Chapter fourteen

Laughter filled the room.

As I set the fruit-filled tray down on the table, the smell of tobacco fills my nose. "The corruption among the police force is a good thing," declares one of Viktor's friends, whose rotund frame sits heavily in a chair. He exhales a cloud of smoke, sending himself into a fit of coughing that causes me to wince. "I know what you mean," agrees the man beside me, whose hair has strands of white among the copper. His eyes drop towards my chest as I pick up the empty tray from the table. "Those bastards are so desperate they'd do anything for a bribe."

As I prepare to leave, I try to ignore his lecherous stare. However, his question stops me in my tracks. "Where did you get her, Viktor?" He gestures towards me. Viktor's stare changes from intense to wicked as he responds, "She's from the Nowak family. They paid a good fortune for me to marry her." My stomach twists in disgust.

Every year, Vicktor grows increasingly aggressive towards me. His unwelcome advances ha