Page 115 of Emerald Vices

“Just before I left him. I doubt he’ll remember what he said to me when he wakes up, though. He was pretty drunk.”

“It’s not even five o’clock,” Shura spits. Then he eyes her obnoxious dress. “Did he buy you that monstrosity?”

She shifts uncomfortably in place. “I’ve gotten away with not having sex with him, Shura. I can’t refuse his gifts, too.”

“You’ve really got him convinced, haven’t you?”

“Easy, brother,” I warn. “She’s just doing her job.”

“Who knew she’d be so damn good at it?” he mutters.

Kat whirls on him. “Are you accusing me of something? Don’t be a coward. Spit it out. Say it to my fucking?—”

I insert myself between them before Kat can get her manicured claws within striking range of my second-in-command. “He’s not accusing you of anything, Kat. Shura’s just?—”

“Don’t fucking speak for me!” Shura bellows. “I’m perfectly capable of explaining what I mean on my own.”

“Go ahead then!” Katya replies. “Tell me what you really think of me!”

I meet Shura’s eyes, silently advising him. Don’t say something you’ll regret later.

He promptly ignores my silent warning. “I think you’re enjoying playing Viktor’s whore.”

Something you’ll regret…

Like that.

Cringing, I close my eyes as Katya’s breathing hitches. “You… you… asshole!”

Then she bursts into tears.

Far from doubling down on his rage, Shura looks panicked. “Kat?—”

She holds up her hand, nearly face-palming Shura. “Don’t talk to me. From now on, I’m addressing Andrey only.” She turns her back on Shura and looks at me, tears still running unchecked down her cheeks. “There’s one more thing you should know. The hit on Mila is still active.”

“Yeah, I didn’t expect that to disappear overnight,” I admit. “My brother doesn’t forgive a slight easily.”

“It’s more than that.” Kat tugs on the hem of her dress. “He doesn’t just want payback; he wants Mila out of the picture altogether.”

“What is my brother’s plan, Kat?” I ask gently, holding up a hand to stop Shura from butting in.

“He wants to… remarry.”

“Oh, fuck no!” Shura explodes. “He wants to marry you, doesn’t he?”

Katya winces and it’s clear that Shura’s right. “Has he asked you yet, Katya?”

She nods. “Pretty much.”

“And what did you say?” Shura grits.

“I had to say yes!” Still, she refuses to meet his eyes. “Why do you think he told me about Nikolai and Slavik in the first place?”

Shura kicks the side of my desk hard enough that the entire thing slides a few inches to the left. “How much longer are we going to keep this up? Until you’re married? Until you have his first child?”

“Shura…” Kat’s eyes are still glistening with tears. But the anger has vanished from her face, her voice. She just looks broken now.

That’s when I get it. When the pieces click.

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