Page 37 of Shatter Me

"I can't get in this deep, Sofia. Not with him. Not with what he is, what your family is."

Sofia sets down her glass, fixing me with that penetrating stare she must have learned from Nikolai. "Let's talk about your walls, shall we? When's the last time you let anyone close enough to hurt you?"

"That's different?—"

"Is it? You're both terrified of the same thing."

"I'm not terrified of him," I snap.

Sofia's lips curve into a knowing smile. "No, you're terrified of wanting him. There's a difference."

The truth of her words hits me like a physical blow, stealing my breath. I drain my wine glass.

"More wine?" Sofia holds up the nearly empty bottle.

"God, yes." I hold out my glass. "Let's talk about something else—anything else. Like how that new assistant curator keeps mixing up Rococo with Baroque."

Sofia laughs, topping off our glasses. "Or how about that donor who showed up to the Renaissance exhibit wearing what he thought was period-accurate clothing?"

"Oh my God, the polyester doublet!" I nearly spill my wine. "And those plastic gems!"

We dissolve into giggles, the tension from our earlier conversation melting away. I reach for my phone to show her pictures from that disaster of an evening, but I freeze when I see Dmitri's text.

We need to discuss tomorrow's board meeting. Your office. 8am.

My heart skips, and my fingers hover over the screen. Sofia's knowing "hmm" makes me look up.

"Interesting text?" Her eyes sparkle with mischief.

"Just work stuff." I quickly flip my phone face-down, but my cheeks feel hot. "The usual board meeting prep."

"Must be important work stuff." Sofia sips her wine, failing to hide her smile. "Your whole face just lit up."

"It did not!" I grab a throw pillow and launch it at her head. "And stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?" She catches the pillow, grinning. "Like, I know exactly who just texted you? I can see right through your 'just work stuff' excuse."

"I hate you." I grab my phone again, unable to resist checking to see if he's sent another message.

"No, you don't." Sofia stretches out on the couch. "So, eight a.m. meeting with my darling brother-in-law? Should I tell Nikolai to make sure Dmitri behaves himself?"

"Don't you dare." I point my finger at her threateningly. "If Nikolai gets involved, Dmitri will be impossible to deal with tomorrow." I twist my wine glass between my fingers. "He's already..."

"Already what?" Sofia props her chin on her hand, eyes glinting. "Do tell."

"Infuriating. Controlling. Completely unreasonable." The words tumble out. "Last week, he vetoed three of my acquisition proposals without even looking at them properly."

"Mhmm." Sofia's knowing smile makes me want to throw another pillow at her. "And you're sure that had nothing to do with you having lunch with that gallery owner from Paris?"

"That was a business lunch!"

"Of course it was." She reaches for the last spring roll. "Just like tomorrow's early meeting is strictly business."

But my mind's already racing ahead to tomorrow. Dmitri never schedules meetings before the board convenes. He usually sweeps in at the last minute, commanding attention without effort. What could be so urgent it couldn't wait?

"Earth to Tash?" Sofia waves her hand in front of my face. "You disappeared on me there."

"Sorry, just..." I glance at my phone again. Still, just that one message taunting me with its brevity. "It's weird, right? Him wanting to meet before the board?"

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