Page 45 of Vicious Hearts

Charming.

Luna is standing in the doorway to the house, wearing a giant Cossack-style hat. She waves enthusiastically at me, the hat slipping over her eyes.

“Roxeeee!”

Aw. I miss the days when she couldn’t quite say my name right. She seems to be growing so quickly. She scuttles down the steps and flings herself into my arms, wrapping my waist with her legs as I pick her up.

“Your dress is super pretty,” she says, stroking the velvet sleeves of my gown. “Did you get fancy just to come to my house?”

“Ben and I are going for dinner, but we thought we’d come and say hello first.”

Luna looks over my shoulder and sees Ben. She grins at him and cups her hand around her mouth, speaking too loudly in my ear. “Is he yourboyfriendnow?”

Ben tucks a finger under Luna’s chin, tickling her, and she bursts into peals of laughter, squirming out of my grasp.

“Yes, I am, you cheeky littleobez'yana.”

Oh. Okay?

I’m shocked at how good it feels to hear him say that. A warm feeling suffuses my body as I catch his eye, and he takes my hand.

“Daddy!” Luna is running ahead of us into the lounge. “Ben called me a monkey!”

Leo is sitting in the armchair, a tumbler of vodka in one hand and a well-thumbed copy ofDraculain the other. “Is he wrong,printsessa?” he asks Luna.

“No!” she giggles. She runs out of the room again, making monkey sounds, and Leo shrugs at us.

“Last few minutes before her bedtime,” he says. “Luna has the zoomies, which is whyIhave a stiff drink.” He waves the glass to Ben. “Go pour some for yourselves and top me off while you’re at it.”

Ben raises a hand. “I’m driving. Is Ali here?”

“Damn right, I’m here!”

* * *

I turn to see Ali descending the stairs. She stops halfway and stares at me for a moment. Then she’s upon me, wrapping me in her arms.

“You look so gorgeous,” she says, “and sowell. I’ve been worried about you, but Leo told me to give you guys your space.”

“Yep,” Leo says. “Nothing worse than someone calling and interrupting when you're trying to get your hands on your girl’s—”

“Don’t youdaresay what you’re about to say,” Ali laughs. “Luna will hear you, and I’ll get another note home from kindergarten.”

I let go of Ali, giving her a grin. “I’m sorry. But you don’tneedto worry.”

“That’s right,” Ben adds. “Roxy’s a big girl now.”

“Well, I have to say I’m not as concerned as I might have been.” Ali nods at Ben. “Not now thatthishandsome bastard is at your side.” She turns to look at Leo.

“Watch it,tigritsa,” Leo warns, raising an eyebrow at her. She smirks and blows him a kiss before going to Ben.

“You dirty dog. What took you so long?” She hugs him, punching him in the shoulder as she pulls away. “I see your face. Do you evenknowhow you look at Roxy?”

Ben shrugs. “No, how?”

Ali smiles. “Exactly the way youalwayslooked at her. Like you worship the ground she walks on. Like she’s a queen amongst paupers, a goddess amongst mere mortals. Did you really think you could run to the top of a mountain to escape her? It’s just further to fall.”

Oh my God, Ali. Shut up. You don’t know what he’s done. The filthy things he whispered as he fucked me…

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