Page 95 of Koroleva

"Shhh," he silenced me, "I know. Let me see it."

Hearing him say that, I came, unloading into his palm while his gaze cradled me, without false promises, without tricks, just the consolation of an equal holding me in his gesture. He waited for me to finish and then stepped back.

He shook his hand and rubbed it against some bushes to rid himself of my essence. I didn't know what to do or what to say after the intensity we'd shared.

"Do you want me to...?" I stammered.

"No," he cut me off without looking back. "I’ll wait for you in the car, don’t be long."

"Andrey..." I mumbled.

He didn’t respond, I didn’t insist, and his silhouette vanished, camouflaged among the cars.

38

Arasagasti

When Romeo performed toccata et fuga, I went for a walk until I found my sister-in-law, who was with Irisha. "Do you have a moment?" Juliet was startled to see me.

"Hello, Niki, Juliet wasn't feeling well and I was accompanying her. By the way, this place is fantastic, your father-in-law is unmatched in organizing celebrations." I offered a restrained smile to my sister, who insisted on using that diminutive she had used when we were little, and no matter how many times I corrected her, there was no way.

"Go on, take a look at Sarka, I've lost sight of her and don't know where she is. I'll stay here with Juliet waiting for your return."

"Okay, I'll be right back, don't move."

My sister-in-law looked unwell, her usual tanned skin had lost some of its color.

"What's wrong?" I asked discreetly.

"I felt a bit dizzy

"We both know that's not true," she looked at me with surprise. "You can pretend if you want, but I saw how you looked at us during the dance..." Her expression suddenly changed.

"Salvatore is a jerk and you shouldn't appear so attracted to him."

"Attracted?"

"I have eyes and I've seen you, as you've said. It looked like you were..."

"What?"

"Never mind."

"Juliet, it was just a dance, an interpretation of a song, I'm not interested in your cousin, no matter how attractive he might be."

"Well, that's better. Look, I know your marriage to my brother was arranged, but I see how he looks at you and I know he likes you, a lot."

"Tell that to his mistress."

"I know for a fact he hasn't been back with her. I know because Irene called me asking if something was wrong with him, he wasn't even replying to her messages." That statement pinched my heart.

"That's because we've been very busy with the Mentium."

"That's because he likes his wife, and I know if you get to know him, he might also fall for you. There's no better man than my brother, not to mention how handsome he is."

"You don't need to sell him to me, I married him."

"Yes, but maybe you're prejudging him over something that has nothing to do with either of you, but with our families..." I fell silent. "I might look foolish, but I'm not. The enmity between the Korolevs and the Capulets has lasted years, it's time for the waters to calm, and it's in your hands to do it. And as for my cousin... He's nothing like Romeo, he's a traitor. You would do well to distance yourself."

---