Page 175 of The Encore’s Crown

“Let me go.”

“Are you going to keep throwing things?”

“No.”

“Promise?”

“No.”

“Natalia.”

Her eyes are bright now but not with anger alone. That wipes the last of the amusement out of me. I release her immediately. She drops onto the bed and folds her arms again, lower lip pushed out in a furious pout. I kneel in front of her, still wearing nothing but the towel.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m sick of this.”

“Sick of what?”

“All of it.”

She waves one hand between us and my stomach turns cold.

“Us?”

“The way this feels.”

I brace my hands on my thighs.

“What does that mean?”

“It means I’m tired of hiding.” Her voice cracks, and she looks away. “I’m tired of checking every picture for pieces of you. I’m tired of lying to Kasia. I’m tired of leaving your apartment before anyone sees me and sneaking out of my own house like I’m doing something disgusting.”

“Nat—”

“I feel like your fucking mistress.”

The word hits me square in the chest.

“You’re not.”

“Then why can’t we tell Rafe and Kasia?”

“Because it’s complicated.”

“Everything with you is complicated.”

I flinch. She sees it and keeps going anyway.

“You snapped at me over two fingers in a picture.”

“I didn’t snap.”

“You did.”

“I panicked.”

She stands, forcing me to rise with her.