Page 8 of Ruby Menace

“Ten? What kind of journalism do you read?” Roxie frowns. “Look, whatever; it’s a lot of time, and you’ll be able to get your head straight by then. You’ll have to do that if you’re planning to raise this baby alone and—”

“Alone? You think I’ll raise my child alone?”

“Aren’t you?” My friend tilts her head. “It’s not like you’re going to be sticking with that asshole now, are you?”

“Well… shit.” I rub my eyes. “I don’t know what to think anymore. It all came as a shock. I just never expected him to be hiding something like that from me.” Other things, sure. Like actual crimes that the FBI is investigating. But a wife?

What else could he be hiding?

God, how did I end up in this mess?

“I can imagine.” Roxie pauses for a moment and then turns to me, her expression serious. “Look, there’s something I need to tell you-” She puffs out her cheeks. “And… you won’t be happy about it.”

“It couldn’t be worse than all this shitshow.” I’m sure her revelation couldn’t be any more devastating than my own.

“Shit…” She rubs her forehead. “Look I know this is probably not the right time, but you must know. I… um…” She reaches for the coverlet and starts plucking at a loose thread.

“Just spit it out. That’s always what you say to me, right?”

“Kirill… well, he kinda hit on me,” Roxie says bluntly.

“He did what?” I shoot up so quickly, I’m almost certain I’m going to hit the ceiling.

“I’m so sorry, babe.” Roxie’s plump lips compress. “It was… Fuck. I don’t know how to say this.” She looks away.

I feel like the blood has drained from my face. I didn’t think life can shit on me more than it already did, but it seems I was wrong again.

He hit on my friend?

“But how… when…?” It makes no sense. She’s barely been here a day.

“He came in here this morning after you bailed last night. I told him you were gone, and he… well…” She splays her hands. “He was eye-fucking the hell out of me when I opened the door.”

My mind goes back to what she’d been wearing when I saw her last – the sheer negligee, the revealing robe. My throat works. “I see,” I husk out. “I guess any man would probably look.”

“I wish he just looked, Tiana. But he freaking propositioned me.” Roxie’s eyes narrow. “Like totally expected me to fall into bed and fuck him or something. The man’s a prime dick.”

“I don’t… Jesus.” I’m struggling to find words. “He propositioned you?”

“Obviously, I told him where to get off. You’re my best friend, after all. And sure, he’s hot, but he’s like really, really old, you know?”

“Sure.” I feel like even more of a fool. I still can’t find words and my tears just keep flowing like a river. I’m no longer trying to fight it. I’ve been sold like cattle, I was impregnated, then I got crapped on over and over again. Nobody should be put through this. Ever.

“It’s not your fault, babe. How could you have known that the guy was some sort of creeper?” She’s looking at me, but I can’t seem to meet her eye; my gaze is focused on my hands, which are fidgeting on my lap. I’m battling down another little hiccuping sob. “Ah geez, Tee. Don’t be like that. Maybe it was my fault. I was still in my nightdress. Maybe he got the wrong idea?”

“Your fault?” I shriek. I’m still trying to process this. “How could it be your fault? He’s a grown fucking man! He should be able to control himself!” I grit my teeth and force down the next stupid sob because I refuse to be that girl anymore.

“Yeah. That’s kinda what I was thinking too. It’s not like he’s some sort of horny kid or anything. Though you never would have thought that from the way he was pawing at me. I couldn’t believe how—”

“Stop!” I raise my hand. “I don’t want to hear it.”

“Right. Sure. Shit… I didn’t mean to make this any harder.” Roxie huffs a breath. “You deserve better than that pig, Tee.”

I shake my head, still staring down at my hands. I’ve applied a lot of words to Kirill Vyronov since I’ve known him, but “pig” wasn’t one of them.

Roxie reaches for my hands and stops them from twisting. “You know you can do better, right? Yeah, the guy’s got money and all the fancy stuff that goes with it. And I guess you could say he’s good-looking, in a rough kinda way. But that doesn’t mean anything when you can’t trust the dude.”

“Yeah.”

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