Page 61 of Unrequited
He takes my hand.
Then he turns to the priest and nods once.
“Vows, Father,” he says. “Make it quick.”
Rafail makes a move to come to us.
“Don’t, Kopolov,” Seamus growls, and I see something in him I’ve never seen before, a dark glint in his eyes, the hardened set of his jaw. He’s ready to kill. All of them.
And then he’ll take me away anyway, no matter what it costs.
“Over my dead body,” Rafail growls. “So kill me. But you won’t take my sister. You won’t.”
“No!” I scream. “Enough!”
I wrench myself away from Seamus, slap at his hands when he reaches for me. And to my shock, he actually stops. He stares at me like he’s never seen me before… and takes a step back.
My brothers freeze, and the whole room goes still.
Everyone, every single person in the goddamn room, is staring at me.
“I willnotlet you war overme,” I say, my voice rising.
“No. Enough. Too many people have died already.” My words rip through the silence. “Too many! I won’t risk it. Stop. All of you. Just—stop.”
Silence falls, the kind that weighs heavy, thick, and unbreathable. I feel like I might throw up as I look at my brothers, trembling but resolute.
“Rafail, I’m going to marry Seamus.”
I swallow hard.
“I’m going to marry him… because I love him.”
A startled gasp breaks the quiet. Rafail’s eyes narrow on me, disbelief hardening his face. “Zoya, don’t you?—”
“No!” I scream again, and I think it might be the first time I’ve ever raised my voice to him.
“Stop talking,” I snap, then turn to Seamus, pointing straight at him. “Listen. I didn’t know who he was,” I say, pushing through the weight of grief. “And it breaks my heart to know what he’s done. But I want you to know something.”
I look at Rafail, and my voice cracks.
“Next to you, there’s no one I trust more.”
The look of betrayal on his face shreds me. Cuts me straight down the center.
“Zoya,” Rafail whispers, confused. Hurt. So damn hurt.
“He’s given everything to come for me,” I say, my tears flowing freely now. I know my mascara’s running, my makeup smeared—but I don’t care. I can’t care. Not now. “I have to stop this war.”
“What are you talking about?” Rafail asks, barely audible. “What do you mean?”
“You heard her, Kopolov,” Seamus says, steady and clear.
“I said I love him.” I lift my chin.
Or I used to, anyway, before he broke my heart.
I glance at Seamus out of the corner of my eye. “He’ll have to prove he’s worthy of my love. He’ll have to prove he didn’t lie to me. He’ll have to prove a hell of a lot.” I let out a shaky breath.
