Page 48 of Sweet Deception
He held my gaze, unreadable. Waiting.
I understood. He wanted me to tell him what he should do.
He wanted permission.
I swallowed. “If you want him to suffer... there are better ways.”
A shadow passed through his gaze. Surprise?
“You think I’d betray my own blood for you?” His voice was quieter now, but the steel beneath it was unmistakable.
My stomach dropped.
I shouldn’t have said anything.
“Forgive my words.” I whispered, burying myself under the duvet. Hiding.
A moment later, I heard him leave.
***
Now
I was sick. Too sick.
Sweat clung to my skin, yet I shivered uncontrollably. Even breathing felt like dragging air through thick syrup. Lifting a finger was a battle I kept losing. The lingering bruises from Antonio’s attack only made it worse. It was getting harder to move.
The doctor had come, given me injections, but nothing helped.
Zoya checked on me every fifteen minutes, fussing like a mother hen.
But she wasn’t who I wanted.
I didn’t know why, but all I could think about was Gleb.
I wanted him here.
Even if he hated me.
I had called him but he dismissed me, making it crystal clear that he didn’t care whether I lived or died from this sickness.
The door creaked open again, and I sighed, not bothering to lift the blanket.
“Zoya, I told you to stop. If you keep coming in, I’ll never get any sleep.”
No answer.
Strange.
I pulled the duvet off my face...
And froze.
Gleb.
He looked wrecked.
Like he had walked straight out of a battlefield. His clothes were stained, dried blood crusted on the cuff, and his knuckles bruised.
