Arranged Bratva Love

Adelaide

I had a very bad headache. Jerking up in bed, I covered my face with my hands as the pain exploded.

“There are painkillers by the water,” Andrei said.

His voice sounded way too smug.

Dropping my hands, I looked into the smirking face of my husband. I didn’t care. Glancing to my left, I saw the tall glass of water and the white pills. They looked like the kind for migraines and for now, I was willing to take them. Would Andrei kill his wife after having a party?

His liquor had been so gross but once I started, it was like the monster just wouldn’t stop. One sip had been two, then three, then four, then five, and well, half the bottle had gone. I wasn’t a drinker. I hated wine and beer. At dinners I drank it, and by drank, I meant sipped, and often asked the waiter to change it for water.

I don’t know what happened yesterday. One moment I’d been lonely, trying to figure out how to meet up with Nathan. I missed my best friend and wanted to see him so desperately, but Andrei had been colder and more aloof than ever before. Something was going on in his life. I got it, and to a point, I understood it. He was an important person in the Volkov Bratva. He had a lot of important things to deal with. I wasn’t important. I’m the wife, the annoying person he didn’t want in his life.

I swigged back the painkillers, one after the other. I hated taking pills. For some reason I felt like they were three times larger than they were. I knew I swallowed more in a mouthful of pasta than I did in a single pill, but that was beside the point. After the pills went down, I finished the glass of water, needing something to take the taste away.

I winced and looked at Andrei. “Did I vomit?”

“Yeah, you did, and even though I took care of your feet, I didn’t think you’d appreciate me attempting to brush your teeth.”

I pulled the blanket off, hoping to go and clean my mouth, but I was in a pair of panties and bra. Gasping, I grab the blanket, trying to hide my nakedness, but that didn’t help.

He chuckled. “I’ve seen it all yesterday.”

Vague, hazy memories filtered through, and I knew I’d made a fool of myself. Odd conversational pieces of where I compare myself to Bethany come to mind.

I drop my head into my hands. “Oh, God, I was … did I come on to you?”

“Unless you count demanding a divorce as a come-on?” Andrei asked.

This made me lift my head. “I … asked for a divorce?”

Andrei moved from the chair to the bed, toward the edge.

I moved my legs out of the way to make room for him. Licking my dry lips and hating the taste in my mouth.

“Adelaide, you’re not getting a divorce. The only way out of this marriage is by death, or old age.”

I nod, pressing my lips together. “I know you wanted Bethany. You were supposed to marry her.”

“Bethany was a piece of shit and a slut. I didn’t want her. I was doing what Ivan wanted me to.”

“You don’t get to call my sister a slut.”

“She’s a piece of shit and that’s acceptable?” he asked.

“You didn’t live a celibate life. You don’t get to call her anything.”

“Your issue here is the double standard?” He tilted his head to one side.

I frowned, running fingers through my hair, and groaned. “It’s a lot of things. Just ignore me. Bethany and my feelings about her are complicated. She is still my sister.”

“Yeah, and she hates your guts, Adelaide. You don’t have to pretend for me.”

“I don’t…”

“She was the one who made sure your dress was too small at the wedding,” Andrei said. “On the night before the wedding, she took your room away from you when she realized I was the one who arranged for you to be waited on.”

“What?”

Andrei pursed his lips. This was news to me.

“Bethany and your parents knew what they were getting themselves into. You did not. Binding you to me, I can imagine would be difficult for any woman, and I figured if you had … the night before you were due to marry me, I’d arranged an all-spa treatment for you, to help you to relax. Bethany found out, and she took it.”

“I had no idea.” I nibble my lip. That was kind of sweet, and now I’m pissed off that once again, Bethany was there to take something that didn’t belong to her, as usual. Taking a deep breath, I exhaled slowly.

“I was hoping to avoid the panic attack you inevitably had at the wedding.”

“That was … I was able to marry you but it was what Bethany said afterward.” I looked down at the blanket.

“What did she say?”

When he asked me this on our wedding day, I’d avoided talking about it. Pushing some of my hair, which had to look a mess right now, out of my face, I looked over his shoulder. My stomach was not happy right now.

“She told me that you liked … that you … this is … you enjoy pain. You enjoy making a woman bleed, and you relish hitting women. It was a whole big explanation about how in order for you to get off, you beat a woman to death, and that was what you would do to me. That my virgin status would only make you more thirsty for my blood.”

With Bethany, she’d used more descriptive words and vulgar language.

“She was trying to scare you, Adelaide.”

“I know. If you were so awful, you wouldn’t have left me alone on our wedding night, and other nights since we’ve been married.” I shrugged. I didn’t know for sure if I was happy that he left me alone. Was it a good thing? “I guess, looking at it like that, we could get an annulment. No need for death or divorce.”

“Not happening.”

“Andrei, you can’t be happy.”

“Happy or not, Adelaide, you’re my wife and you’re staying that way.”

It was like talking to a brick wall.

“I don’t want to be miserable,” I said, feeling the tears fill my eyes. He went blurry as I tried to fight them, but I couldn’t. “I don’t want to live like this anymore, Andrei. The way you talked to me, treating me like a child.” I glanced around the penthouse suite. “I’m not used to this. I need my freedom.” Running a hand down my face, I didn’t want to give up. “Don’t you want to have a marriage you can … enjoy?”

He looked at me.

Silent.

Pressing my lips together, I was ready to give up. There was no point in trying to find an amicable solution, but then, I couldn’t do it.

Weeks, months, and years of living like this-the very thought made me miserable. I didn’t even want to imagine the time spent actually living it.

“Can’t we be friends?” I asked. “Don’t you want that at least? I … you didn’t want to be married to me, but don’t you want to at least find some peace where you’re happy to come home, or to see me?”

“Is that what you want?” he asked.

“I want it for both of us.” I reached for his hand, and was surprised he didn’t fight me. “I know a lot of women as girls planned their marriage. They even thought about what their husband would be like. I never did. Not for a single second did I waste time looking through magazines, admiring dresses. I’ve always been a … I guess a loner, really. I like my own company, but if I were going to marry, I’d hoped it would be for love and with a man who could love me. I don’t expect you to love me, Andrei. I know you can’t, but I want to care about you, and I hope you can one day care about me.”

Was I talking trash? I don’t know.

Andrei looked at our hands and he gave my hand a squeeze. “What do you suggest?”

“You … you mean that?” I asked.

“I’m listening, Adelaide, but you only have this one time to sell it,” he said.

I laughed and couldn’t help but cup his face and kiss his lips quickly. “You’ve got to let me go out on my own, maybe even volunteer at the shelter.”

“No to both.”

My smile fell.

“I will compromise. You cannot volunteer, but you can donate and visit the shelter to walk the dogs or whatever it is you do, so long as you have a man of my choosing by your side.”

That didn’t sound like the greatest idea, but it was better than nothing at all. A compromise. “Deal.”

“Anything else?”

“I want to be able to have use of my cell phone and laptop whenever I want,” I said.

He tutted.

“I swear I will not do anything you regret.”

“You’re to make this place your home,” he said.

“What?”

“If you have your laptop and cell phone, you’re to put your mark on this penthouse suite.”

“You mean that?”

“I don’t say anything I don’t mean.”

I smiled. “Okay, and how about you try to make it home so we can enjoy dinner together?”

“I’m not going vegan,” he said.

This did make me laugh. “I’m not going to ask you to.”

“Deal.”

I felt so much happier than before. This was new. This was hope that we could finally make it work.

“I’m sorry about last night.”

“Don’t be, even though you did ruin a perfectly good scotch and an amazing decanter.”Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

I groaned at the guilt.

“I’m sorry.”

He waved his hand in the air.

I was about to say something else, but the sound of our doorbell rang through the penthouse.

“I’ll be back,” he said.

The moment he left the bedroom, I rushed to the bathroom, used the toilet, washed my hands, and then quickly brushed my teeth.

Staring at my reflection, I winced. My hair was a mess. At least I didn’t have puffy eyes or anything like that. I’d not cried myself to sleep. I grabbed a brush and ran it through my hair a few times, trying to bring some order to the wayward color.

I gave up. Each time the brush touched it, it seemed to go even more unruly.

At least my mouth was a lot fresher. Returning to the bedroom, I found Andrei waiting. He’d gotten a tray with coffee and a cinnamon bun on the plate.

“Breakfast?” I asked.

“I know you like them.”

Cinnamon buns were my favorite. I couldn’t get enough of them.

I still wore the white lingerie that was far too revealing. For a few seconds I hesitated, feeling the need to hide my nakedness, but Andrei didn’t seem to notice.

Sliding back into the bed, I pulled the covers up to my chin and took a sip of coffee. I didn’t care that I still had the full taste of peppermint from my toothpaste. The coffee was exactly what I needed. After a few scalding sips, I reached for the bun and marveled at how warm it still felt. One bite and I was lost. Cinnamon was one of my favorite spices. I loved anything that contained it. I even enjoyed cinnamon-scented candles.

Every now and then, I looked toward Andrei, but he finished off his own cinnamon bun and coffee.

“I need to leave for work soon. Get dressed, I have your guard outside and I want to introduce you.”

“So soon?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” I swallowed the last of my coffee, and Andrei took the empty cup from my hand.

He turned away and left the room.

Climbing out of bed, I rush to the closet, and rather than pick one of the outfits I’d managed to steal away from my parents before they threw them out, I look through the clothes Andrei had chosen. I settled on a black pencil skirt and white cowl-neck blouse. Wrapping my hair into a bun, I glanced in the mirror, happy with how I looked.

My feet were hurting but the pain was bearable. If I showed any signs of pain, he might not let me leave.

Checking my cell phone, I see Nathan is in the city, and he wanted to meet up early. Typing a response, I promise to meet him at lunch. He sends me a link to a restaurant I’d never heard of, and I agree to meet him. I don’t want to keep Andrei waiting another moment, and rush out to see him.

When he catches sight of me, he doesn’t look pleased. I had dressed for him, in the hope of making him happy. It’s all part of the compromise. This was the first day our marriage had seemed hopeful. How could he not be happy with the clothes he’d chosen for me to wear?

“Adelaide, this is Leo,” he said. “He will be your guard, escorting you wherever you need to go.”

I recognized Leo as his driver. Was he the only guy he trusted? Who was going to take care of him? I didn’t complain. Forcing a smile to my lips, I held out my hand but Andrei took it.

“Er, it’s nice to meet you,” I said.

Leo nodded, but he didn’t smile.

This didn’t seem at all like it was going to be a good fit.