Page 52 of Cruel Honor

I refuse to let her go.

Chapter

Eight

EVIE

The MRI machine whirrs as I lay in it and close my eyes. All I can see is Dimitri bursting into Abram’s basement to save my life. I know I can trust him to do that since he’s done it so many times by now. But he’s also the reason I’m in danger.

Abram wants to kill me because of what Dimitri has done to his daughter. Dima wants me dead because he’s a psychopath, but I never would’ve crossed paths for him if not for Dimitri’s party.

It all comes back to Dimitri.

The scan ends, and I’m let out of the machine. Dr. Wilson, Dimitri’s private doctor, looks over the results while I wait in the exam room and Dimitri paces back and forth.

“You’re making me anxious,” I tell him.

He immediately stops. “How do you feel?” Gently, he touches my head and then drops his hand.

“Tired. Abram bashed my head into a wall.”

Dimitri winces. “I’m sorry he’s targeting you. He’s my problem. I’ll deal with him.”

“Deal with him how?”

He doesn’t give me a response, and I understand what that means. He’s going to have to kill Abram if Abram doesn’t stop coming after me.

“You want to know an easier solution? We can divorce.”

Something flashes in Dimitri’s eyes. “No. We’re not divorcing.”

“Dimitri, it would solve all of our problems.”

“Then Abram will still expect me to marry Tatiana, and I refuse to do that.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have taken her virginity.”

A surprising blush covers his cheeks. I’m not sure Dimitri has ever blushed before. “You know about that?”

“You told me you slept with her, but you never told me you took her virginity. And as you and Katya have made clear to me, a woman’s virginity within your culture is valued. You knew what you were doing. Did you even care?”

“Honestly, no. I didn’t care.”

“So, if you didn’t care, then how can I expect you to care for me?”

“Because you’re different.”

“How?” I demand. “How am I any different?”

“Because I like you. It’s plain and simple.”

“But have you ever asked if I like you?”

Dimitri goes still, then he places his hands on the exam table on either side of my legs. We’re so close he could easily lean in and kiss me. “Don’t you like me? I think I’m pretty charming.” He flashes his signature grin, and I hate to admit it, but my stomach does a little backflip.

“I don’t hate you, Dimitri. I probably should, but I don’t. However, that doesn’t mean I like you either.”

“Then how can I get you to like me?”

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