Page 103 of Lies He Told Me (Bratva Crime Syndicate 1)

“No.”

She nods, gaze abstracted, then a bit startled. As if she’s as confused why she’s saying this as I am. “I haven’t told anyone what happened, how Damon, that lazy piece of shit that never did anything for us. One night, drunk as usual, he tried … he tried …”

I jerk upright in bed. “What?”

“He didn’t manage to …” A shudder goes through her. “But he was about to. And when I went to my mom, she was all zonked out on sleeping pills and Damon was right behind me. So finally, I couldn’t take it anymore, and I left. I ran. And that was it.”

Her shoulders are rigid and up, like she’s justifying herself to someone. Her teeth are gritted. “Want to know the worst part? Worst part is that that sick fuck will get away with it. He’ll just find some other unwary, kindhearted people to leech off. There’s no punishment for bastards like him.” She shakes her head. “Still, running off like that was stupid. So, so stupid.”

“Why?”

Her shoulders relax, her head swings my way. “Because I never gave my mom a chance to make things better.”

“If you hadn’t been on the streets—”

“Then we wouldn’t have met,” she finishes. “Who would’ve been your fake wife then?”

“Meaning?”

“That’s all I am, aren’t I?”

“Stop.”

Something’s brimming in her hazel eyes. Something between hope and suspicion. “Aren’t I?”

“I’m not going to spell it out for you.”

“No,” she snaps, turning so her back is to me. “Heaven forbid you admit you have real feelings for me.”

The door creaks open. Seconds later, a gray shape bolts in and Chowder jumps into bed with us.

Joy murmurs in his fur as he tangles himself in the covers, straining to lick both of us all at once. He finally settles in Joy’s arms.

I put my hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry about what happened to you. But I think you’re wrong to regret it. It’s what brought us together.”

It isn’t exactly what she wants to hear. But I can see by the way her expression softens, that it’s enough.

For now.

Only once she’s asleep do I realize it: this is the first time Joy’s fallen asleep in my arms.

What the fuck could that mean?

23

Joy

Pressure on my head awakens me. It takes me a second to remember: I’ve been sleeping in Gavril’s bed for the past few days. Now, he knocks on my head instead of the door to wake me, the goof.

“Can’t a girl sleep in?” I moan playfully, even though I feel completely refreshed as it is.

“Not past ten a.m., she can’t,” Gavril returns.

I sigh. Yeah, sleeping from ten at night to ten in the morning … there’s no way to argue that’s not enough. “Fine.”

I try wrangling myself into a more upright position, enjoying the warmth of his body beside me. His warm lower legs are my cold feet’s best friend. “My question today is: after being on the streets, what was the most awesome thing you had once you got off them?”

Gavril is quiet for a long time. “Showers,” he says finally.

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