Page 61 of Unveiled

I distract myself on my phone when a text comes in from Ophelia.

Ophelia

Um, you know the other day you got that bad review you told me about?

Yeah

Semyon wasn’t the only one I cried to.

Ophelia

Sooooo. Did you hear what happened to him?

Oh no. I give Semyon a sidelong glance before I reply.

No?

Ophelia

He’s in full body cast, Anya. And that small bookstore across town that gave you the glowing review?? They posted on social media today that someone made an enormous anonymous donation.

I narrow my eyes at Semyon. “Semyon,” I say warningly.

“Mmm?”

I gulp. “Did you beat up the asshole who left me the terrible review?”

“Well, notdirectly…”

“Semyon!”

He frowns, a crease forming between his brows. “No one treats my wife that way, Anya,” he says, as if that’s the natural order of things. To him, maybe it is.

No. Not maybe.

I’m quiet for long minutes. "And all this time," I say in a whisper, “I thought you hated me."

"Hatedyou? Are you fucking kidding me?" He shakes his head. “I’m half-tempted to pull this car over right now just to put you over my knee for that.”

I stare. His eyes dart to the side of the road, as if looking for a place to actually park. My pulse spikes. The tension between us is palpable.

“Um. Let’s save that for later,” I whisper. “We have work to do. Also, I’m…sober now.”

“I’m aware.” I watch as he breathes in through his nose and out again. Finally, he nods.

“I don’t hate you and never have. I distanced myself because I didn’t want to hurt you.” His voice lowers. “There’s a difference.”

In silence, we turn down my street. He parks the car. “Now, baby, let’s get this over with so I can get you back home to myself.”

I turn to him and let my head fall to his shoulder.

No one treats my wife that way.

At first, he freezes as if he doesn’t remember what to do.

Then he opens his arms. I tuck my head into the crook of his neck, and his arms come around me.

“Do you like that, Anya? Does that feel nice? If it does, I need to know. I need to learn how to… comfort you.” His voice lowers to a half growl as he welcomes me closer, his arms tightening. “C’mere.”

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