With This Ring

“What are you saying?” My father asked.

“You know about what happened at our house last night, do you not?”

“Of course I do. You are with Maxim. That is perfect.”

I rolled my eyes and went on. “I’m leaving too, papa. I was only concerned because of Britney, but since she’s leaving I do not want to be here at all.”

“Where are you leaving to? I have told him to keep you safe.”

I took a deep breath to suppress my irritation. “Papa,” I said as patiently as I could. “I am not going to remain in Maxim’s house. I don’t want to be under obligation to him so please send some men to protect both my friend and me.”

“Remember what I have always told you,” he said to me. “You either follow my orders or you take your own road. There will be no men for you. If you need protection ask Maxim.”

With that he ended the call, and I was left staring at the phone in my hand in shock until I felt a surge of hatred and anger begin in my belly at the way I was being treated by these two men. God, how I wished I had money and I did not need them at all.

I dialed Maxim’s number and waited, but he did not pick up. I tried again and again, and near smashed the phone against the wall with frustration when Britney came into the bathroom fully dressed, and holding her duffel bag that we had quickly brought along with us.

“You ready?” I asked.

She nodded and I led her out of the bathroom. I dialed Maxim’s number again and when I still couldn’t reach him, I called Bianca.

“Can you help me reach Levan or Maxim?” I asked. “It’s urgent.”

“Sure,” she said, “I’ll call Levan immediately.”

She ended the call and a few minutes later, Levan called me back.

I told him what I needed for Britney and the request was instantly granted.

“But, Freya,” he said to me, “I can only allow them to take Britney. Maxim is solely in charge of you. I can’t allow you to leave until he returns and gives his personal approval.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “What? When did I lose all power over myself and become Maxim’s prisoner?”

“Stop being childish, Freya. You are there as much for your own protection as his,” Levan said. “If anything happens to you, your father will not stop until we’re all six feet in the ground.”

With a furious sigh, and with the need for Britney to be on her way as soon as possible, I agreed. “Please tell your men to please protect her in every way they can. She is very, very precious to me,” I begged.

Chapter Forty

Maxim

I came home to find her drunk… as a skunk in a beer barrel.

She was waiting on the stairs for me, and I noted the almost empty $58,000 bottle of Dalmore Highland Malt Scotch clutched in her hand. Well, at least she had taste.

I’d had one of the worst days, and I wasn’t looking forward to a tantrum from her tonight.

Pretending not to see her, I shut the door behind me and began to walk down the foyer towards my study.

“Maxim,” she yelled out, but I didn’t stop. I kept walking. Taking my phone from my pocket I was about to call Mariah to take care of her when she began to race towards me. For someone that inebriated she could move fast.

It was only instinct that caused me to turn my head and catch the glint of glass from the corner of my eye. I swerved just in time, and saved a nasty bump on my head. The bottle smashed against the wall, spilling its precious liquid and flinging sharp shards all over the place.

I looked at the disaster, my brows furrowed, then turned impatiently towards her. She really was too much.

“You’re fucking ruining my life,” she screamed as she flew towards me. “And that’s what you always do. You fucking ruin everything for everybody.”

She attacked me like a small but feral cat, nails extended, fur flying, teeth bared, legs kicking. I caught her clawed hands, but she only got even more crazed. I shook her to bring some sense back into her. When she threw her head backwards to try and somehow head butt my chest, I saw her reddened, swollen eyes. They were swimming with tears, and her cheeks were wet.

I knew what had happened. She had lost her friend and partner, but I’d assumed it was a temporary separation, and not too big a deal, but perhaps it was more serious than I’d thought.

I sighed. “Freya,” I called and she struggled to pull her hands out of my grip.

“Let me go! Let me fucking go, you animal!”

I let her go and she fell to the floor, landing on her ass.