Page 89 of Sapphire Tears

He mutters something unintelligible and probably very unflattering to Marcel, and then he steps out of the dressing room and closes the curtain behind him. Smiling to myself, I try on the next item on my personal rack.

This time, when I look at myself in the mirror, all I see is beauty.

38

KOLYA

She’s been quiet all morning.

We drove back to the city last night, and when we arrived, she fell asleep in my arms. I carried her to bed and she didn’t stir a single time. Once my erection had finally gone to sleep, I managed to get some rest myself.

But I woke up to an incessant series of pings on June’s phone. Because yeah, I’d given her back her phone. It didn’t feel right hanging onto it any longer.

If we’re going to do this, if I’m going to convince June to put that ring back on her finger instead of wearing it around her neck, then we have to learn to trust each other again.

I slid out of bed and pointedly walked away from her phone. I wasn’t going to read it. I was going to let her tell me about them.

And she had, the moment I returned to the bedroom. “They’re from Adrian. Nothing new. Just more of the same.”

But since then, she’s fallen conspicuously silent. It’s starting to grate on my nerves.

“Another croissant?” I ask, passing her the breadbasket.

She accepts it with a distracted smile, but she doesn’t actually take one. Usually, she goes through two or three of them without blinking. But today, she’s just picking at one half-eaten pastry, looking anxious and nauseous.

“June.”

She looks up at me over her glass of fresh orange juice. “Hm?”

“Talk to me.”

She sighs. “Geneva wants to meet today,” she explains. “She said she’s going to make lunch for me.”

“Is that not what you wanted?”

“Yeah, it is. I mean, I’m lucky she even texted me back. But…” She worries at her lower lip. “But I don’t know. I get the feeling that her opinions haven’t really changed. I just want her to know that you’re not a threat to her. Or to me.”

“You’re not going to convince her of that in one afternoon.” I rest my hand on the back of hers to stop her from continuing to fiddle with her silverware. “Don’t force it. Focus on the effort you’re making, and leave out all the rest.”

“Sounds complicated.”

“Only if you make it that way.”

She doesn’t seem convinced. But a second later, she picks up her half-finished croissant and starts eating again. I take that as a good sign. “Did they not give us chocolate ones today, or are you just hoarding them all?”

Smiling, I pass her the basket again. “Go nuts.”

“Does that apply to me, too?” Milana says, walking into the breakfast nook in cashmere lounge pants and a bright orange crop top. She stands between us at the table and snares a croissant. “Morning, team.”

“Good morning,” June says brightly. “Why don’t you join us?”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Milana says, taking a seat at the table. The breakfast nook overlooks the garden and part of the pool. Morning light pours in through all of the windows, bathing us in rich golds. I never used to use this room much before June. Now, it just may be one of my favorite spots in the mansion.

“How are the injuries coming along?” Milana asks me, her mouth full of buttery pastry. “You still leaking from all those extra holes?”

“No leakage to report,” I reply with a chuckle. “Do you have any reports for me?”

“Tons,” she says while chewing. She glances over at June, subtly but enough for me to notice.

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