Page 126 of Sinful Bride

So many of Arlo’s comments make more sense now.

… There is something special about your firstborn that gives them an eternal space in your heart…

“That must have been difficult.” I feel my heart clench at the thought of not being with Pasha. Or worse, being married to someone else—like Conrad—while the man I truly love is forced to stand in the sidelines.

I could never.

I’m amazed Asya made it through.

“It was bad enough to begin with.” She nods. “But then… I don’t know for certain, but I think Kostya started to suspect there was something… off. About Pasha.”

“They didn’t look alike?”

“Something like that. He could never put his finger on it, but he swore I was unfaithful to him and that Pasha wasn’t his. So he took it out on me.”

I don’t ask for her to elaborate. I don’t need her to.

“Do you think…?” I rub a hand over my mouth. I feel like I’m poking and prodding into secrets I should not be looking at. No matter how open and welcoming she’s being about it all. “Will you ever tell Pasha? Or anyone else?”

Asya rubs her temples. “I don’t know how. I want to. I’ve always wanted to. My Pasha… he always fears becoming his father. For so long, I’ve wanted to just tell him he shouldn’t fear it at all. His father, his real father, is a good man.”

“Pasha is a good man, too.”

I feel less crazy now. Less like I’m just seeing things, similarities that aren’t actually there. If Kostya was such a terrible person, how else could Pasha have turned out as well as he did?

“Need some more tea?” I pluck my cup and saucer from the coffee table. “There’s more in the pot.”

“No, thank you. I’m still working on my first.”

I sidestep the furniture and round the corner leading to the kitchen. As I do, I see…

Pasha’s standing there.

Shit.

“Pasha!” I don’t shout his name, but I say it loud enough to warn his mother. “I thought you were in the shower.”

“I forgot something. In my office.”

Double shit. He’s pissed.

Which means…

“You heard.” I only need to see the flicker in his eyes to know it’s true. Immediately, my heart slams inside my chest.

I shouldn’t have asked.

I shouldn’t have looked where I wasn’t meant to.

I’m so sorry…

“Pasha, I?—”

He silences me with a kiss to my brow, his hands cupping my face. “I’ll be back later. I love you.”

It’s a millisecond of calm. Something to ease my worries that he might be angry with me.

He’s not. He’s pissed, yes—but not at me.

---