Jadon turns to leave the kitchen and Ulyana is standing in the doorway. She is glaring at me with such intensity that I can feel the heat of it from across the kitchen.
Jadon notices as well and makes a very quick escape, leaving me alone with her.
She takes a step towards me, clenching her jaw, his fists knotted at her sides. “You asked him to check if I really have an appointment?”
Her voice is as cold as ice.
Fuck. She heard that.
I fold my arms across my chest. “I’m trying to keep you safe you, Ulyana,” I say sternly.
“By calling me a liar?”
“That’s not what I said. I just don’t want you going out when it’s not completely necessary,” I sigh, pushing my hand through my hair, exhausted by this constant worry.
“And who gave you permission to control my life like that? Who put you in charge of deciding what’s necessary for me and what’s not?”
“It’s not necessary for you to get your hair done,” I huff. Her hair looks amazing, what in the world does she want to do to it anyway?
“Okay, so no hair appointments. What about shopping? No shopping? What about visiting my friends? No? What if I want to go for a walk to the park? Do I have yourpermission?” She keeps going, pushing my patience to the limits.
“How about you stay home and don’t go anywhere until Miron is captured and there isn’t any danger?” I blurt out.
“That could bemonths. And you expect me cower away like a broken thing, hiding from him. I won’t. He’s taken enough from me already.”
“Youwill, Ulyana.You will stay home, and if you want to go out you will go with me.I already told you. I am your husband. It is my responsibility to keep you safe, and I forbid you from going anywhere without me.”
She presses her lips together, scrunches her nose and lets out a very sharp breath. Without a word, but with her entire body emanating the anger she can’t hide, she turns and storms away from me.
“Don’t walk away from me, Ulyana,” I snap. But she’s gone.
How can she not see that I’m only trying to protect her? Why the hell is she so determined to make it impossible?
Everything I’m doing, even looking into the truth of her appointment, it’s all to keep her safe.
Maybe once it’s all over she’ll see that. She’ll understand.
For now, I’m just going to have to try and explain to her that it’s for the best. I can’t budge on this. I will protect her.
I follow after her, not wanting to leave it like that.
We’ve been bickering non-stop and I hate it.
“Ulyana,” I say gently as I walk into our room.
But in the doorway I freeze, staring in disbelief.
She has an overnight bag open on the bed and she’s busy packing it. She doesn’t look up at me, just continues to pack. Her sweatpants, a pair of jeans, her other sneakers.
“What are you doing?” I demand, anger spiking worse than before.
“I don’t have to stay here,” she blurts out. “You don’t own me, Benedikt. I’m not your possession that you get to lock away in a basement.”
Her words cut into me.
“Are you saying I’m like Miron?” I shout, angry that she would make that reference and compare me to him.
“Well, if the shoe fits. At this point you are treating me like a prisoner, like you get to decide what happens in my life. Maybe that makes you no better than him.”
