Page 109 of Deceitful Vows

Mars looks set to jump on stage and do my routine for me when the bids keep coming in. “Ten thousand… Twenty thousand… Thirty thousand, and I’ll make out to Andrik that not the slightest bit of disappointment crossed your face when you realized he doesn’t care enough about you to respond to you selling parts of your body for money…again.” He snickers his last word like being on the verge of starving to death isn’t a valid excuse to get drastic with your attempts to earn some funds.

I shouldn’t bite at the bait he is dangling out, but haunted memories are making my emotions too askew not to. “Dancing and selling your body are two very different things.”

He looks smug that he forced me to respond, so it is only fair I strive to wipe it off his face.

“I figured you’d know that better than anyone since I doubt a single person has volunteered to slip between your sheets without expecting a payout for the injustice.”

I’m lying. Ellis is handsome. He just rubs me the wrong way, and the frustration it instigates has me acting out as if he is the father figure I never had growing up.

He scoffs before hitting me where it hurts. “Doesn’t make the truth any less honest.” He leans over the chair, freeing his face from the shadows. “You’re only ever on his mind when you’re directly in front of him.” He screws up his face like he vomited in his mouth. “And even then, the attention is fleeting.” His arrogant grin hackles the last of my nerves. “You were in a club designed for sex and sensuality, yet he left after only the briefest brush of your clit because you tried to force his hand. That never ends well.”

“He emptied the club with gunfire because he was jealous.” I don’t need to correct his misinformation on how far our exchange went. That will remain between Andrik and me because itinvolvedAndrik and me.

Ellis’s laughter is haunting. “You think that was him?” He slaps his thigh like he’s at a comedy club, its crack echoing in the empty club. “That was Mikhail playing another trick on his brother. He’s always riling him. Your inclusion in their lives merely offered them a couple of weeks of bonus ammunition in the game they’ve been playing since they were kids. That’s it. Nothing more.”

When I remain quiet, too annoyed to think of a comeback, Ellis pulls his phone out of his pocket.

“If you don’t believe me, I can show you. I’ve got footage from multiple angles.”

I can’t see the footage he plays, but I hear gunfire, which is quickly followed by Mikhail shouting for people to clear out.

I’m glad Mikhail stopped me from making a mistake I couldn’t take back, but the knowledge it was him also fills me with a ton of confusion.

And anger. So much anger.

I act out when blindsided.

“One hundred thousand in cash, delivered to me,in person, by close of business tomorrow night.” Ellis tries to speak, but I cut him off. “If you can achieve that, I’ll stay away from your son.”

With my terms nonnegotiable, I tilt my chin high before exiting the stage with a spring in my step someone who was duped out of a possible ten thousand dollars shouldn’t have.

41

ANDRIK

One hundred thousand in cash, delivered to me, in person, by close of business tomorrow night. If you can achieve that, I’ll stay away from your son.

I wet my lips before rewinding the video clip Konstantine forwarded to me this evening. With Zoya’s name associated with the footage, I had planned to immediately watch it, but I was approached by a key member of Zakhar’s medical team, so I set it aside for when I was alone.

Now I’m glad.

I wear jealous as obviously as every other fool. That’s not a look a man should express when standing across from his alleged wife.

One hundred thousand in cash, delivered to me, in person?—

I slam down my laptop before I can hear the remainder of Zoya’s demand again. Since the cracking of the screen offers little relief to my anger, I send my laptop flying across the room. It crashes into a bookshelf in my office before crumbling into pieces on the floor.

“Why didn’t Lilia stop her from going on stage?”

I’m fucking furious Zoya put a price on our relationship, but I also understand that sometimes you’ve got to fight fire with fire. My father was railroading her. He had her cornered, so she pushed back. Was it in a way I approve of? Fuck no. But that is a matter for us to handle in private, after I’ve waded through the shit raining down on me, and when there isn’t three thousand miles between us.

Zoya’s ass will need to travel just as long to recover once I’m done with her.

“Lilia was not aware she was performing until she was already on stage,” Konstantine answers, his voice low, as if he knows I’m one measly millimeter from losing my cool.

“How can that be? Lilia?—”

“Was given the day off.”

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