HALSTON.
By the time we returned to the estate, the wedding was over, the guests were gone, and the silence felt louder than the vows ever had.
The silver chain still linked us together.
Kaira walked beside me like a prisoner, still angry enough to burn the entire mansion to the ground if given a match.
The staff stood in quiet lines as we entered.
I walked past the grand staircase, past the corridor that led to her old room, and headed straight for the master suite.
Immediately she noticed, her heels stopped against the floor.
“That’s not my room.”
I kept walking, the chain rattling her forward.
“It is now.”
When we entered the master suite, I finally unlocked the silver cuff from my wrist and let the chain fall onto the table.
Kaira stood in the center of my master suite, the ruined white silk of her gown looking like a ghost in the dim light.
She watched me with eyes that could have stripped the paint off the walls.
I removed my jacket slowly, draping it over the chair before walking to the bar cart near the window.
I poured myself a whiskey, the ice clinking against the glass.
“What now?” she asked.
Her voice was low, brittle.
I took a slow sip before answering.
“Now,” I responded, “you learn how to be my wife.”
I turned slightly, watching her from the corner of my eye.
She said nothing, but her expression promised murder in at least seven creative ways.
I took off my wrist watch and walked toward the bed to place it at the nightstand.
As I stepped into her space, she flinched, pulling back so sharply she hit the bedpost.
Her eyes were wide and braced for a blow.
I paused, the scent of her perfume hitting me square in the chest.
I let a cold smirk pull at my mouth.
“You think I’m going to force myself on you?”
She said nothing.
“Relax,” I drawled.
“I do not take things that are forced, Kaira.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“If I ever touch you,” I continued, holding her gaze, “you’ll be the one asking for it.” I left the bed for her and moved toward the couch near the fireplace.
She frowned.
“You’re sleeping there?”
I loosened my tie and headed to the bathroom.
“Enjoy the little acts of kindness while you still can.”
************
The next morning, chaos began at breakfast.
As expected.
I was already seated at the dining table when she walked in wearing one of those house robes.
“Good morning, Mrs.
Redd.” A maid greeted.
Kaira stopped walking, turning slowly.
“Say that again.”
The maid looked like she regretted every decision that led to this moment.
She hesitated.
“M-Mrs. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
Redd…”
Kaira looked like she wanted to vomit at the mention of the name.
“You’d frightened the poor girl” I flicked a finger of dismissal.
Kaira inhaled and sat across from me.
“I have a few things to ask of you.” She said and got into eating her breakfast.
Without glancing over at her, I responded.
“I’m all ears.”
“I want separate rooms, I feel…”
She had not even finished her sentence when I cut in.
“No.”
I saw the fury flicker behind her eyes, but she swallowed it down and tried again.
“I should at least be granted the liberty to leave this estate when I want to.” She straightened in her chair, pausing her breakfast.
“Earn it,” I replied simply.
Her eyes narrowed.
“Earn it?”
My gaze finally lifted from my plate to look at her.
“I don’t think I said otherwise” I shrugged.
She grabbed a piece of bread and hurled it at my head.
It grazed my ear.
I slowly wiped a stray crumb from my collar, my gaze locking onto hers.
“Careful, wife,” I murmured.
Her eyes glared at me as she scoffed.
Beside me, Oliver made a sound like a choked-off sneeze, his face turning purple as he tried to suppress a laugh.
Against my better judgment, I nearly smiled too.
____________
That afternoon, I brought her to a summit with the elder associates.
Obviously she protested, threatening murder three times before we left the driveway.
Kaira walked beside me, dressed in a black shimmering gown I had made ready for her.
Elegant, expensive and dangerously exposing compared to what I believe would be her style.
Either way, she wore it like she was meant for it, the silver chains plunging to her waist line, exposing her bare back.
On her finger, stood out the $30 million dollars royal-blue sapphire crystal ring.
One older associate, Lorenzo Fatale, settled back into his chair, eyes narrowing as he studied Kaira from across the polished table.
“Your wife is much prettier when she isn’t threatening murder,” he drawled, a greasy smile curling on his lips.
His eyes lingered on her with unwelcome familiarity.
Kaira met his gaze without flinching.
She offered him a smile that was as sharp as a dagger.
“And you’re braver when you’re surrounded by bodyguards.”
The room fell into a tense silence.
Oliver shifted slightly, eyebrows raised, trying to suppress a grin.
Fatale’s face darkened, the color draining into a bruised shade of plum.
I said nothing, but internally I was impressed.
Deeply impressed.
She belonged in this world far more than she liked admitting.
She had the instinct, cruelty and sharpness for it.
************
Later that night, I couldn’t sleep. New chapters come out on novelping.com first.
I didn’t know if I should blame it on my new status or the flashbacks of my parents death.
Missing her presence in the room, I take it that she was battling with sleeping too.
I found her sitting alone on the stone bench beneath the night sky, moonlight silvering the roses around her.
She didn’t turn.
She knew it was me.
I stood behind her for a moment, watching how soft she looked when she wasn’t scratching or trying to make me flinch at her words of murder intent.
“You look softer here,” I remarked.
“Don’t mistake silence for softness.” She stared ahead.
A quiet laugh escaped me.
“Only a fool would.”
I stepped forward and draped my jacket over her shoulders.
She stiffened for a second, then allowed it.
I sat down, leaving a few inches of cold air between us.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
Then she said, “I did enjoy watching your brave associate squirm earlier.”
A faint smile tugged at my lips.
“Your tongue is more effective than most of my men’s guns.”
A small, genuine laughter escaped her.
She looked at me.
“For the record, I considered worse responses.”
“I know.” I nodded, my eyes still glinting with an amusement that had no business being there.
I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a small black box then handed it to her.
She frowned and opened it.
Inside was a compact silver dagger, elegant and deadly, the Redd family crest engraved into the handle.
She looked up.
“What is this?”
I leaned back slightly.
“By becoming Mrs.
Redd, you didn’t just get a new name.” I held her gaze.
“You inherited my enemies alongside it.”
She looked back at the dagger.
“So this is a wedding gift?”
“More like an addition to your means of survival.”
She ran her thumb along the blade.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll use it on you instead?”
“If you truly wanted me dead, Kaira…” I let the words settle.
“You would have done it already.”
She had many chances.
Yet, here we are, still alive, still fighting and still unfinished.
I stood up, leaving her with the blade and the jacket.
“Goodnight, Mrs.
Redd.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Don’t start.”