His eyes dropped to the annulment papers. “She’s told me on more than one occasion that she believes you’re coming back. She said that you found her in that motel and that she knows you’ll be back this time too.”
I was probably going to be dead within weeks. Which was weird because I’d never wanted to live more than I did in this moment.
Viktor watched me carefully.
I gave a helpless shrug. “You know I’ll try.”
I’ll die trying to get back to her.
“What am I supposed to tell her when I give her those annulment papers?”
He clearly didn’t approve of me rushing things, so I confessed my bigger concern. “They might not be able to provide confirmation of my death. Then she’d be widowed but technically married to someone she can’t prove is dead. I don’t want her to have to wait seven years to get her freedom back.”
Understanding dawned in his eyes, followed by a flash of sorrow. “You know I can’t tell her that.”
We both knew he was getting the shit end of this deal by having to give Mila this paperwork. “Maybe just tell her the truth about me.”
“Which truth? The part where you love her?"
I couldn’t meet his eyes. “Tell her that I wasn’t always like this.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
MILA
I sat nervouslyin the diner booth and watched as Viktor walked into the place. He scanned the room and, without pause, made his way toward me.
He had barely slid into the booth when the waitress appeared behind him with a coffeepot.
“Coffee?”
He flipped over his cup. “Thanks.”
Neither of us spoke while she poured.
Only when she stepped away did he speak. “How’s your living arrangement going with Selena and her sister?”
I nodded. “Good. I think in the summer Selena wants to move in with her boyfriend, so I’ll probably be looking for a new place.”
He nodded. “Let me know if you need any help.”
“Thanks.”
“How’s school?”
I warmed my hands around my coffee mug. “Busy. I graduate in June.”
“Good.”
Silence hung between us.
Finally he spoke. “I just got back from Russia.”
I felt my breath hitch in my chest. “Did you see him?”
He reached into his coat and pulled out a folded envelope. “He wanted me to give you this.”
He pushed it across the table. It looked official, and it had a Russian logo in the corner.
