Page 12 of Grave Secrets

“Has he ever hit you?” he asks.

“No…” I hesitate.

“Ada…”

“Please… ask something else,” I say.

“Why don’t you want to answer that?”

“Because I don’t want to have to speak at your trial,” I say honestly. “Just… something else, please.”

“Ada,” Viktor pushes softly.

“What, Vik?” I ask, lifting my head to look at him.

“If I promise not to do anything, will you tell me something?” he asks. “I don’t want to go to your funeral.”

“The night I got the notification that I was taking you on, he slapped me,” I admit. “He’s gotten in my face before, but that’s the first time he’s put his hands on me.”

“Has he hit you since?”

“No. He is more volatile, but I just keep the peace. I need those rings, so I just need to deal with it for now,” I say. “I have all my stuff moved into my office, and I can lock myself in there, so I’m safe.”

“Ada, that’s…”

“Domestic violence? I know,” I say. “He’s mentally, physically, emotionally, and sexually abusive.”

“Sexually?” he asks.

“That same night, he, uh… raped me. I was in a lot of pain for a few days,” I say. “That’s what I lied about. I mean, my couch does suck, but I have it worked out now.”

“The only reason I’m not going out there and making him eat a curb is because of those rings,” he says.

“I know,” I say. “I appreciate that.”

“I will be honest with you, though, Ada,” Viktor says. “I’ve been trying to track down the rings.”

“What?” I ask. “Why?”

“So you can have the last piece of them back,” he says. “If you have that, you don’t need him.”

“Why are you so concerned about me? You have so much to do already,” I argue.

“Because I’m selfish, Ada. I want you for myself, but he’s in my way,” Viktor says sweetly.

“You don’t mean that,” I say.

“I do,” he says, resting his hand on my thigh. “Honestly, I’m only being respectful because you don’t show your emotions, so I haven’t picked up on any signs that say you are into me.”

I pull my legs back and start to get up, but he grabs my hips and pulls me into his lap to straddle him. “Vik, I can’t…”

“Stop for a moment,” he says softly. “You spiral silently, and this is you spiraling. Correct?”

“I just want my parents’ rings back,” I say quietly. “Vik, I’m supposed to be…”

“You think you are immune to struggling just because you are a therapist? I hate to break it to you, Pretty Girl, but everyone struggles. Right? Isn’t that something you say?”

“You can’t use my words against me,” I say with a frown. “Why am I in your lap?”