Page 123 of Cruel Honor

I feel the vise of my old life slipping around my neck like a noose. I’ve experienced excitement and pain and desire and … love since meeting Dimitri. Not everything has been good. But a lot has been, and the good is what I’m choosing to remember. It’s what I cling to.

Dima couldn’t take me down. I refuse to let Juno be the one to ruin my life.

Then I hear it. The doorbell rings.

Juno’s feet shuffle across the floor, and then she opens the door. “What do you want?” I can hear her faintly ask.

“I know Evie is in there.” It’s Katya. No. She’s supposed to be safe back at the hotel, and I doubt she has Dimitri’s permission to be here.

“So? She’s busy. Go away.”

“Nope.” I hear what sounds like a scuffle, then Katya is calling my name, her voice getting closer and closer.

“In here!” I say.

She reaches my door. “You locked her in there?”

“It was for her own good,” Juno says.

“For her own good. You bitch. I’m getting you out of there, Evie. Don’t worry.” I hear her fiddle with the doorknob, but the door still doesn’t open.

“Ow!” Katya says. “Bitch. Don’t hit me!”

“You are not getting that door open,” Juno threatens. It’s killing me that I’m stuck inside my room with no way to reach Katya.

“Ow! Evie, your stepmom is hitting me.”

I pound on the door. “Juno, stop! This is crazy. Just let me out. We can talk about this.”

“No. You’re going to leave me, and I can’t have that. I just can’t.”

“Let her go,” Katya warns. “Juno, now.”

“I would leave if I were you.”

Katya goes silent. What does she see? What is going on?

Then Katya says, “Ok. I’ll go. But I’m coming back with my brother. Evie, just stay strong. I’ll be back.” Then I hear Katya’s footsteps disappear until I can’t hear them at all.

“Juno, what did you do?”

“That spoiled princess didn’t want to risk getting cut. Weak is what she is.”

I slump back onto my bed and stare up at the ceiling. I have to wait for Dimitri to come save me again.

I’m really starting to feel like a princess stuck in a tower.

DIMITRI

The plan is to go after Abram tonight.

Nik and I are just going to show up at Abram’s house with a bunch of men with a bunch of guns and fucking end this. No more games. No more trying to be smart. If anyone gets in my way, it’s over.

Nik meets me back at my hotel room to finalize the plans. “So, this is it.”

“This is it. Let’s go kill that fucker.”

Katya barges into the room. “Evie needs you.”

---