Page 95 of Pay the Piper

I’ve finished an entire plate of pancakes this morning, although they weren’t as good as Misha’s, and now, as we sit on the bed, I know we need to talk. I still have questions about what happened. Misha now knows the full extent of my past, as embarrassing as it is. With a deep breath, he starts, and the pain in his eyes is palpable.

“I don’t know how to tell you how sorry I am, Abby. You’re so strong, but I hate that you’ve had to be. If I had known—”

“I don’t think you could have done anything differently.”

“I would have had guards on you 24/7 or chained you to my bed so you could never leave,” he finishes with a wink. “I love you. I love you so much, and I just need you to know that I’ll be by your side for as long as you’ll have me. If you won’t have me, I suppose I’ll be ten feet behind you.”

“No way you give me ten feet.”

“You’re right,” he says with a laugh. “Likely five feet max.”

He plays with my fingers, and I try to start unpacking my feelings about the reality of Conor’s life.

“I didn’t know about the trafficking,” I say quietly. “Which is stupid, looking back on it, because what he was doing to me was trafficking in and of itself. I’m sorry you had to find out that way and not from me. I just had no clue how to even broach that subject, and it’s a disgusting thing to live with, let alone tell the man you love.”

“He’s the disgusting one, not you. You’re a warrior.”

“There were hundreds of men, Misha. Maybe more. I wasn’t even conscious for so much of it that it was probably thousands. How is that not disgusting to you?”

His kiss on my knuckles is tender but insistent, and it’s a miracle I’m somehow holding back my tears. Perhaps I’ve just cried them all out already.

“You’re the most precious, perfect creature in the world to me, lesnaya. I knew it the first time I saw you on the ice.”

At that, I raise an eyebrow.

“Are you insinuating that you loved me at first sight, Misha Mavrin?”

“I’m not insinuating. I’m declaring. You have no idea, Abby Mavrin.”

He tickles me when I roll my eyes, and I find falling back into our normal rhythm together as simple as breathing.

“Don’t roll your eyes. It’ll be true sooner rather than later.”

“There’s the unfortunate fact that I am still married to the scum of the earth.” I sigh.

At this, he brightens, a mischievous twinkle in his eye warning me that whatever’s coming can’t be good.

“About that.”

“I have to ask you two questions, and I can’t answer any of your follow-up questions.”

“I hate that.”

“I’m sorry, darling. Do you accept my terms?”

Standing in the musty lobby of an old theater, I’m not sure I have any choice. Misha’s mostly relaxed but with the energy of someone about to watch a person unwrap their biggest Christmas present of the year. His excitement is infectious, and I know he’d never do anything to upset me, so I agree.

“I do.”

He growls at that, earning a playful slap on the arm.

“Behave.”

“How am I supposed to behave when you’re talking dirty to me in public?”

I make a show of craning my neck back and forth, dramatically noting the empty building.

“I don’t see anyone,” I tease, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth and earning another growl.