Suffering.
Death.
Those were the only likely options that faced me, no matter how stubborn I wanted to stay to fight for my freedom. After all I’d done, there would be no warm and friendlywelcomenow that I was out of Andre’s home.
31
ANDRE
Throbbing pulses filled my head as I came to. I groaned, sluggishly lifting my hands to press them on my skull to stop the ache. Drumming bangs only intensified, bothering me from the confusing mask of sleep that fell from me as I woke.
“Fuck,” I muttered, dragging myself upright the morning after I’d drunk myself into oblivion.
“Andre.”
I winced, then opened my eyes to my cousin’s voice.
Sergei was here. At the door to my study. I hadn’t found the energy or willpower to go to my bedroom last night, knowing that being there would remind me too much of all the sweet submission Sofia had given me there.
But why…?
Huh?
I sat up and tried to reply to Sergei calling out for me.
Oh.
That banging noise was him knocking on the closed door.
My mouth was so dry, my tongue glued to the surface, that I had to cough then force a rough swallow. “Yeah?” I croaked.
He took that as permission to come in. Striding in quickly, he grimaced. “Fuck. Look at you…”
I groaned and sat up more, holding my head.
“For fuck’s sake,” he muttered, going to the bar to fill a glass with water and bring it to me. At least he’d said it sympathetically, not rudely with judgment.
I weakly nodded my thanks and sipped it.
“Where’s Sofia?”
Is this a joke?
I furrowed my brow at him, still hurt and angry and sad that I could snap. “You’ve heard,” I replied, daring him to play stupid.
“Yes. We’ve all been informed about her… confession yesterday. That’s why I’m here. To question her.”
“The fuck you will.” I scrambled to get up. Still, I was defensive of her. I wondered when that stain would fade.
He sighed and pushed my shoulder to make me sit again. “I will. While you were clearly numbing yourself in here all night, Roman and I spoke with Uncle Mikhail.Hewanted to speak with her himself.”
I opened my eyes wide with alarm and winced at the pain of the action. Fuck, I was hungover.
“Roman offered, but he isn’t that great at interrogating anyone. I offered to speak with her.”
“Fuck that.Iwill?—”
Again, he had to push my shoulder to get me to stay seated.
