I blinked and frowned as I looked around. Sitting on the couch was Ivan’s sister-in-law, Carina, nursing a baby. Or I thought that was what she was doing since there was a cover-up over her, and I could hear the grunting noises of a baby. Across from her was Ivan, who definitely looked better, but not good. He was still pale, and there were still dark bruises marring most of his exposed skin. That was enough to stop me in my tracks. Jane was practically curled up at Carina’s side, and Emeline was sipping from a glass of wine.
“Hi,” I squeaked.
“You are so gorgeous, even more so in person,” Carina beamed.
I blinked again—slowly—because my brain was lagging behind my eyeballs.
“Thank you,” I mumbled, then hiccupped. Loudly.
Emeline giggled behind her wine glass.
Ivan didn’t.
He stood—or tried to. His good hand gripped the back of the chair like he was physically stopping himself from coming toward me. His jaw tightened. His eyes dragged over me, taking in my slightly askew blazer dress, the cape half falling off my shoulder, my hair that had once been sleek but now looked like I’d escaped a wind tunnel, and?—
Oh God.
Carina’s intro.
Your love’s vagina.
I slapped my legs together instinctively. “I wasn’t—It’s not—You didn’t see anything!”
Carina shook her head as her lips stretched even further with amusement. “Don’t worry, honey. It was just while you were jumping around like a flamingo trying to get your shoes off.”
Jane chewed on her bottom lip. “The rest of us didn’t see anything.Especiallyhim.” She pointed at Ivan, and my cheeks flamed.
“Good,” I blurted, voice an octave too high. “Because he doesn’t get to see anything. No one gets to see anything. Ever. Especially not when I’m—” I staggered slightly, catching myself on the back of a chair. “—compromised.”
Carina snorted. “Sweetheart, you’re more than compromised. You’re drunk and shiny.”
“I amnotshiny,” I protested.
“You’re shiny,” Jane whispered.
Emeline gave an elegant nod. “Very shiny.”
I slapped my hands over my face and groaned. “This is humiliating.”
Ivan kept his eyes on me as I continued to try to walk down the hallway—or rather, I was trying to escape with some of my dignity intact. “Do you need some help?”
“Not from you!” I blurted and then smacked my palm to my forehead. “I mean, you’re still injured.”
The door down the hallway opened to Ivan’s bedroom, and my heart bottomed out. He had someone here already? Someone in his bed?
The last person I’d expected to come out of his room was Ace. Which made it hilarious for some reason, and before I knew it, I was in a fit of giggles, trying to get down the hallagain. I’d been so worried about someone else warming his bed, and it was just his brother.
Everyone watched me with wide eyes and worried expressions as I somehow made it into my room and closed the door behind me. I sagged against it and slowly sunk to the floor. With a defeated sigh, I clenched my thighs together. All I wanted was a good toy or maybe even the real thing from Ivan… but even if he wasn’t injured, he was off limits. It didn’t matter how drunk I got; that was crystal clear. At least not until I killed Donovan, and I wasn’t so sure Ivan would want me anymore once I did that. Who would want a woman who killed? Especially a woman who killed her husband.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Ivan
Poppyand I lived in a Cold War. There wasn’t any open conflict, but there was strain. There were longing glances. There were things we went to say, but then changed our minds on. There were moments where her hand brushed mine by accident, and I nearly lost my fucking grip on reality.
More than anything, I wanted to ask her what my grandmothers wanted—or rather, whatshewanted with them. She’d come home drunk and shiny and armed with an envelope she’d pulled out of her cleavage like a deranged stripper-magician.
When Marta showed up to do the final fitting on her gown, she smiled as if she wanted it. But as soon as anyone else mentioned the wedding or Donovan, she clammed up or ran away. I couldn’t get a good read on her; no one could. She was two different people. It was scary and worrying.
