Page 24 of The Encore’s Crown

She watches me carefully. “You don’t have to deal with it alone.”

I shrug, defensive and brittle. “You wouldn’t get it.”

Her brows pinch together. “Why not?”

“Kurwa! Because your life's perfect,” I snap before I can stop myself. “You have Rafe. You have a job you love. Everyone respects you both, engaged, disgustingly happy. You’re supported, settled.”

The hurt on her face is instant.

“My life isn't perfect,” she says softly. “We both lost Piotr.”

I look away, jaw clenched so hard it aches. It’s true, but it doesn’t erase how unfair it feels, how some parts of her life are so much easier. Things she keeps trying to shield me from. Things like choice. Things like the way Kiri looks at me. The way he makes me feel. When I’m with him I finally feel alive again.

But he had to go and ruin it tonight. Had to open his stupid mouth.

Men, ugh.

I haven’t felt anything near happy since before that morning, that awful phone call to say Piotr was gone. I remember the way Mama dropped to her knees, the sound she made. But tonight, when we almost kissed… it was like the world turned back on, for just a second. Guilt floods in hot and unwanted. Why does he make me feel this way and why did he have to keep talking and spoil it?

God, I fucking hate him.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” I mutter. “I’m just—” I exhale hard, shaking my head. “I’m on edge.”

She softens, reaches out like she might touch my arm, and it sends another spike of frustration through me.

“You should go,” I say quickly. “Go back to your room, be with Rafe. You guys don’t get much time together. You don’t need to babysit me.”

“I’m not babysitting you.”

“You are,” I say, standing up fast because it’s either move or explode. “I swear I’m not mad at you, okay? I just need… space right now.”

She hesitates and it snaps something in me, not at her, but at the whole situation, at myself, at the night, at everything stacked wrong inside me.

“Please,” I add, harsher than I mean to. “Just go.”

She stares at me, wounded, confused. “Nat… don’t shut me out. You don’t even have to talk, we can watch the worst reality shows in existence, I won’t complain.”

“Siostra… ” I say as I start to get dressed, putting on layers to brace the cold, mind already halfway out the door. “You know what? You stay, I’ll go.”

She opens her mouth to argue, but I’m already moving. If I stay, I’m going to say something I can’t take back. Something I’ll regret. Something that will destroy the last sibling bond I have left. I slip into my shoes, throw a hoodie on top of the layers for good measure, grab my phone, and head for the door.

“Natalia—” she says behind me, voice cracking just a little.

But I don’t look back. I can’t. I let the door close behind me harder than necessary and step into the quiet hallway, anger and hurt tangling like barbed wire in my chest. I don’t know where I’m going. I just know I have to get out before the wrong words find their way out of my mouth, before I break something between us that's already fragile.

Kiri

I don’t remember getting back to the hotel. I only register the slam of my door when I’m already inside, leaning against it like something might break loose if I let go. The room is dim, lit only by the city glow bleeding through the curtains. Everything is too quiet after the club. No bass under my feet, no cold rooftop air cutting through all the bullshit I apparently couldn’t stop saying. Just me.

Great.

Excellent company.

I should shower, or sleep. Or literally anything other than think about her. So, naturally, I go straight to thinking about her. Natalia’s face when I said it.

You did act like a groupie.

Fuck.