Page 96 of Sinful Betrayal

As he takes my hand and leads me out of the theater, I feel like my heart is going to explode.

Glancing up at him and catching sight of the dimple in his cheek and the soft lines at the corner of his eyes as he smiles, my own well with tears.

For the first time in my life, I feel seen. No one has ever put so much thought and effort into creating a night filled with all of my favorite things.

“Anton,” I whisper, and he turns to look down at me.

I reach up to cup his cheek, wanting to feel the warmth of his skin beneath my fingertips. As I gaze into his brown eyes, it hits me.

I’m falling in love with this man, and that realization is both terrifying and thrilling.

He smiles at me before turning his head and kissing my palm.

In a moment like this, it’s hard to believe that this relationship is doomed to fail.

On the outside, we appear so blissfully happy, but the reality is we can never have the happy ending which we both deserve.

And I have my father to blame for that.

I don’t want to face that reality. It’s why I keep finding excuses to put off telling Anton the truth. It’s out of selfishness that I cling to the love and affection he shows me, not wanting to let him go.

I almost tell Anton right then. Not about my father, but how I feel about him.

There is no other way to express how much tonight has meant to me.

“I—”

“Nina!” a female voice calls.

I pause, the three words on the tip of my tongue vanishing in an instant.

“Nina!”

I glance around, wondering if someone from my class is here, but I don’t see anyone I recognize.

A soft tap of my shoulder has me whirling around, and I almost lose my balance when I come face to face with a woman who I have no business running into, especially not with Anton.

“Valerija.” I take in the jet-black, bobbed hair, now streaked with gray, and angular features of my mother’s best friend.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” Valerija laughs, showing all of her teeth. “Oh, it’s wonderful to see you, Nina!”

“You, too.” My stomach tightens as I glance at Anton.

Valerija follows my gaze and blinks as she takes in Anton’s towering frame.

“I’m Valerija,” she says a little breathlessly, holding out her hand for Anton to take.

“Anton.”

I breathe a sigh of relief when he purposefully leaves off his last name, likely from habit. Koslov is not a name you throw around lightly.

I have no doubt that Valerija is aware of who the Koslovs are, and I could really do without answering those sorts of questions tonight. “How do you know Nina?”

“I was best friends with her mother. Nina was always like a daughter to me.” She reaches out to pinch my cheek, and I try not to recoil at the touch. “You look so much like her.”

I nod, forcing a smile.

“I didn’t realize you were in New York, otherwise I would have reached out. But knowing your father, he was always very controlling?—”