“To the case, no. To me, yes.”
I paused. “No one has ever asked me that.”
“How did you get your start?”
“Nikolay heard me singing one day and had me trained.”
“Ah.”
“Why do you say it like that?”
“He controls your whole life, doesn't he?”
“Yes.”
“And why do you say it like that?” he countered with a smirk.
“Because he's the King. He controls all of our lives.”
“I have a feeling that he doesn't put so much effort into controlling, say, his chef's life.”
I cocked my head and lifted my brows in a sort of face shrug. “He could if he wished. And he does make Master Vladimir's life difficult.”
“So you don't like to sing?”
“I just said I do.”
“Are you sure?”
I grimaced and amended, “I love to sing, but I hate to perform.”
“Now,thatI believe,” he said softly. “So why do you do it?”
“Why else?”
“Because your king wishes it?”
I nodded.
“Do you know that you could become wealthy with that voice?”
“What do you mean?”
“You could sing in opera houses around the world. For beneathers or humans. Perhaps if you performed on your own terms, you would enjoy it.”
I dropped my gaze down his body, as he had done to me. “I enjoyed singing for you.”
Konstantin went still. “You're teasing me again.”
“Just stating the truth. I always focus on Nikolay when I sing. But when I saw you, I couldn't look away. I was grateful that I was onstage, and you were sitting where you were. With you so close to Nikolay, he didn't notice that it was you who I was staring at. That gave me the freedom to keep staring, and looking upon you made performing a pleasure. That song was for you, Kon.”
“Holy fuck,” Konstantin whispered. “If you keep talking like that, I'm going to kiss you again, Misha.”
“You can't,” I said as a thrill coursed through me. Was I really teasing this tiger? Did I intend to follow through on my flirtation? I simply didn't know.
“We're alone. No one would know.”
“Someone could walk in at any second. In fact, I'm betting someone will.”
