Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 92160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
I like her here.
She sees the look on my face and smiles.
"I promise you, he’s got this. And I’m giving you my phone number so you can text me. I happen to have an in with his boss."
She’s teasing, but there’s a serious edge to it, I know.
"Thank you."
It seems like too little, and yet something passes between us.
“And you owe me nothing. Just keep coming to the family dinners. As I keep telling the other girls, we need more women in this family."
She pauses, tilting her head. "Oh, and don’t be afraid of my husband." She stands and smiles. "He really is a bit of a softy."
She leaves, and as the door clicks shut behind her, Matvei looks at me. "That’s actually not true."
That makes me smile.
"I’ll be right back. I have to talk to her. Here. “I downloaded some games and shows for you. You’re staying in bed today. Polina says it’ll help. And there’s a book too."
He hands me a ridiculously large tablet and a book.
I stare. It’s The Best of Poe.
My throat tightens.
I raise an eyebrow. "I don’t stay in bed all day."
A look crosses his face, and his voice drops. "You do if I tell you that you are."
I smirk. "If you start bossing me around, I’m gonna text Polina. She said she has an in with your boss."
His eyes darken, amused. "Go ahead. Text her. And if you get out of this bed, I’ll spank your ass. Not now. But I have an excellent memory."
I stick my tongue out at him like a child.
He smiles, shaking his head. “That’s one. Keep it up.”
The door shuts behind him.
It still hurts, but not as much.
It’s better than it has been in a long time.
I wonder what medicine she gave me.
I hear them talking on the other side of the door, and a part of me wonders—if I hadn’t run… none of this would’ve happened. I would’ve been forced to marry Rafail.
I can’t imagine being with anyone but… Matvei.
And I know I’m not feeling well, that I’m compromised, and I… He’s the one who gets me. There’s something about his irreverence and hard edges that makes me crave more of him.
No, this isn’t how I planned anything.
And I do worry about what he’ll do when he finds out the truth about me.
Especially because I know what he wants from me.
But right now, I’m doing what I always do.
Get through today.
Survive.
I’ve never thought about a future.
And I can’t think about one now.
Chapter 20
MATVEI
I stare at Polina.
"What the fuck are you telling me?"
When her eyes grow hard, I have to remind myself—I’m talking to the wife of my boss. He’ll fucking cut my tongue out if I disrespect her.
I blow out a breath. “Sorry. It’s not you I’m mad at.”
Rafail stands behind her, watching me. Tense.
He’ll kick my ass if I disrespect her, and I’ll have no choice but to let him.
"Listen, I’m not a medical professional," she says, "but I know them. And we are going to get her in with someone."
I nod tightly. "I know. We’re going to find someone we can trust."
"Absolutely," she says. "But I’m telling you this because I know how you operate, and I know if that were me in that bed, Rafail would want to know the truth."
My jaw tightens. "What truth? I want you to spell it out for me."
Rafail growls behind her. "Say please."
Jesus fucking Christ. Am I eighteen again?
I grit my teeth. "Please."
Polina doesn’t flinch.
"What she’s experiencing right now is sometimes related to a genetic condition, like endometriosis or something similar," she says. "But she told me she has scar tissue. Do you know where scar tissue comes from?"
Of course I fucking do. I grunt. "Surgery. Injuries"
"Sometimes, yes. People do have scar tissue from surgery." She levels her gaze at me. "But you also get scar tissue from an injury that hasn’t healed."
I frown.
Why would Anissa have scar tissue that would cause her to bleed heavily during her period?
How would someone get scar tissue that—
And then it hits me.
Like a freight train.
Like a gunshot to the fucking chest.
I go momentarily blind with the realization.
"You mean—" My voice is barely a rasp. "Someone fucking did this to her?"
She takes a step toward me.
"Lower your voice."
I inhale sharply, struggling for control.
"I don’t know for a fact," she says. "But it’s a definite possibility. It’s something you need to look into."
My hands curl into fists.
"Don’t ask her now," she warns. "Help her through this. And—"
"Okay." Rafail steps forward, voice like steel. "Before you do fucking anything, you talk to me."
His eyes are sharp, unyielding. "We’re not in a position to start another war, Matvei." A beat passes. Then softer, "Not yet."
No, we're not, but that doesn't mean that I can’t seek vengeance anonymously. They don't need to know who I fucking am. But I need a lot more details before I do anything.