“Is it the same one that?—”
“It is.”
Ludmilla turns to face me, her hands are still holding a stem of white roses. Her pale eyes burrow into mine with an uncomfortable precision. She’s always been able to look right through me, since the day I told her about Ivan. And she’s still able to see through me now.
“Why does she have it?”
I take a long drink before answering. “Her brother gave it to her.”
“Bozhe moi!” Ludmilla’s intake of breath is sharp. “That’sLuca Farnassi’ssister?”
“Yes.”
Luca fucking Farnassi. Just hearing his name makes me want to dig him up and bring him back to life.
So I can kill him again.
“What are you planning to do with her?” Her question is tinged with unmistakable worry.
“I want her to piece the truth together herself and find out just what kind of man her brother really was.” I meet Ludmilla’s gaze. “And then I’ll make her give back what belongs to me.”
“And after that?”
I don’t have an answer because I haven’t thought about anything beyond getting the necklace back.
“Please.” Ludmilla’s voice softens. “Leave the past where it belongs.”
“Gia deserves vengeance. Getting that necklace back is part of that.”
“Gia isdead, and vengeance isn’t what she would have wanted for you.” Ludmilla takes a step closer, her eyes never leaving mine. “She would have wanted you to live and learn to love again.”
“With whom?” The bitter laugh rattles in my chest. “With Luca’s fucking sister?”
“Yes, if that’s what your heart wants.”
“Ty s uma soshla.” You’re out of your fucking mind.
“Holding onto a grudge is like swallowing poison and waiting for someone else to die,” she says. “You’ve brought this girl into your life, for goodness’s sake. You brought herhere, of all places.”
“Because someone tried to hurt her, and onlyI’mallowed to hurt her.”
“Listen to yourself. Do you really think that you can hurt her?”
No,I think.
Ludmilla makes a softhmphthat says everything she doesn’t bother putting into words.
“It’s all part of my plans, Ludmilla Iosifovna.”
“The thing about plans, Slavochka…” She finishes arranging the flowers, lays her hand flat on the counter, and looks me square in the eye. “Is that they have a habit of falling apart.”
“I won’t fall for this girl if that’s what you’re saying.”
I reach past her, grab a glass of water, and head towards my office before she can have a chance to argue with me.
She would have wanted you to live and to learn to love again.
Ridiculous. I’ve learned my lesson when Gia died. To love someone means putting a target on their back. I won’t make that mistake again.
