Page 99 of Twilight Sins
“You got in last night?”
“Around midnight,” she mumbles, her thin fingers wrapped tightly around a coffee mug.
Around the time Yakov let me out of the guest room.
He must have thought it wasn’t worth the trouble to explain to his sister why he had a woman trapped in a guest bedroom. I might owe Mariya a thank you card. Her showing up may have earned me my freedom.
“He wants me on the first flight out today, but I already told him I’m staying.” She lifts her chin defiantly. “I am not going to be kicked out of my own house because my brother wants to shack up with some rando.”
Scratch the thank you card. I’ll show my gratitude by not shoving her tiny ass off her stool and punting her into the stratosphere.
I take a deep breath and smile. “You look a lot different than the picture I saw of you in Yakov’s office.”
“He has a picture of me in his office?”
“A few of them, actually. Of you and Nikandr.”
“The Ice King has a heart. Who would have guessed?”
“He cares a lot about you. He just wants what is best for you.”
Yakov and I may not be on the best terms, but I don’t want to come between him and his family. Plus, I need all the brownie points I can get right now.
“Really?” Mariya turns to me, both brows raised.
I smile gently. “Of course. He cares about you and wants?—”
“No. I mean… really?” She wrinkles her nose. “I’m not going to tell him all the nice things you said about him when he wasn’t looking. He already slept with you. Stop being so desperate.”
My self-control, already straining under Mariya’s attitude, snaps in half.
I drop my protein bar on the counter and turn to her. “Listen, I know you’re troubled and lashing out. ‘Hurt people hurt people’ and all that bullshit. But I’m not here to be your doormat. If you want to talk about why you’re really mad, go ahead. If not, maybe we should stop talking. For your sake.”
Her eyes go wide.
For a second, I think tough love might be the solution.
Maybe no one has ever talked to Mariya like this. She just needed a firm hand and I provided that. I’m the one who got through to Yakov’s sister. I saved the day.
“You’re right. You’re not a doormat. You’re just the bitch my brother is sleeping with.” She stands up, a genuine smile on her face. “I’ll see you around. Or… probably not.”
With that, Mariya Kulikov grabs her coffee and leaves me sitting alone, speechless.
39
YAKOV
As if the prospect of a long-lost sibling reunion first thing this morning isn’t enough, Luna is sitting in my kitchen.
All my ghosts are coming back to haunt me today.
I track the curve of her ass in her jeans before I drag my eyes away. This day is going to be far too long already. No need to torture myself with fantasies I don’t have time to make real.
I cut around the island and head straight for the caffeine.
“Good morning,” Luna says softly.
I nod without turning around. “You’re up early.”