Page 57 of Cruel Promise

“I … had to sell it.”

“What?”

He scratches the back of his neck. “I needed the money.”

“But you have money. Nikolai paid you fivemilliondollars for me. He paid off your debt.”

“Well, you know, five million dollars doesn’t get you very far in New York these days.”

I stare at him, slowly realizing what he’s saying. “You … you lost it all. Already? It’s only been a couple of weeks since you sold me to Nikolai.”

“Well, as I said, five million really isn’t much these days.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. Are you serious? Are you serious!”

He flinches before quickly turning to anger. It’s the same expression he had on the day he killed my mom. “Who are you to come in here and judge me? I gave you everything growing up. You should be fucking grateful.”

“I should be grateful you sold me to a Bratva man because you were so far in debt? I should be grateful for that?”

“Yes,” he says without any shame. “I gave you a good life, Ava. Now, you’re married to a powerful man. You don’t have to worry about money. Most women would kill to be in your shoes.”

“I didn’t get a choice. You stole it from me!”

And then comes the slap. The sudden, hot pain that crosses my face makes me stumble back.

“Just shut up,” he hisses. “I saved you, you little slut. And look where that got me? I’m out of money again. I have nothing.”

“You killed my mother,” I sob, clutching my cheek. “What happened to her?”

“What do you mean?”

“I went to bury her, and her body wasn’t there. What happened to her? Did you bury her somewhere?”

He slowly shakes his head, frowning. “I didn’t bury her. I haven’t been back to see her since …”

“Since you killed her.”

There’s that flinch again. “I didn’t mean to. She just got in the way.”

“What happened to her?”

“I have no idea what you mean.”

“You shot her! You killed her! When you took me and gave me away to that auction, did you not go back to check on her?”

From his expression, it’s clear he didn’t. He can’t even look me in the eye.

“So, you haven’t been back to see her?” I ask more slowly.

“No. I haven’t.”

“So, then, what happened to her body?”

“I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

I scoff. “And you didn’t care to know?”

The look he gives me is hard and flat. “She made her choices. She left me. What happened to her after that was on her.”

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