Her hand slides toward her brother, and he takes it, wrapping both of his around hers. “Would you really give up the tunnel access for me?” she asks.
“You are my family, Sasha. I love you. I tried to tell you and Katarina, this was always a plan to protect you from otets.”
“But you profited. How was I supposed to know?”
He brings the back of her hand to his cheek. “Because I told you.”
“Not good enough,” she shakes her head.
“After living with him, it’s nearly impossible to trust, isn’t it?” Dimitri answers.
Tears form in her eyes, leaking down her cheeks. They cut me and I can’t help myself. I reach out and wipe one away with the pad of my thumb. She doesn’t flinch away, but when her eyesmeet mine, the sadness in them breaks me to pieces. “I tried to trust. I really did.”
My eyes slide closed. She tried to trust me. Give me her heart.
“The doctor’s here,” Gris says from behind me.
I look across the bed at my brother, Triston. As head of my family here in America, and our CEO, I’ve betrayed him most of all. “Can you stay and listen to all the doctor says? I don’t trust myself to remember all the details of her care.”
He stares back at me like he’s at war with himself. Finally, he draws in a long breath. “Of course.”
“You won’t be taking care of her.” Dimitri glares at me. But he’s a problem for later. Right now, I see clearly what I haven’t for a very long time…my brothers have my back.
Already, I can hear Rush in the kitchen cleaning up the vomit. It’s a shit job that he’s doing without even being asked.
Killian nods at Triston before he steps into the bathroom, where I hear him begin collecting up all the glass.
I know two things in this moment: I’ve ruined everything, and I’m not likely to earn anyone’s trust back.
But another truth hits me square in the chest and that’s I’ve never understood what man I wanted to be until this moment.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Sasha
I’m sore,tired, and worst of all, mortified.
I wasn’t trying to kill myself.
I just…
I’ve never been good at putting a cap on my feelings. And realizing that my sister and husband had conspired against me, I just lost it.
Even thinking it now, I ache deep in my body. The doctor stitches up the few cuts deep enough to require them, then bandages my hands, giving me a pain reliever. “I could give her something to help her sleep,” he says to Dimitri.
“No,” I answer, shaking my head. The last thing my brain needs is more fog. As tempting as it would be to escape the hurt, it’s time for me to face some truths.
I was right to give love when I wanted it in return.
But it was wrong to give that love to Ryker. We started when he blackmailed me into marrying him. Why would that be the beginning of a trusting relationship?
Because I was so desperate for a bit of love and attention that I ignored all the reasons I should proceed with caution.
Triston and Dimitri are speaking with the doctor, softly, so that I can’t hear. I don’t like that they’re over there making decisions without me. “Ryker.”
“Yes, love?” He tries to touch me, but I push his hand away.
“I don’t want medication. Don’t let them give it to me.” Is it messed up that I’m asking him to be my champion now? Maybe. I don’t know who else to ask, and besides, after everything, he can give me this.
