Page 61 of Emerald Vices

And more.

And more.

By the time he comes, our bodies are slick with sweat. There are claw marks on his chest. Bruises on my hips.

It’s only when we collapse together that the doubts begin to creep in. What if this time is no different than all the others? What if he changes his mind?

As if he can hear me thinking, Andrey slips his fingers through mine.

The thoughts become white noise.

The white noise becomes stillness.

And in that stillness, one thought pulses like a heartbeat.

This time is different.

It has to be.

24

ANDREY

“This is the first time in a while I haven’t craved a smoke.”

She twists onto her side, leaning on one elbow so that she’s looking down at me. “You smoke?”

“We all have our vices.”

She snorts. “An undercover drug trade isn’t enough?” I dig into her side and, giggling, she pushes my hand away. “I’ve never actually seen you smoke.”

“That’s because I quit a year ago. But when things get stressful, the craving comes up again.”

“And now?”

“No cravings.”

Her smile lights up her face. Blushing, she skates a finger up and down my chest. “This is nice.”

“All those orgasms and the best you can come up with is ‘nice’?”

She smacks my arm. “I was speaking in the general sense. Dinner tonight, having Aunt Annie here—all of it.” She keeps tracing circles along my skin. “Thank you for bringing her here to live with us. She really likes you, you know.”

“I like her, too. She reminds me of the mother I don’t have anymore.” Natalia’s smile freezes on her face. I press a finger to the corner of her mouth, trying to tip it back into a smile. “Sorry. Bad joke.”

“I want to meet her,” she whispers.

Why did I have to go there?

“She’s in a facility, Natalia. She doesn’t even know who I am most days. And her memory is so full of holes. It’s impossible to have a conversation with her.”

“She’s still your mother. And the twins’ grandmother.” Natalia presses a hand to her stomach. “It matters.”

“If you expect her to be happy about that?—”

“I don’t expect anything, Andrey,” Natalia interrupts. “I just want to know where you came from.”

“From crime lords and cold bastards, mostly.”

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