Page 44 of Sapphire Tears

I put down my cigar and fix her with a hard stare. Most men take one look at my eyes and run screaming for the nearest exit. But it has next to no effect on Milana.

It’s why I picked her as my second, despite all the voices raised against the decision when I announced it to the Bratva. The woman is a stone-cold warrior. She’d been through so much, so young. Nothing frightens her anymore.

“She’s not going to.”

“You’re confident.”

“Because I have reason to be. June loves me. She’s just not up to admitting it at the moment.”

Milana looks skeptical. “I don’t doubt that she loves you. I’m just worried about her history with Adrian. It’s possible to love more than one person at the same time, you know.”

I scoff. “That’s weak love.”

She sashays closer. “You talk a lot about what June feels for you. But you haven’t once mentioned how you feel about her. Unless you’re just not up to admitting it at the moment…?”

“Don’t be cute,” I growl. “It doesn’t suit you.”

Milana laughs pleasantly. “I mean, it’s pretty obvious at this point, but a woman needs to hear certain things.”

“Speaking from personal experience?”

She avoids my gaze, suddenly shy. “I have no experience to speak of in this department. You know me. I don’t see the point of a relationship that can’t go anywhere. No man wants a barren woman.”

“Don’t be so hard on my sex. We’re not all animals.”

She smirks. “I beg to differ. And now, Iamspeaking from experience.”

“You’re enough on your own, Milana. Not all men want children. Devil knows I don’t.”

She meets my gaze and I see the contained anger in her darkened eyes. She tries to hide it behind humor and skepticism, behind grace and violence, and most of the time, it works.

But some things can’t stay hidden for long.

“If I didn’t know any better, Kolya Uvarov, I’d say you were propositioning me.” Her eyes twinkle again with that melancholy laughter she does so well.

“You’ve never been that lucky a day in your life,” I fire back with a smirk.

I rise and make for the door, Milana trailing close behind me. “Have you told June yet?” she asks.

“I’m going up to tell her now.”

“Good luck with that.”

“She’s not going to be difficult.”

“How do you know?”

“Because she told me. Unconsciously, perhaps, but I got the message loud and clear. She’ll be glad to have a change of scenery for a while.”

“If you say so,” she says, unconvinced. “Where do you want me?”

“Right here, monitoring the teams that are in charge of locating Adrian.”

She nods. “Aye-aye, captain. Thy will be done, or whatever the religious folks say these days.”

We split at the staircase. I leave Milana behind and head upstairs towards June’s room. I do her the courtesy of knocking first.

As soon as I do, I hear a flurry of movement on the other side. When the door does finally open, her cheeks are flushed and her hair mussed.

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