Page 76 of Cruel Honor

“Come on, Katya,” I say. “Let’s get out of here. We can go to a café or something.”

“No,” Juno says. “You should stay here, Evelyn. It’s safer. That madman is still out there.” Hard to say which madman she’s speaking about. There are multiple coming after me.

Katya rolls her eyes and jumps up and takes my hand. “Let’s go. I’ll keep Evie safe, Juno. No need to worry.” She pulls me out of the house before Juno can object. “God, she’s annoying. I’m shocked you’d want to return to her. She’s not good for you, Evie.”

“And Dimitri is? He forced me to marry him, and because of him, Abram has tried to kill me multiple times.”

“I’m not saying my brother is any better.” Her expression twists into disgust at a pile of trash on the ground, and she sidesteps over it with her high heels. “I’m just saying you’re back in the same predicament you once were. Living a boring life. No excitement.”

“I tried the whole excitement thing. Then I was kidnapped by Dima, and my whole life changed.”

Katya winces. “I know. And I’m sorry I ever brought you to my brother’s stupid party. But you still need to get out, and I had an idea. There’s this tea function thingy going on, and I thought it could be fun.”

“Tea function thingy? A ringing endorsement.”

She laughs as she slips her arm through mine. “It’ll be fun. It’ll besafe. No Bratva men ever come to things like this. Dima won’t make an appearance, and neither will Abram. You’ll be safe. But I thought it could be a fun thing to do together.”

“Really? Katya, you’re not exactly a tea function thingy girl yourself.”

“I know.” She shudders. “I hate things like this, but as a Bratva daughter, there are certain expectations put on me. I have to make appearances.”

“Ah. So, this tea function thingy you’ve invited me to is just so you don’t have to go alone.”

“Pretty much. But, Evie, technically, you’re a Bratva wife now.”

“Not for long. Dimitri and I will get divorced.” There’s a flutter of disappointment in my chest at the idea. What is wrong with me?

“But for now, you’re married to one of the most famous Bratva men in the city. It’s good to make appearances at functions like this. Meet other Bratva women. Make friends.” She pauses. “Make allies.”

“I need allies?”

“For your own protection, Evie. If you’re friends with these women, then they’ll speak to their husbands, and they’ll help protect you from Abram.”

“Not if they’re working for Abram.”

She waves a dismissive hand. “We can’t worry about that right now. We’ll be together at a tea party full of women. What could go wrong?”

The party in question is held in an upscale, fine dining restaurant. The inside of the tea room is decorated in soft white linens and soft glowing lights. It’s the epitome of femininity.

The room is dominated by women. There have to be over thirty women in attendance, all assembled around different tables, sipping their tea and eating little sandwiches.

I love the sight of it all. It feels comforting. It feels safe.

“Let’s find a table,” Katya says.

“Which one?” Even though I feel safe here, it’s overwhelming. There are so many women I don’t know, and I have no idea how to conduct myself. I wasn’t born into the Bratva.

“That one,” Katya says, pointing at a table with three women seated. They’re all older, probably in their forties and fifties. “Those three women—Vera, Inessa, and Aleksandra—have a lot of sway.”

We approach their table.

“Ah! Katya,” one of them says. “Nice to see you again.” She has a gummy smile, but it doesn’t make her less beautiful.

“Vera, this is Evie, Dimitri’s wife. That’s Inessa”—a blonde with silver roots— “and that’s Aleksandra”—the oldest of the women with lines on her face.

“We all heard Dimitri got married,” Inessa says. “But I didn’t actually believe it. A man like him …”

“I know,” Vera replies. “I never thought he’d settle down. But this is the girl. So nice to meet you, Evie.”

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