Page 26 of Silent Ties (Ruling Love #1)

Maxim

“ D o you know how hard you’ve made things for me?” Dad asks through the line. His voice is weary but I’m not inclined toward empathy. “Seriously, whatever this is with your mother, fix it.”

That’s something else I’m not inclined to.

The elevator from the underground parking garage opens and I step out.

A month’s gone by since I told my mother she wouldn’t be allowed near my wife. I wasn’t completely heartless, though—I’ve kept quiet on the details. My father’s fury is way worse than mine.

And maybe there’s a part of me still loyal to my mother. I don’t understand her right now and I’ve started to analyze her previous actions with Elijah’s eyes. But a nagging part of my brain reminds me that this is the same woman who’s had to deal with the Zimin men for most of her life.

If it’s hard being Lev’s son than maybe it’s hard being his wife.

But I can’t answer all of those questions. I don’t even like to get wrapped up in the thoughts .

Instead, I’ve carefully stepped away from my mother like Roma and Elijah.

My main objectives remain my wife, school, and the family business.

Dad’s started to notice, though, and he’s asking questions. He’ll figure it out eventually, but it won’t come from Russet or me.

“It’s Roma’s turn to placate Mom,” I say, switching the phone to my other ear.

Dad’s frustrated sigh tells me everything I need to know. “Nobody’s placating anyone. She’s your mother.”

“All right.”

Dad sighs again. “How’s everything else?”

“You saw me five hours ago.” Elijah and I attended a meeting with Dima and him before I fucked off to study. The spring semester is over, but I’m working on my graduate thesis.

“And in the five hours since, I’ve gotten twelve texts from Elijah regarding fuck all. Even Roma called, needing advice from his dear old dad. Let’s grab lunch tomorrow. I want to spend time with you, Maxie. No business.”

“Father, son bonding time? You’re really getting old.”

A sheepish chuckle fills the line. “Put Russie on the line, I want to say hi.”

Absolutely not. “Night, Dad.”

My family has to get over their obsession with my wife. She’s mine.

I drop my bookbag in the foyer, taking off my shoes. Before I can get any further the elevator opens again.

A guard holds out a pizza box.

We both stare at it for a second before I carefully take it. “Thanks.”

Russet’s in the living room, sitting on the floor between the couch and the coffee table. The TV is on.

She has an absurd regard for reality television. Normally it’s catty women or dating shows. Now that she knows I’m not going to bite her head off for turning on the TV, it’s constantly on. It made my jaw ache at first because the noise distracted me.

I never mentioned it, but she noticed. The volume stays low and if we’re speaking she’ll turn it off.

I hadn’t realized how silent of a castle I built myself. Elijah’s constant chattering and Roma’s mix of music formed the background of my life. In my own place, I went in the opposite direction, needing the quiet.

With Russet, we’ve had to find a medium, once she pointed out how she doesn’t like the sterile silence.

“You didn’t eat?” I hold up the pizza box. Her face lights up, an expression of awe overtaking her features. God, this woman devours pizza.

She holds her hand out, motioning for it. “I waited to order it for you. Good timing.”

Why am I so damn touched by her thoughtfulness regarding what’s essentially junk food? I’d texted her when I was on the way back from the library.

She sets the pizza box on the coffee table and opens it before standing and going to the kitchen.

I land on the sofa, loosening the first few buttons on my shirt. “What are you wearing?”

Holding a pile of plates and napkins, she twirls showing off the shorts and button-down pajama shirt.

“Are those avocadoes?” I ask about the pattern.

“It’s cute and comfortable.” She hands me a plate.

“So is being naked. Take them off.”

She ignores me, an increasingly common habit I thoroughly plan on fucking out of her later.

“This isn’t what you normally watch.” I nod at the TV. There are no hurling insults and women hobbling around on heels. I think it’s a made-for-TV movie.

“He’s an ex pop star down on his luck. He’s come back home after ten years away,” Russ says, sitting on the floor. I tried to scoop her up and get her to sit nearer but she has this thing about using the coffee table to eat.

The camera pans to a woman.

“That’s the love interest,” she helpfully supplies.

I shove pizza into my mouth. She ordered pepperoni for me even though she prefers cheese.

I remain silent on how dumb her movie is, which I hope she appreciates. We load up the dishwasher and I fill a glass of water for her which she takes to the bedroom.

Olga’s presence isn’t missed. I sent Russ a list of trusted candidates. She hired the first person she interviewed. I knew she was being too easy, but that’s her personality. Easygoing when she’s comfortable.

She gets along with Jane. The woman arrives a couple of hours after I leave, cleans, and prepares food. Russ plans the meals and finalizes the grocery list.

Jane knows her place. She doesn’t spy and works with Russ to maintain the house. They get along, meaning Russ isn’t constantly grated by her presence. And she leaves in the early evening, rather than waiting for me to get home.

Russ is in bed when I push back the duvet.

“Who is that?” I ask, annoyed.

“Huh?” She doesn’t look up from her phone.

“That better not be who I think it is.”

Elijah’s still a wanker, smirking every time he asks how my wife is doing.

I did get revenge, though. Apparently one day he showed up with a dog.

“He doesn’t even have a dog,” I told Russet .

She bit her lip. “I think he borrowed it from the downstairs neighbor.”

I have no need to figure out how he managed to pull that off. But last week we dropped in at his loft. The moment he opened the door, a giant brown and black fluff ball rammed into him.

“What the fuck is this?” Hair floated in the air.

“He’s a Bernese mountain dog,” Russet said fondly, petting the puppy.

Elijah sighed. “Why’s he in my apartment?”

“He’s yours brother.” I patted his shoulder, smiling. “Since we know you’re so fond of dogs.”

I’m not pressed to admit it, but adopting a dog isn’t a bad date to have. Especially when you give it to your shit-stirring older brother.

The only hitch is he continues to send Russet photos of the dog. Hearts practically float from her eyes when she gets a new one.

And he’s not the only bane of my existence.

Roma decided if Elijah gets to be friends with Russet than so will he. They’re constantly texting, and worse, Russ laughs it off when I ask her to block him.

“Look at this cat’s toe beans.”

I have no idea what that means but she’s smiling when she shows me a picture of a cat’s paw.

Roma’s love for animal pictures and memes calls for an intervention. Russet eats it up every time, shooting him back videos of zoo animals and a famous baby hippo.

Her phone lights up again, Elijah’s name flashing.

I lift my torso off the pillows. “I told you to block him.”

She keeps her phone out of my reach, rolling over.

“Why are you texting him?” I growl, pulling her back to my chest.

“Relax, it’s our group chat. ”

“Your what?” Since when is she in a group chat with my two brothers? Why the fuck am I not included?

She taps away at the phone.

“Russet.”

“Don’t,” she complains, rolling back to face me. She tucks herself closer, lying on my torso while she continues to text. Most of the time she’s like a sloth, sleepily cuddling close anytime we’re in bed and not up to other activities.

Her need for touch sparks something inside me. It’s thrilling, knowing she wants to be near me. Because the more and more I get to know Russet, the more and more I want her soul imprinted on me.

“Don’t call me that,” she says, frowning.

“Russet?”

She smushes her face into my chest, frowning. “Don’t.”

I take the cell phone from her. “Don’t text my brothers.”

Russet: DO NOT TEXT MY WIFE.

Elijah: We’ve been infiltrated!

Roma: *Surprised cat meme*

Russet takes the phone back, liking Roma’s message.

“Russet.”

Her small hand pushes into my side. “I’m your sweetheart.”

Satisfaction curls inside my chest. But appearances must be kept. “Not when you’re being a brat.”

Her face flushes before she tries to hide it against my chest. The phone buzzes and I take it out of her hand again.

“Are you worried about Roma?” she asks quietly.

My fingers glide through her brunette locks. “ Why do you ask that?”

“Elijah was always quiet, but I could tell. And Yelena was funny about him too.”

“Don’t speak either of those names in my presence.”

She rolls her eyes, shifting her body so one leg lies on top of mine. “And your twin brother? Can I mention his name?”

“Preferably not.”

She strokes my cheek. “Is he okay?”

Believe it or not, Russet’s the only person to voice the question we’ve all asked ourselves the past three years.

“I don’t really know.” My fingers continue to mess with her hair. “He doesn’t talk about it.”

“Is there something we can do to help?”

I shift so I’m able to see her clear hazel eyes. Her seriousness pulls at my heartstrings but, “I’m not sure it’s our battle.”

She considers this, taking on Roma’s sadness as her own. While I love her empathy, she’s not going to be weighed down by my twin’s bullshit.

So I flip her onto her back.