Page 86 of Bound By Revenge

She blinks, startled, her big green eyes focusing on me like she’s just woken from a dream. After a beat, she takes my outstretched hand, her grip surprisingly firm.

“Hi,” she says, her voice polite but distant. “Nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure’s mine,” I reply warmly. “I have to say, I’m a little jealous. You're so lucky to live here. This place is incredible.”

“Thanks. That’s sweet of you to say.” Her tone is pleasant, her expression polite, but there’s a faraway quality to her gaze, like her mind is already elsewhere.

“It's true,” I continue, trying to coax her into the conversation. “I don’t blame you for not wanting to head back to the city. I mean, if I lived here, I'd refuse to leave, too.

The aloof beauty nods absently, offering a polite smile. “Yeah, I think I’ll be here for a while. I can’t go back yet.” She sighs, almost like it slipped out without her meaning to.

“No one would blame you for staying.” I gesture lightly around us. “I’m sure there’s plenty to do here in the summer. Your dad’s into sailing, obviously, but what about you? What do you do for fun?”

“Fun?” She frowns, blinking as though the word is foreign to her. “I take long walks by the water. Sometimes I swim.”

“So you’re the outdoorsy type?” I smile, trying to draw her out. “Sounds like a good way to spend your time.”

“You’d think,” she replies with a shrug, her tone flat. Then her gaze flicks to me. “I saw you earlier with Nikolai. Are you his date?”

“You could say that,” I reply lightly, testing the waters. “Do you know him well?”

“Oh, not really,” she says, her tone cautious. “But we’ve known each other for a while. He’s a good guy.”

“I’m starting to think so, too,” I say with a soft laugh. Her polished exterior falters just a little, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

“Have you been together long?” she asks, tilting her head. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him bring a date anywhere before.”

Interesting. I file that tidbit away for later. “Not long,” I admit. “Things between us have… moved fast.”

“Oh.” She blinks, her frown knitting as if she’s trying to piece something together. “That’s... surprising. It doesn’t sound like him. You must be special.”

Her manners are flawless, her words poised, but there’s an awkwardness to her, as though she’s out of practice with small talk.

I laugh, letting her comment roll off me. “I guess I must be. Thank you... I think.

Her eyes widen slightly, and she shakes her head, looking mortified. “I’m sorry. That came out wrong. I didn’t mean to—please don’t take it the wrong way.”

“It’s fine, really,” I reassure her with an easy smile. “You didn’t offend me. Besides, you’re not wrong—it doesn’t sound like him, does it? But hey, I guess that just makes me very special.”

For the first time tonight, she cracks a genuine smile—a subtle, almost imperceptible curve of her lips. But it’s there.

“Yeah,” she says softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I think you are.”

“Well, that’s sweet of you to say, Erin. I’m sorry, but I have to ask—for someone who claims not to know Nik well, you seem to know a lot about what does or doesn’t sound like him. Should I be worried?” I keep my tone light, though my curiosity is piqued.

Her eyes widen, and she shakes her head quickly. “Oh, God. No, not at all. I swear, it’s nothing like that.” She shakes her head again, her tone earnest. “It’s just... complicated. I feel like I know him, but I don’t. Not really. I just—used to know someone who did.”

In the softest tone I can manage, I ask, “Do you mean Maxim?”

Her gasp is audible, her eyes going wide as if I’ve said something forbidden. For some reason, it feels like no one has dared to say his name around her in a very long time.

“Yeah,” she says after a moment, her voice barely above a whisper. “I mean him. He used to talk about Nikolai so much it felt like I knew him, too. But honestly, Nik and I have only spoken a handful of times. I barely know him. And honestly—if the way he was acting around you earlier is any indication, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Maxim would’ve loved to see it.”

Her smile wavers, turning sad, and she looks away, her gaze lost in the distance.

“You miss him,” I say gently. “Maxim, I mean.”

She hesitates, then nods, her eyes shimmering with tears she’s clearly trying to hold back. “Yeah, I do. I really do.”

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