He treats me like a woman, not a child.
He lets me have freedom to choose.
Bottom line, I want Ilya.
The door to Demyan and Erin’s room opens and closes, and Demyan strides across the floor. He pauses outside my room, and then he disappears down the stairs.
“Coward.” I get up and look at Albert. “I don’t know about you, but I’m having this out with my brother. Now.”
I leave it up to Albert to come with me or stay here, and I hurry downstairs before I lose my nerve.
When I reach his study, I don’t knock. I just go in.
“Al—”
“Why the fuck did you do that, Demyan?” I glare at him. “Why did you try and beat Ilya up?”
He stares at me in shock. “I wasn’t aware I failed.”
“Ilya got some damage in on you, too. The fight wasn’t fair though. You attacked him. He’s your closest friend. Why the hell did you do it?”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” he snarls. “I was defending your honor.”
“My…” I stop, shake my head. “And what you did to Albert?”
He holds up his hand. There are two small marks from Albert’s teeth. “He. Bit. Me.”
“He’s not an attack dog. He’s gentle.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“He was defending Ilya,” I spit out and cross my arms.
“I said sorry to the damn dog,” he snaps. “What more do you want? You’re lucky I didn’t take him to the pound.”
His words are like a knife.
“Demyan!”
“If he tried that on Nadya or Sasha?—”
“He wouldn’t. He adores your children. And I know this dog would defend them. He’s such a mild-mannered creature.Youwould bring the demon from a saint.”
“Yeah, well, explain why I was defending you to the dog, okay?” he mutters.
“I don’t need defending. Not me or my honor.” I look my brother up and down, my fury threatening to choke me. “The only thing you’re concerned about is your precious ego.”
“My ego has nothing to do with this.”
“Doesn’t it?” I snap. “I waited until I was calm enough to come and talk to you. This is me, calm enough.” I suck in air. “Remember, Demyan, I stayed in that kitchen while you and Ilya talked. I heard you both. I heard what you said, and you’re pathetic. I don’t know how that happened because I’ve never thought of you that way, but in that moment, that’s what you became.”
“Watch your tongue,” he warns.
“Why? Are you going to hit me, too?”
Demyan recoils like I’ve punched him, and I want to take the words back. He’d never in his life lift a hand against me. I knowhow much he loves me, and I love him, too. I just want him to see that this is the wrong path, and he needs to get off it before he does something he can’t undo.
Not with me.
