Mikhail’s face lights up with amusement that doesn’t quite reach his eyes as he shoves his hands in his pockets casually. “Of course. My bad, sweetheart. Can I take you there instead? Or would you like me to bring Maya herself to bake you some?”
I’d like you to step into a wet puddle in nothing but your fancy socks.
“Neither. I’d rather watch you stew in your own discomfort. Much more satisfying,” I say.
He hums in false understanding, our gazes boring into each other. For a second, the thought that maybe I’m being too hard on him crosses my mind, but I dismiss it almost instantly. This is hislifewe’re talking about. If he won’t listen to reason, I’ll have to express my disapproval of his plans in whatever way I can.
Otherwise, one day soon, someone will barge into my bedroom upstairs and give me the news that my husband is gone. They’ll tell me to be strong, that time will heal me, but really, no one will understand. The pain would be mine alone, all because I couldn’t convince the man I fell in love with to stay.
He plants his palms on the table, leaning in toward me. His jaw clenches, but his gaze lowers to my lips. What would he do if Victoria weren’t here?
“Are you going to be sulking forever?” he asks.
“It depends. Areyoustill going on your suicide mission?”
Victoria coughs as she swallows the last bite of her muffin. “What?”
“Oh, you haven’t told your family yet? Interesting.” I cock my head at him.
“Tell us what? What mission?” Victoria presses.
“This is between you and me, sweetheart,” Mikhail says to me. “No need to bring others into this, especially when I plan to solve it upstairs, in our bed.”
I laugh, and it’s genuine. Onlyhecould assume I’d jump into bed with him after what he told me last night. “You’re delusional. None of that is going to happen until you reconsider your stupid plans.”
“Excuse me! Sorry! What plans?” Victoria’s voice sounds behind me.
Mikhail nods slowly, as if he comes to some sort of understanding in his mind. “You know, for someone who was ‘dragged’ into this marriage, it seems to me you care about what I do and where I go quite a lot. Care to explain yourself,wife?”
“Easy. I don’t want to be a widow,” I lie.
“But you’d rather be with a man you despise?”
His gaze flickers with something dark, something alluring. My breath hitches, and it’s an effort not to break eye contact. But I stand my ground. “Considering your form of payment so far, I have no problem tolerating you until further notice.”
His brows rise. “My form of payment? And what would that be, pray tell? Are you talking about the food…or the orgasms?”
It’s my time to choke—on my own saliva.
“Let’s not,” I say, looking back at Victoria with flushed cheeks, only to realize that she’s gone.
“No, let’s see. How would you have me pay for making you upset last night, hmm? Clearly, the food was a bust. That leaves us with?—”
A door opens somewhere behind me, and before I know it, Svetlana puts down a plate and cutlery in front of me and then cuts some more bread.
The clink of metal against porcelain clinks too loud in my ears, and when the corner of my eye catches a mixture of brown and silver, something snaps in my head. My pulse spikes instantly.
I jolt upright, pushing the chair back as if it’s made of lava. My limbs feel laden, my breath tight in my lungs. I bring my hands to my chest, clutching my clothes.
“Cecilia,” Mikhail’s voice booms beside me. “What’s the matter,Lastochka?”
How do I tell him? How do I tell him the knife on the table looksexactlylike the one in my nightmares? Like the one that’s always stabbing my mother’s heart?
I can’t. I don’t. I settle for the easy answer instead.
“S-sorry. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened.”
My husband’s arm carefully coils around me. He pulls me into his chest, grounding me with his familiar scent as his other hand brushes my hair in slow, endearing circles. I close my eyes, realizing my hands are shaking only when I bring them in front of me, planting them against his strong body.
