Page 131 of Kingmakers, Year Three

He looks across the table at Rakel.

“You look like you know how to get nasty . . .” he says, mouth full of sandwich. “How about it?”

“What a tempting proposal,” Rakel says acerbically. “Unfortunately I’m already dating Joss Burmingham.”

“That spotty little Spy? I’m way hotter than him.”

“But he’s learned to chew, swallow, and then speak, so he’s got that going for him.”

Bram gulps down his bite. “How ‘bout now?” He grins.

“Still no.” Rakel sniffs.

Anna and Leo have maintained an admirable level of silence through all this, though I know Leo is dying to give me shit about the fact that I’m once again stripped down to my trousers, holding up Cat’s water glass so she can take a sip, while barred from speaking to her.

Leo can barely lift his eyes from his plate, and I think Anna has kicked him under the table at least three times.

I have the strangest sense that Anna is rooting for me. She meets my eye across the table, giving me an encouraging smile.

Chay is less restrained. She keeps coming up with new ideas for Cat to torment me.

“You should make Dean wear knee socks and a skirt!” she says cheerfully.

“Chay,” I say. “Please shut the hell up.”

She ignores me.

“Oooh, make him stand up in our Banking class and sing the Russian national anthem! I’ll tell you if he does it.”

“Professor Graves will expel me,” I say.

“Quiet!” Cat hisses at me, snapping her fingers for another sip of water.

I never realized she was such a little sadist.

It only makes me like her more.

I can’t be certain, but I think she’s thawing toward me, just a little. I don’t think she believed I’d last one day of this treatment. It’s going on seven, and I’m determined not to crack. I’ll show her that I’ve learned to control myself. That I’m really fucking sorry. And that I’ll do anything to make her happy.

That’s what I realized after talking to Snow.

Iwilldo anything for Cat. Sacrifice anything. Pay any price.

I’ll grovel forever if that’s what it takes to get her back.

I don’t give a fuck if I look stupid in front of the whole school, or if Vanya spreads the news of this to all of Moscow, undermining my position in the Bratva.

I want Cat more than I want anything—even to becomePakhan.

I’ve never loved someone more than my own ambition.

It’s terrifying.

Because I’m not in control of Cat. I can’t make her love me.

All I can do is hope.

27

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