I’m about to push off the bar and walk towards her when I see who she’s talking to.
Ardalion Pushkin. What the fuck would she have to talk to him about? Anger spikes through me.
From across the room, he lifts his hand and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. She smiles and turns her head away, but doesn’t leave the conversation.
My blood boils like lava as I push through the crowd towards them. My eyes are burning daggers into Ardalion. Watching him flirt with my wife, blatant, unrestrained flirting—it makes me forget that I have to keep things civil between us. It makes me want to punch his face until there is nothing left of it.
I arrive at their side and immediately grab Ulyana, tugging her harshly towards me and wrapping my arm around her. She yelps in surprise and spills some of her drink. Ardalion looks amused.
“Benedikt, I was just talking to your exquisite wife. What a specimen she is.”
“I will fucking rip your eyes from your skull if you ever look at her again,” I growl beneath my breath, causing Ulyana to gasp and glare at me.
“Benedikt,” she huffs, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment.
She pulls away from me, and I grab her arm.
Chapter 12 - Ulyana
I can’t believe he is behaving like this. And I can’t believe he is treating me like some commodity in front of this man. I know enough about the Bratva world to understand that you treat your allies and your enemies with respect. Ardalion is the leader of Los Angeles, it’s not uncommon knowledge. And now Benedikt has just embarrassed me in front of the man.
I’m about to storm away from him when he grabs my arm, digging his fingers into my skin. “We’re leaving,” he growls.
“I’m leaving,” I snap, trying to pull free again, but he’s holding too tightly.
Ardalion snickers and says, “Looks like true love,” then walks away from us. I’m dying inside. This is more embarrassing than I care to admit.
I glance around to see if anyone else is watching, and there are one or two people staring in morbid curiosity.
The embarrassment sinks deeper.
Benedikt, still gripping my arm too tightly, drags me away from the room and out onto the balcony to the left of the bar.
Only once we are outside does he let go of my arm.
“You're such an asshole. How dare you treat me like that in front of everyone?” I snap angrily. “I am not a child. Who the hell do you think you are?” I’m so angry it feels like my heart is going to burst right out of my rib cage as it beats a million miles an hour. My fists are clenched, and my cheeks are hot as I glare at him.
“I am your fucking husband who just caught you flirting with Ardalion Pushkin,” he growls back at me.
“I was not flirting,” I say, trying to keep my voice down despite the fact that I want to scream at him.
“Do you think I’m fucking blind, Ulyana?”
“I think you’re fucking immature and forgot how to behave like a man,” I snap back.
This conversation is going nowhere and I’m over it. I refuse to deal with him now, in front of everyone, causing a scene, being treated like I’m not even worthy of basic respect.
I shake my head, my eyes burning into him with a look of disgust.
Then I spin on my heel and storm off the balcony, back into the party, to make my way outside to where the cars are parked.
Benedikt realizes what I’m doing and runs after me.
Outside in the parking lot, he snaps at me again. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
“I’m calling an Uber and leaving. You can do whatever the fuck you want. I’m done here.” I pull out my phone and scroll to the app to book a ride home. To my horror, Benedikt grabs my phone from me.
“Give that back, you’re behaving like a child,” I say angrily.
