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As I breeze past the mirror, a light flutter of white catches my eye. I turn my head to find a tiny, folded slip of paper sitting on top of a high-back chair. It almost looks like a makeshift throne...
. . .and it wasn’t there before.
Neither was the stationery.
“Celia?” I take a tentative step toward the note. “Did someone leave this for me?”
I remember the note Mikhail wrote me when he brought me all those clothes. Looking around, I don’t see any shoe boxes holding pale blue heels or miscellaneous gifts left behind.
It’s just a chair and a note.
As I approach, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. A shiver runs down my spine at how familiar this is.
The last time I opened a letter...things did not end well.
But the hope that one of my boyfriends has left me a heartfelt message before the ceremony makes me giddy and light. I pick up the paper and flick it open.
Smile, moya zhena.
A light flashes behind me, and I spin around in surprise. “What’s going?—”
The letter falls from my fingertips.
Liam’s smile looks painful, the skin around his eyes mottled purple and yellow from healing bruises. His nose, once perfectly straight, has a freshly scarred crook in the middle. But his eyes.
Those are the same as they’ve always been. Intense and unyielding.
And he’s looking right at me.
“Liam, you need to leave.” My voice shakes, and I clench my fists tight by my sides to keep them steady. I don’t have a gun. I don’t even have a knife; we ordered a custom set that won’t arrive for a few more days. I’m defenseless. Again.
It’s starting to get old.
“If they catch you here?—”
Liam steps toward me, and if it weren’t for the bruised and battered look on his face, he’d look every bit a gentleman. Like a husband reaching for his bride. His suit is immaculate, pitch black with golden cufflinks that match my jewelry.
I step back quickly, and his smile twitches. “Valentina, come here. I have a wedding gift for you.”
“I’m not accepting gifts, sorry.”
He tilts his head to the side, and a shiver runs down my spine. “Not even this?” He unfurls his hand to reveal a pretty blue ribbon, the same one Celia and I were missing. “It’s something blue. I saved it just for you.”
“Stole it, more likely,” I snap, my patience wearing thin. “Look, I know we had our fun in the past, but I’m not interested anymore, okay? I thought you understood that after what happened last time.” I grimace at the nasty bruises covering his face. “Please leave before someone sees you.”
The ribbon floats to the floor, and he stomps on it as he continues his approach. “Or what? Are your boyfriends going to beat me again?” His expression sours, and I step around the furniture sprinkled around the room to keep some distance between us.
If I can just get to the door?—
“Don’t look away from me,” Liam snarls, and I lunge for the exit. My fingertips snag the handle just as Liam snatches my veil. He pulls, tearing the veil from my head and taking some of my hair with it.
I cry out in pain as Liam drags me farther back into the room. My heart pounds as adrenaline courses through my veins.
Remember your lessons, remember all the self-defense!
I claw at Liam’s arms, but it’s no use. His jacket is too thick to penetrate, and when I reach behind me to, I don’t know, shove him in front of me, he bites my neck.
I screech in pain and try to smack him in the head, and he laughs as he drops me to the carpet.
