to do.”
“I’ve always got work to do, Charlotte. Your presence is not going to stop me.”
Okay. He was pissed off. Sitting back, I stare out the window and we come to a stop outside of a clothing store.
“You own a fashion boutique?” I asked.
“No, but Ivan will expect you to dress appropriately and I don’t recall you owning the right kind of clothes for being a Bratva’s wife,” Ive said.
Glancing down at my old jeans and shirt, he wasn’t wrong. The clothes I owned were from back home and they were the ones Cassie had gotten for me, when she convinced our father to let her take me shopping. If he ever thought there was any benefit for me, he’d deny it. Cassie had a way of pretending she wanted to dress me like a doll. He accepted that, so I got new clothes. If he thought I liked them, he’d destroy them.
Cassie was always careful about what she got me. Dresses were off limits most of the time. If she showed enjoyment and I showed hatred, I was allowed to keep them. Strange.
Hubert parked at one of the few spaces and Ive stepped out first. I was about to grab the door handle but then I saw his hand appear to take mine. I slid my hand into his and each time I touched him, I felt this zap of electricity that seemed to travel up my arm. Every time it happened, I ignored it. I liked it when Ive touched me. He was my husband so at least that was a bonus.
There was a woman waiting at the doors and she opened them to Ive. I saw the smile on her face and the fact she’d opened several buttons of her shirt.
“Ive, I was so pleased you could call.”
“My wife needs clothes befitting a woman of her status,” Ive said. “I want you to gather everything that’s appropriate and meet us at the dressing rooms.”
Ive took my hand and we moved through the store. I wasn’t going to get the chance to see my own wardrobe. Another woman who clearly had the hots for my husband was going to choose clothes for me.
“Do you know her?” I asked as we arrived at a large changing area. There was a long sofa that looked luxurious and Ive sat down. There were several changing stations, complete with curtains for privacy. I also happened to notice there was no one else around.
“I know her,” he said.
“How come no one is around?” I asked.
“I don’t like company when I attempt to get my wife to look the part.”
His jibes were not affecting me. It took a lot to get to me. I guess I had my dad to thank for that. Wrapping my arms around my waist, I looked around the store. It didn’t take long for the assistant to arrive. Her arms were full of clothes.
“Get started,” Ive said. “I need to see every outfit.”
I was pushed into one of the changing rooms. The woman, who had the name “Sophie” on her name tag, lost all niceness behind the curtain. If looks could kill, I’d be dead already. I didn’t like getting naked in front of anyone, so I asked her to put them into outfits, and then to leave.
I’m aware of the scars that decorated my body. Belts and fists would do that, especially if you weren’t allowed to clean them right away. Cassie hated when he forced me to wait and bleed. On one occasion, one of the cuts from his belt had gotten infected and I’d nearly died. I think he was trying to kill me. Rage had been there when I passed out, so I’d been given courses of antibiotics and at Rage’s insistence, round-the-clock doctor’s care. My dad was pissed at that one.