Page 193 of Cashmere Cruelty

“No,” I snap. “No way.”

“Matvey…” Yuri starts, looking conflicted. “I don’t like this, either, but?—”

“Then don’t ask me to do it!” I pound my fist on the table.

“Do you think this is easy for me?!” my brother cries back. “Asking you to marry the woman I love? KnowingIcan’t keep her safe, but you can? ThatIcan’t keepmy childsafe, butyoucan?”

We’re inches from each other. Seconds, really, from letting our fists do the talking for us.

But then Yuri’s fury breaks. “Matvey,” he murmurs, “I can’t lose her. Ican’t.”

The ridiculous thing is, he doesn’t even realize:he’sin danger, too. Petra said it loud and clear. And, for once, I believe her. I’ve spent too long with Vlad to not know what kind of man he is.

He can’t lose Petra, he says?

Well, I can’t fucking losehim.

I’m not scared of Vlad. If he wants to come at us, let him: let the Solovyovs taste the lead of the entire Groza Bratva.

But I can’t possibly justify taking Petra in.

I can’t order myvoryto risk their lives, their men, for an outsider.

And Yuri wouldn’t listen. He’d follow that siren to the ends of the earth. Follow her into his own goddamn grave.

And I can’t have that.

But I also?—

I also have somebody else I can’t lose.

“Motya,” Yuri begs, oblivious to my hell. To how fucking close I am to being torn apart. “Help us.”

“I can’t.”

“Please.”

“I—”

“Brother.”

That’s the final straw.

Like the camel’s back, my resistance breaks. Because this is my brother we’re talking about. This is my brother, and he’s asking me for help.

“No one else can know,” Petra says, panic still flooding her words. “No one else can know it’s not yours.”

“You shut the fuck up,” I snarl.

“She’s right,” Yuri cuts in, pleading. “One wrong word and we’re done for, Motya. We can’t risk that. She’s…”

She’s carrying my child.He doesn’t need to finish that sentence. I can read it in his eyes, plain as day.

“No one,” he repeats. “Promise me.”

April deserves to know.The words are halfway up my throat when?—

Do you trust her?

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