Page 30 of Sinful Wrath
Elle chuckles. “You’re going to tell me anyway, so you might as well spit it out.”
“Buckle up, my friend, because this is one hell of a story.”
Elle nibbles on her croissant while I fillher in on the details of the past two days. Everything from my surprise dinner with my new fiancé, to our naked excursion in the sea all the way through to last night where I was attacked in the park.
The only thing I fail to mention is the fact that I fucked Mikhail in a haunted house.
Even some details are better left unshared.
“So yeah, that’s why I bailed,” I finish, picking up my own croissant and taking a huge bite.
Elle just stares at me with wide eyes.
“It's fine if you need a minute to process,” I say between mouthfuls.
“How serious are you being right now?” A deep frown appears between her dark eyebrows.
“Oh, I’m deadly serious. Don’t let the lack of diamond on my finger fool you. I’m marrying a Koslov whether I want to or not.”
“We can circle back to that little detail in a minute.” Elle glances around, clocking the other customers sitting nearby, before leaning across the table. “I’m more concerned with the fact that these men had a freaking photo of you, Lucia. Should you be out in public right now?”
“Probably not.” I shrug. “But Mikhail’s place is seriously lacking in breakfast foods of the flaky, buttery variety.”
“This isn’t funny,” Elle hisses. “Surely, whoever wants you dead isn’t going to give up that easily.”
“I appreciate your concern, I do. But I can look after myself.”
I’ve been through this before. But unlike last time, I’m prepared.
Last night proved just that. I am more than capable of taking down two grown men, and if Mikhail hadn’t gottenthere before me, I would have been the one to put a bullet in each of their skulls.
I can do this, even if everyone around me thinks I can’t.
Little do they know that I completed four years of martial arts training, along with weapons training with one of my father’s guards.
I can defend myself better than anyone, but it’s not me I need to convince.
It’s my father and Mikhail.
She leans across the table to take my hand. “How are you after the attack? You know…mentally? It must have brought back a lot of memories.”
Something flashes in her eyes, and my chest tightens.
If anyone can understand what I’ve gone through, it’s Elle. God knows she’s experienced her fair share of trauma.
But it’s because of that that I’m hesitant to fully disclose how I’m feeling, not to protect myself but to protect her. The last thing I want is to trigger any unwanted memories that might keep her up at night.
“I’m handling it.”
She doesn’t need to know the true extent of my suffering. Being locked up in Mikhail’s townhouse isn’t helping, but she doesn’t need to know that either.
I shrug. “I’m fine, really.”
Elle looks at me for a moment, as if she’s worried I’m suddenly going to have a meltdown. But when she’s satisfied that I’m not going to burst into tears, she lets go of my hand.
“Well, you can call me anytime if you need to talk.”
“Thanks.”