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She’s lying, Emily. Don’t let her get to you.
But is she?
After all, it’s what Konstantin told me from the start, right? He’s just using me until he gets what he wants.
Maybe … the only person to tell me the truth this whole damn time is standing in front of me.
Am I really so stupid that I started believing otherwise?
Suddenly, my nose stings, and I can’t stop the tears from welling up in my eyes.
“Save your tears, little whore,” Alla says curtly. “You’ll need them by the time this is over.” And then, releasing me, she calls out. “Kostya!Idi suda!”
Grateful to be excused, I step away from Alla, rubbing my forearm where five half-moon shapes are turning an angry shade of red. I want to get as far away from her as I can.
I want to get as far away from this place as I can.
I want to tell myself to ignore her insults because she’s a stranger—that nothing she says matters.
But I can’t help believe that maybe she’s right.
Konstantin doesn’t care about me. He’ll forget me when this is all over.
Konstantin strides quickly towards Alla, and when our paths cross, he stops me with a gentle touch.
I make the mistake of looking up and our eyes meet.
His widen when he sees the tears in mine. I turn to hide my forearm from his gaze, but one darting glance and I know he’s seen the marks.
Slowly, he reaches up and wipes away my tears, his touch impossibly gentle.
And just like that, I am foolish enough to believe that Alla is wrong.
That he cares about me.
That he won’t forget me when this is over.
“Kitty Cat,” he says, whispering.
“Don’t …” My lower lip trembles as I wrench my face away from his finger. “Please don’t …”
Please don’t break my heart.
29
KONSTANTIN
She’s crying.
I clench my hands until my forearms cramp.
She’s fucking crying.
I’m starting to turn to follow Emily, my instinct guiding my body, when Alla claps her hands together like a thunderbolt and calls out to me in Russian.
“Don’t you fucking dare!” she bellows. “Come here at once!”
Knotting up my shoulders, I face my grandmother with extreme patience. Every cell in my body is shaking and I fight the urge to chase Emily down and comfort her.Why is she crying?I’m not the type to be softened by someone else’s emotions.
