Page 95 of Sapphire Tears

“Well,” she snorts, “we didn’t have much of an example to follow.”

“Forget Mom and Dad. It’s about time we set our own example,” I say. “Because I do want a relationship with you, Gen. I want my daughter to know her aunt.”

Geneva’s eyes go wide. “‘Daughter’? You’re having a girl?”

I smile shyly. “Yeah. I just found out.”

She sets her glass down and cups both my hands in hers. “Oh, wow! That’s amazing, June! And you’re…” Her joy fades. “You’re still living at the mansion with… with him?”

Just like that, all the warmth in the room gets sucked right back out. “Yeah,” I say. “I am.”

Slowly, she withdraws her hands. “Oh.”

“Genny…” I begin, nervous that I’m about to undo all the progress we’ve made, backsliding into the frosty acidity that used to be what I thought sisterly love was. “Genny, Kolya is important to me. And I know the two of you don’t like one another, but I really wish you would try. For my sake.”

Her eyes flash dark, a cloud passing over the sun. “Have you asked him for the same thing?”

“He knows that I’m meeting you today and he was very encouraging.”

She squints suspiciously. “I have a hard time picturing that.”

I sigh. If things are going to go badly, I might as well let them go all the way. Rip the Band-Aid, as they say. “There’s one more thing.” I suck it up and power through. “Adrian’s alive.”

Her eyes bulge, but it’s a second too late. Too fake. Too forced.

My gut churns cold, like my body knows the truth before my mind can accept the fact.

“Oh my God,” I breathe. “You already know.”

Her eyes flicker past me, towards her bedroom door. I twist around on the stool to see Adrian standing on the threshold of the living room.

Like always, his ring catches the light.

A taunt.

A tease.

A promise of pain to come.

41

JUNE

I jump off my stool to race for the door, but Geneva takes a better angle and shepherds me into the living room. “June—”

I turn to her in shock. “You planned this! You didn’t want to talk; you wanted to ambush me.”

“Only because I knew you wouldn’t hear me out otherwise!” Geneva says desperately. “Listen, I came home three days ago and Adrian was standing outside the apartment waiting for me. He explained everything.”

“I bet he did,” I scoff, trying to move past Geneva to get to the door.

She and Adrian both come together to block my escape route. “Baby, just hear me out,” Adrian croons.

I’ve heard that tone too many times in the past for me to be bought in yet again. Actions speak louder than words—and his actions have been to hurt me, each time worse than the last.

“Get out of my way.”

“Junepenny, please—”

---