Page 105 of His Prince

“I see.”

“Why are you here?”

I sit with that. Why am I here? Georgiy has been with me for years, a true and loyal friend. I told him about Katarina, about seeing her in the shadows, hearing her laugh and finding her bracelet down in the tunnels below my house.

He never laughed at me when I told him this, and I’m sure he won’t now.

“He’s leaving,” I say, and Georgiy crosses a leg over his thigh.

“Ah.”

“I’m giving him his space.”

“Where is he going after he leaves?”

“Home. He’s not coming back.”

Georgiy blinks once, long and slow. “And why is that?”

“He found out about Katarina. Found a picture of her.”

“Hm.”

“I don’t know who gave it to him?—”

“I have an idea and it will be dealt with. But tell me, my friend, does he know what really happened?”

“Yes, part of it.”

“He doesn’t know all of it?”

“No.”

He inhales deeply and I do the same, smoke filtering around us. “And why not? It’s relevant, no?”

“It doesn’t matter. I was weak back then. She made me weak.”

“And you don’t want him to see that in you?”

I glower at him. “You’re not a therapist. Stop pretending to be one.”

“I am not, but I’ve heard many end-of-life confessions. I know how to pull one from an unwilling person.”

I snort and then stub my cigarette out and hold out my hand for another. He supplies it, lighting me up once more.

“It doesn’t matter either way. I’ll let him leave. He doesn’t want to be here. I’m not what he was expecting.”

“He’s too sweet for you.” My eye twitches, and Georgiy smirks. “But it’s softened you. It’s not a bad look. And it’s not weak to care.”

I huff and inhale deeply, holding the smoke in my lungs for far too long. When I exhale, I cough loudly, and Georgiy chuckles.

“Now that’s weakness.”

I stare at him, but he doesn’t back down.

“Telling the truth is never weak. Angel will understand. Don’t let him leave because you’re stubborn and mistake that for strength.”

I don’t respond, but let that sit deep inside of me.