Page 209 of Cashmere Cruelty

“Not for me. Not about this.”

It feels like we’re on two different railways in this conversation. Like we’re following two different threads, both leading nowhere. “I didn’t think you cared anymore,” I whisper. “About our baby.”

“Whether I care or not is no longer your concern,” he spits at me, venomous. “This is my child, too. And I’ll do with it as I see fit.”

Once, I would have taken this as a claim. Aggressive, misguided—but born out of love nonetheless. Now, all I can do is shiver.

“After the wedding, I’ll take you to the hospital myself,” he adds, dark and final.

I swallow hard. “What if I don’t want you to?”

“Then that’s no concern of mine.”

His words leave me reeling. Since when has Matvey gone back to being this iceman? Since when has he gone back to threatening me?

When Matvey turns to leave, someone else takes his place in my eyes. Someone just as tall, imposing, and scary.

Myfather.

It’s uncanny, the resemblance. Their taut backs, their disdain. Suddenly, I’m seven years old again, watching Dominic walk out on me. Rejecting me for abetterfamily.

I can’t even muster the strength to close the door. I just collapse with my back against it, heart in my throat, the beats too frantic to keep track.

And then, in the worst cosmic joke of all?—

“My water,” I stammer into the empty room.

I watch the liquid pool under my legs, staining my dress.

The baby’s ready.

My baby’s ready—and it’s coming.

66

MATVEY

From the second I leave April behind, everything turns into a daze.

Grisha corners me in front of the elevator. “Are you really okay with this? There’s no going back, you know. After you marry her.”

Goddamn Grisha. Even right at the end, he has to find a way to get on my nerves.

When he tries to get on the elevator with me, I bark, “You stay here. Guard her. Make sure she doesn’t leave.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Grisha bows. “As you wish,moy pakhan.”

I have Yuri drive me to the Hedoneros Club instead.

When we get there, I notice the place has been classed up from head to toe. Good. It wasn’t exactly wedding-appropriate before. It was just the first venue available on such short notice—the only one that wasn’t the hotel, at least. And I wasn’tgoing to do this at the hotel.

Not with April just one floor below.

My mind swims as I head to the rooftop. Yuri tries to talk to me, “Motya?—”

“Don’t,” I snarl. “Whatever you’re going to say, don’t say it.”

He obediently shuts up.

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