Neither of us says a word as Vaughn leaves the room. His footsteps get quieter, then I faintly hear the front door to the penthouse open and shut.
“You’re not always nice,” I say quietly. “Orever.”
Sabine purses her lips as she lifts her shoulders. “I’m suspicious of people who try to get close to him.”
An incoming text notification chirps through the room. She reaches into the bag hanging off the side of her wheelchair and pulls out her phone.
My face is stony as I glare at it, remembering the text telling me to go back to the city and the terror of the man chasing me later.
“Oh, just fucking ask me.”
My eyes snap up. She's looking right at me. “Ask you…what?”
“I can see it all over your face,” she sighs. “You want to know if I was behind what happened oralmosthappened to you. So—ask.”
My eyes narrow. “Didyou send that text and then make up a story about losing your phone? It’s crossed my mind,” I say coldly.
“I really did lose it,” she shrugs. “A student found it and turned it in. There’s even a Knightsblood campus security report about it if you still don’t believe me.” She laughs lightly. “Putain, you must really think I hate you to believe I’d try to get youkilled.”
“Gee,” I mutter back. “I wonder why I’d think that, with your welcoming personality and all.”
She rolls her eyes. “Would you like some honesty?”
I snort. “Oh, I’m sorry, have you been holding back thus far?”
“Oh, I’ve been holding backplenty,” she snaps. “Here, I’ll give you the full version.” Her eyes narrow. “I don’t like you. I don’t like that you’re bratva. I don’t like that you’re involving Vaughn in whatever this bullshit family drama you and your brother have regarding your father. And Ireallydon’t like that Vaughn loses his fucking focus when you’re around.”
I stare at her open-mouthed as she levels a cold glare at me.
“You don’t belong in the Syndicate or anywhere near him. There. Happy now?”
My lips press together. “I have a question.”
“Fire away,” she says in a clipped tone.
“Are you worried aboutVaughn? Or worried that it’smesitting here in his bed without any clothes on and his fingerprints all over my skin,and not you.”
The smirk drops from her face as she glares coldly at me. I draw in a slow breath, trying to channel every ounce of Milena’s no-bullshit queen energy as I stare Sabine down.
“Interesting question,” she finally says quietly. “But, just for the record?” She smiles. “Last I checked,Vaughn’sbed is down the hall.”
My heart tightens.
“Anyway, enjoy theguestroom,” she says. “If you need anything, go fuck yourself.”
She wheels her chair around and starts to head for the doorway, but then stops. Her shoulders tighten, and when she glances back at me her expression is hard and cold.
“There’s more to him than you realize,” she mutters. “But once you do, it’ll be too late.”
28
EVELINA
“I swear,that woman embraces sadism more and more every day,” Milena groans, slumping against the lockers.
Naomi giggles. “She’snot—okay, yeah, she might be getting worse.”
All of us arebeyonddeadafter a grueling rehearsal at the Mercury Theater, home of the Zakharova Ballet. And the "sadist" Milena is referring to is Madame Kuzmina, our artistic director.
