Page 9 of Ruby Menace

“I’m serious, Tee. If he’d do it to your own best friend, who else is he going to be fucking when your back is turned. You’ll never be able to trust him.”

“You’re right,” I whisper. It doesn’t sound like I’m agreeing with her at all, even though every part of my brain is telling me how wrong this all it.

“Tee… you can’t possibly be thinking of sticking around until the baby is born. No white wedding. No happy families. The man’s not just a monster, he’s a sleazeball on top of it.” She clasps my hands firmly. “And you deserve so much better, babe. You really do.”

I finally force myself to raise my head and look into my best friend’s face. She’s pretty. Even more beautiful if you look past the bleached blonde hair and the over-made-up eyes. What man wouldn’t want her? Especially Kirill, who’s basically a walking bundle of testosterone.

“Thank you for telling me.” I lift my chin, finally pulling myself together. “Guess I dodged a bullet, huh?” I give a mirthless laugh. “In more ways than one.”

“What are friends for, babe?” Roxie releases my hands and flicks a wave of hair over her shoulder. Her eyes move to the door and then back to me. “At least you can get out before things get too complicated.”

“Yeah,” I scoff. “I suppose that now his wife is back, he won’t expect me to stick around and have his babies.”

“Exactly. You should be good to go. The guy’s loaded. I’m sure he won’t be bothered about the money he spent to buy you. You can take the million he promised and finally start a life on your terms.”

I suppress a shudder. The money. Through all of this, I’d almost started to put that option out of my head. As if Kirill and I could be a regular couple without all that auction shit hanging over us. Had I really believed I could ever have a future with him without that “little” detail coming up again?

Not likely.

And yet, I still love him. In spite of Zoya, and the FBI, and the impossible way things began for us… he holds my heart. And I’m pregnant with his child.

His second child!

What the hell does all this say about me?

“No, I doubt he cares about the money,” I murmur. “I’m sure he’ll be glad to see the back of me.”

“And it’ll be good for you too. Why would you want to stick with some jerk who keeps his wife and kid hidden from you and hits on your friends? You’re better off without him.” Roxie puts her hand on my arm. “If you’re worried about him letting you go, I can try and talk to him.” Her shoulders lift. “Make him see sense.”

I give her a side-eye. “No,” I say simply. A day ago, I would have laughed out loud at what Roxie just said, but now, I’m not so sure anymore. I’m not sure of anything. Aside from the fact that I’m an idiot. I’d been about to tell Agent Thomson and the others to get lost. And where did that get me? Stuck with a man who piles lie upon lie. Betrayal upon betrayal. Even all those moments together, when he’d touched me…when he’d made me feel things…

My breath shudders again.

It had meant nothing to him. I was all an illusion.

“You okay, babe?” Roxie nudges me gently. “Need a hug?”

“I’m fine.” My voice is firmer than I’d expected.

“So what are you going to do?” she asks as I take in a breath and stand up.

“I don’t know yet,” I tell her, because I really don’t. I’m shocked, sleep deprived and my mind is a clusterfuck of confusion. Maybe I should just rat him out to the FBI like they expect me to do. Dredge up enough information to sink him once and for all, take up that offer for witness protection and get myself and my baby as far away from this mess as possible. But where would that get me? Raising my child alone and running for the rest of my life from the man who stole my heart? Something tells me it won’t be that simple. Maybe I just need to get some sleep to clear my head first.

But as I think though all this, an idea is formed. An idea that might save my sorry ass without having to look over my shoulder for the rest of my days. If I play it right, that is.

“You’re going to have to figure something out.” Roxie chimes in. “This problem isn’t going to go away on its own.”

“I know that.” I try not to snap. “I just need to—” My words are cut off as the sound of footsteps ring down the hallway. A firm determined stride that it’s impossible not to recognize.

Kirill is outside.

Chapter Four

Kirill

It’s time to put an end to this bullshit.

I’ve had a gutful of women and their crap. First, Tiana and her issues with the things I do, then her idiot friend hitting on me, then Zoya and her shit, and now back to Tiana again.

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