Page 2 of Darkest Desire

“The cake is delicious,” Irina tells our mom. Always the most polite out of us. The most shy and demure.

“Thank you, honey.”

I take a bite and while the cake is good, it settles heavy on my stomach like cement. Denis returns his gaze to me, locking me in place.

I can’t enjoy my own birthday knowing that I’ll soon lose all of my freedom. All of my own agency. I’ll be lost to whoever Denis chooses for a husband for me.

I can only force one bite down before I push my plate away. “So, who is it going to be?”

Mom frowns. “Sasha?”

I keep my eyes on Denis. “Tell me. Who are you going to marry me to? Who is it going to be?”

Denis dabs at his mouth like he has all the time in the world. It’s infuriating. “I have invited him over tonight for you to meet. Well, officially meet. It’s my present to you.”

“If you wanted to give me an actual present, you wouldn’t be forcing me to marry someone of your choosing.”

“Well tough, Sasha. You are my daughter now and you will do as I say.”

“I am not your daughter. None of us are your daughters and we never will be.”

His sneer returns as he slams his hand against the table, making the cups and silverware rattle. “You are my daughter in everything but biology. I have been a part of this family for the past year.”

“You are my uncle. Not my father. Get it right.”

“I can see that I cannot change your mind. But what if I do this?” He grabs the back of Irina’s hair and tugs her head back. The yelp that escapes her sends an intense anger straight to my stomach.

“Let her go,” Mom growls.

“No. This is between me and Sasha. Say it. Say I’m your father.” His grip tightens on Irina’s hair. Her eyes flash to mine, begging for me to help her.

I want to say no, that I will not fall for his games but… Irina needs my help. I can’t judge Natalya for being a so-so big sister to me and be a bad big sister to Irina.

“Fine,” I grit out. “Your my father. Happy? Now let her go.”

He doesn’t. “I want you to say it like you mean it.”

“You are my father,” I say in as much of a sincere tone as I can manage.

He narrows his eyes, holding onto Irina for a beat longer, before letting her go. She rubs the back of her head. Soon, she’ll be turning eighteen. Only a couple of months away. That will make her even more of a target for Denis to use.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” he asks. “Now, finish your cake. Our guest will be arriving shortly.”

“The man you’re forcing me to marry, you mean.”

“He’s still our guest. Now eat. Or don’t eat. I don’t want you getting fat on cake. I don’t think he’ll want an ugly bride.”

That spurs me on to eat my entire piece. It’s delicious but every bite feels like it’s burning in my mouth.

Denis gives me a smug look, knowing he’s won this round.

We congregate in the living room as we wait for this guest to arrive. Denis takes my father’s chair by the fireplace while me and my three sisters huddle on the couch. Mom remains standing, glaring at Denis. He pointedly ignores her.

“How do you think Natalya is doing?” Irina asks. Since she and Natalya were the closest, I know she misses our big sister the most.

“We don’t talk about that traitor,” Denis says.

Natalya tried hard to save us but Denis’s hold over us is too strong. Even her powerful husband can’t break it. Denis barely leaves the house anymore and is always surrounded by guards,making it virtually impossible for Mikhail to kill him. Me and my sisters don’t have any weapons of our own to use and none of us know how to fight.