“Yeah, I gathered that much on my own. But thanks for the help.”
His nostrils flare, but he carries on. “When this all started, you were so young. Your mother and I decided that marrying Mikhail Sokolov was the best thing for you. He would be able to take care of you and give you a comfortable life.”
“I didn’t want to marry him!”
“You didn’t know what you wanted!” he snapped. “If I’d let you do what you wanted, you would have ended up a pregnant slut with no prospects.”
I blink at him. “You’re… you’re kidding, right? I didn’t even have my first kiss until I was eighteen!”
He leans in with a smile. “You’re welcome. I kept you safe, Cordelia. The same way I protected your mother.”
“Brainwashed my mother, you mean.”
“Call it what you want, but the two of you were days away from eating
