Page 87 of Unbreakable Vow

Talking to Sergei.

He’s frowning, shaking his head while she speaks to him.

Nausea rolls through me.

I know he can’t love me.

But dammit.

Somewhere I fell in love with him.

And seeing this, them, my heart aches like it’s going to implode.

Sergei looks up, catches my gaze and stands taller.

“Coraline,” he calls to me.

I shake my head. I can’t.

I don’t want to hear what he has to say.

But he’s in front of me in seconds, grabbing my shoulders.

“No, Sergei. No.” I yank away. “I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to see you. I want to go home.” I try to step around him, but he blocks me.

“What did she tell you?” he demands.

“Everything you didn’t have the balls to last night,” I shoot up at him. “You could have just told me you wanted to marry her. You don’t owe me anything.” I choke up, my throat closes around a sob I’m desperate to keep inside.

“Want to marry her?” He sounds sick by the words.

“Yes. It’s fine. If you really want to.” Bile rises up in my throat. “We can get?—”

“Do not finish that sentence,” he growls, getting closer, making it harder to breathe.

To think.

“Petrovs do not divorce.” His jaw sets and he lowers his face to mine. “Ever.”

I want to believe him.

I want desperately to cling to the moments we shared before the benefit. To pretend that our fake marriage is anything but.

“So, our marriage only lasting a year, that was another lie you told me?”

The little wrinkles around his eyes soften. “It’s what I intended at first. But that’s changed.” He touches my cheek. “I won’t let you go. And I sure as fuck do not want that woman.”

Glancing behind him, I get a glimpse of Victoria being escorted along the edge of the dance floor. Dimitri has her by the arm and is yanking her behind him.

He wouldn’t dare do such a thing to me. Sergei would have his head.

“What have you been doing this whole week then?” I question him. “You haven’t been home and when you have been, you’ve hidden from me.”

“Cora—”

“Cora! Cora!” Krista’s yells cut him off as she charges at me out of breath. “Cora. You left your purse.” She hands me the small clutch I had left her with when I went to the bathroom. “Your phone was going off.”

“What’s the matter?” Sergei moves to stand behind me, his heat spreading across my back.

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