Page 34 of Dark Embers

“A while ago,” she bites out.

Fuck. I didn’t even hear the elevator.

“You fucked, Sabrina Craft?” she demands before I can get another word out. Fury blazes in her eyes. “Seriously, Oleksi?”

“How long have you been standing there, Yudina?” I ask, using the name I know she hates. Her nostrils flare.

“Long enough to see that you’ve lost your goddamn mind.” Her gaze flicks to Syd, who’s leaning against the far wall, arms crossed, lips pressed in a thin line. She hasn’t said a word. Just watching. Judging.

“What do you want?” I ask Judy coldly.

She pulls a folder from her oversized bag and thrusts it into my chest.

“I brought you the marriage contract you asked me to draw up.” Her eyes narrow. “Jesus, Oleksi. Even for you, what you did to Sabrina is low.”

“Gloating doesn’t become you, Yudina,” I reply, clutching the folder.

“I’m not gloating,” she says, but then smirks. “Though I’ll admit, watching a five-foot-nothing woman kick your giant ass and slap your ego down a few stories without raising her voice? Yeah… that was kinda satisfying.”

I glare and hold up the folder. “Is this all you came here for?”

Her expression sobers.

“How long has this thing with Sabrina been going on?”

I arch a brow. “Why do you want to know? So you can report back to Radomir and Leigh?”

“No,” she snaps. “Because I want to know if you were planning on keeping her as your mistress while marrying someone else.”

I stiffen.

“This contract is just a contingency plan,” I say. “A way to secure the Dragunovs' loyalty should they fail to accept the new terms I have to offer now that Irina is dead. That’s all.”

“Nice,” she mutters, eyes filled with disgust. “You’ll never change and I don’t care what your aunt or cousin say, you’re no different than your father.”

“I’m nothing like my father.” I hiss. “If I was, you nor Viktor would be alive today. I’d have killed both of you for how the two of you betrayed me.”

“Ineverbetrayed you.” Judy’s voice drops dangerously low. “We had broken up, remember?” Her eyes bore into mine. “And it wasyouthat broke it off.Youwho wanted to explore your campusoptionsor your perversions.”

“Do you blame me?” I say nastily. “My girlfriend of six years wouldn’t open her legs for me.”

“Thank God I had the good sense not to,” Judy gives as good as she gets. “I’m not into all the shit you are.”

“Maybe you’re the reason I’m into that shit?” I accuse.

“Sure, blame someone else for your crap,” Judy sneers. “It’s just like you. If you’re not shifting blame, you’re twisting things to suit your narrative to ensure you’re the one in control, blinding you from seeing anything you don’t want to see.”

“Oh, here we go again.” I throw my hands in the air. “Poor Yudina. Pretending to be pure to snag yourself a Pakhan, only my father probably caught you spreading your legs for Victor and that’s how he knew you were nothing but a little whore.” My eyes rake her body as my anger intensifies. I know it’s not directed at her but she’s here and we have unresolved issues that have bubbled to the surface with all this crap with Sabrina. “I didn’t want to believe him until three weeks after I proposed you were suddenly getting married and eight months later you gave birth to a son. I can do the math, sweetheart.”

Her face goes pale. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” Her voice shakes with rage.

“Oh, I think I do,” I continue to taunt her. “What really happened in the dungeon Yudina?” I see her eyes widen some more and that haunting pain creep back in them. “Were you fucking my Father and uncle at the same time when Viktor found you and to save face you cried rape?” I know I’m being cruel but I can’t stop something is driving me on. “Is that what happened Yudina? You couldn’t let Viktor know you were not pure like he thought you were so you had to cry…”

Thwack!

The slap comes like a thunderclap. My head jerks sideways, skin stinging.

“Fuck you,” she hisses. “Find yourself another attorney. I don’t work for you. I work for Radomir, Viktor, Maxim, and I will leave for London tomorrow to join Radomir and Leigh after all. I knew this was a bad idea but Radomir begged me to stay here to help Gavriil.Youwere never part of the deal.”

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