Page 118 of Cruel Honor

I stand up and quickly begin to dress.

“What are you doing?” Dimitri asks me.

“Getting dressed. Juno’s out there.”

“So? She can go away. I’m enjoying time with my wife right now. And I don’t want your naked body to disappear.”

“Sorry.” I slip my dress over my head. “It has disappeared. Besides, don’t you want to know why Juno’s here? How did she find us?”

“Good point.” He puts his pants back on. “I guess we ask her.”

I open the door, and there she is. Juno, looking like her normal self. Juno, here to somehow ruin this moment between Dimitri and me.

“Good thing I got here when I did,” Juno says. “I was worried sick. You haven’t been returning my calls.”

“Oh. I left my phone behind when …”

“When what?”

“When we had to go on the run from Abram.”

“That man who’s trying to kill you? Still?”

“Yes, that man. And I’m sorry, Juno. I’m sure you were worried. I wouldn’t want that for you.”

“Then it’s a good thing your friend called me and told me where you were,” she says, walking into the room. She stops when she sees Dimitri standing there, shirtless. Her cheeks turn a little red. “That’s indecent, young man.”

“And here I thought you wanted to marry me at one point,” he says, slipping his shirt on.

“That’s long in the past. I’m here for Evelyn.”

“Wait.” I hold up my hands. “Katya called you?”

“Yes. Because I called her, looking for you. She told me you were safe at this hotel. I wanted to come see for myself. So, here I am.”

“Ok,” I say slowly. “You know I’m safe. You can go back home now.”

“No. I’m not leaving without you.”

I blink. “Juno, why not? I don’t need you to protect me any longer. I have Dimitri.”

“A girl should be with her mother.”

“Stepmother,” Dimitri interjects.

She slants her eyes at him. “Mother. Her biological mother has been dead for years, so I am her mother now. And I say she should come back home.” She grabs my hand. “So, come back home, Evelyn.”

“It’s not safe,” I tell her. “Abram is out looking to kill Dimitri. He’ll try to hurt me along the way. The best course of action is to stay here with Dimitri.” And the truth is, I don’t want to leave Dimitri again. I know he returned Maria to her home; he told me on the drive here. I know he regrets it.

And I know how I feel about him.

I think I’m falling in love with him.

“That’s the worst course of action! Dimitri is the reason you’re in trouble. I’ll protect you. Come back home with me.”

“She said no,” Dimitri growls. “So, Juno, you need to leave.”

She plants her feet into the ground. “I’m not going anywhere. Not without Evelyn. Not until I know she’s safe.”

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