Page 46 of Cruel Honor

She shrugs. “I mean, in this world, it’s more about safety. If something ever happened to me, he would know where to look.”

“It’s wild that you’re always so casual about things like that. In my world, tracking your phone and car makes you abusive.”

“Well, that’s because you don’t have to worry about madmen with guns.”

Good point. I slump back into my seat, my mind flashing to Abram in the store yesterday. The way he looked at me with so much anger. The words he called me. And then Dimitri defending my honor. Dimitri looking at me with softness as I cleaned his hand. Dimitri making me feel safe when I’m not sure I should feel safe around him at all.

“I just wish I could do something. Make things better somehow.”

Katya sets her phone down and thinks for a moment before nudging me. “We could always talk to Tatiana.”

“Abram’s daughter? Why?”

“Because she’s the one who was wronged. Maybe if we talk to her and convince her Dimitri didn’t wrong her, then she’ll talk to her father, and he’ll stop being an ass about everything. It would be one less thing we have to worry about.”

“You think that would work?”

“It’s the best shot we have. We can’t exactly go after a serial killer. We don’t even know where Dima is. And Abram is too dangerous for us to confront. But Tatiana? Nah. She’s harmless. She’s a Bratva daughter like me. She knows me. We’re … friends.”

“That didn’t sound convincing.”

With a smile, she pushes herself off the couch. “Fine. We’re not friends. But we know each other. She might be willing to talk to me.”

“Should I be there? I mean, I’m the woman Dimitri married instead of her.”

“That’s exactly why you should be there. Maybe if she sees how nice you are, she’ll back off.”

“I’m not sure about this,” I admit.

Katya grabs my arm and hoists me up. “You wanted to do something to help. Well, we can do this one thing. I know where Tatiana spends a lot of her days.”

“Where?”

Turns out it’s a fancy restaurant that hosts tea parties.

When we step inside, I’m confronted with the memory of myschool days. The expensive linens and fine China and all manner of pretty, rich girls seated around tables, barely eating anything. It’s like I’ve been transported back to our boarding school. I feel just as out of place now as I did then. The scholarship girl.

I’m sure the food the women are barely eating costs hundreds of dollars. I remember how I would bring my own lunch to school and how mocked I was for it because my dad couldn’t afford to buy me takeout from expensive restaurants every day.

“There she is.” Katya points to Tatiana, who’s laughing with a group of women. She reminds me so much of all the girls from school. Katya would fit right on in here with her looks and wealth, but instead, she’s standing beside me. She befriended me back in school and didn’t leave me to fend for myself.

I’m glad I have her by my side now.

We approach Tatiana. The moment she sees us, the table goes silent. Other than Tatiana, there are three women seated at the table, all with shiny hair and white smiles. They look me up and down and sneer, but once they notice Katya, they brighten up.

“Katya,” Tatiana says cheerfully. “Come to join us? It would be a good idea to get to know my future sister.”

She rolls her eyes. “Tatiana, you’re not going to marry my brother.”

“Oh?” She lifts a teacup to her lips. “And why is that?”

“Because he’s already married. To Evie.” Katya grabs my arms and shuffles me forward. “Everyone, meet Evie, Dimitri’s new wife.”

The three other women look at me with more fascination. I guess now they know I’m worthy of being around them because of who I’m married to.

“You’re pretty,” a redhead says.

Tatiana gives her a look. “Anna, why would you break my heart like that?”

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