Page 38 of Bound By Hate (Born in Blood)

“That’s why it took you so long to find a husband,” Darya says, speaking for the first time. “You’re too picky.”

All the women nod.

“It’s true,” Vera says. “Way too picky.”

“So, you’re all saying you settled for your husbands?” I fire back. “That’s not something I’d be proud of.”

Vera’s cheeks grow red while she laughs. “Oh, Viktoriya. You’re so … quick-witted.” Something tells me she wanted to use a completely different word than “quick-witted.” Something more along the lines of “bitch.”

“Cleary, she didn’t want to settle for me,” Aleksander says.

She runs her hand down his arm. “A mistake, in my opinion.” I hate the sight of her hand touching him.

But Aleksander isn’t mine. I shouldn’t care who touches him.

“I’ll leave you ladies for the evening,” he says, pulling away from Vera. Good.

Vera pouts. “Do you have to?”

“If I want to make it out alive, then yes. Viktoriya might kill me if I talk to her any longer.” He grabs my hand and kisses the back of it before I can react. “Viktoriya.”

I open my mouth, but no words come out. He’s left me speechless.

No one ever leaves me speechless.

My hand still tingles even after he lets it go and walks away.

Vera and the other women glare at me.

“Shall we go talk to my sisters?” I ask, leading them to Sofiya and Mila. “Sofiya, look, my friends are here.”

Sofiya’s eyes widen before she plasters a smile on her face. “Hi. I didn’t realize Viktoriya had friends.”

“Not friends, really,” Vera says. “But we were happy to come.”

I try not to flinch. Vera is determined to embarrass me, while Sofiya is determined to punish me for our argument.

It only leaves me feeling more alone.

“Excuse me,” I mutter, hurrying toward the bathroom. I lock it behind me and then bend over the toilet and force myself to throw up again. I can’t have anything in my stomach. Not if I want to dance again.

Dance is the only good thing I have going for me. I cannot lose it. I will not lose it.

A knock on the door makes me jump. “Someone’s in here,” I call out.

It’s then I’m aware of how I must look in my beautiful red evening gown, bent over the toilet, throwing up.

No one can see me like this.

But I don’t have the strength to move. I ignore the person on the other side of the door, who keeps knocking and remain in the bathroom for the rest of the party.

Since no one likes me anyway, no one will miss me.

“Where were you?” Gleb demands after the party is over and everyone has left. Gleb is the only one still up, waiting for me in the living room.

“Something didn’t settle well within me.”

“You were in the bathroom all night?”

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