Page 141 of Cashmere Cruelty

APRIL

If I felt like a hamster in a cage on my first day here, now, I feel like the freaking wheel.

I mean it. I’m stuck in place, thoughts whirring with nowhere to go, my feet striking the same four tiles over and over again. And for what?

My co-parent won’t even look at me.

Okay, that’s unfair. I know why I’ve been confined. After almost eating a bullet, anyone would get a little overboard with the safety measures.

And if it’s Matvey, he’ll definitely go full Azkaban.

“I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I agree with Mr. Wrong: you cannot go strolling about on your own.”

I sigh into my phone. “Great, now, you’re ganging up on me. My best friend and my baby-daddy-without-benefits, all out to get me.”

“We’re out to protect you, babe,” June coos from the other end of the line. “Wait. What do you mean ‘without benefits’? I thought you guys were going at it like rabbits.”

“We were!” I blurt out before I can realize what June actually said. “I mean?—”

“No need to be shy, sweetcheeks. I’ve seen everything there is to see down there.”

“That’s because you’re allergic to knocking,” I pout. “Anyway… I don’t know. Something’s different.”

“Different how?”

I throw myself down on the couch. Correction: thecarcassof a couch. Matvey’s men are supposed to stop by with new furniture later in the day, but for now, it’s foam-on-skin action. “You’re gonna laugh,” I whine.

“I promise I won’t.”

“Liar.”

“April. Spit it out.”

I capitulate. There’s no point in telling June “no”: she can’t physically understand the meaning of the word. “He didn’t kiss my hand.”

I get it out all in one breath—hedidn’tkissmyhand—but of course, June catches every word. When she wants to, her ears can be as sharp as a bat’s. “I’m sorry—kissed your hand? Is that Russian slang for something kinky or…?”

“It’s not!” I burst out. “He… Before he leaves, he always kisses my hand. And today, he didn’t.”

“Uh-huh…” June hums. Why can I suddenly picture a bucket of popcorn in her lap? “Tell me again how you’re not together.”

“We’re not! It’s just… something he does. Did.” Dammit, why am I blushing all over? I’m not a schoolgirl anymore. I shouldn’t be this flustered overkissing. On the hand! “And now, he doesn’t and I’m wondering if I did something wrong?—”

“Besides nearly getting yourself killed?” June ventures.

“I didn’t exactly invite those hitmen for tea!”

“Oh, babe, babe, babe,” June sighs. “You can’t expect your man to be logical about this. From what you’ve told me, he rarely ever is.”

“That’s…” I try to object. “… not wrong.”

“I mean,I’mfreaking out, and I didn’t even get to do you.”

“Jay!”

“It’s true! Do you know how hard it is not to march over there and hug you until you can’t breathe?”

I curl up on myself. “I’m sorry. I wish Matvey wouldn’t be such a hard-ass about visits.”

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