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“Is that why I haven’t seen you all week?” I placed my hand on top of hers and squeezed. “You’ve been studying?”
I’d been dying to visit her, but Inessa hadn’t invited me over to her place, and I didn’t want to impose. When Victoria had ignored the texts I’d sent, I’d just let her get on with it. I couldn’t force a relationship on her. Rebuilding what I had with Inessa was gift enough, and letting Vicky have her space was something I prayed she’d appreciate in time.
If she was going to be candid with me now, though, I had to hope that I hadn’t been wrong. You caught more flies with honey than vinegar, after all.
“Yes, plus I—”
When she fell silent, I prompted gently, “Are you settling in at Inessa and Eoghan’s?”
She bit her lip. “I feel bad, Cammie.”
“Why? Don’t you like it there?”
She peered up at me, her expression miserable. Just as my heart clutched, she whispered, “It’s so nice there.”
That had me blinking. Relief whacked me in the face. “That’s great, isn’t it?”
“Well, it is, but that’s why I wanted to come here today.”
“Because you like where you live now?”
She shook her head. “Because... I mean, I didn’t want it to happen, Cammie. I really didn’t. I promise.”
“I believe you,” I said softly.
“What do you believe?” Inessa asked as she finally climbed out of the car too. We all rushed up the stairs toward the front entrance with its high stone arches once Bagpipes merged back into traffic as Victoria admitted:
“I think I’m glad Papa’s dead.”
Inessa and I shared a look.
“That’s terrible, isn’t it? What kind of monster is glad their father died?” she mumbled sadly.
“You’re not a monster,” I told her, squeezing her hand again. “He was the monster.”
Once we were under the cover of the front entrance, we headed into the vestibule. There, amid the crowd of worshipers just waiting to flock into the church itself, I stopped her, turned her to me and wrapped her in my arms. Holding her tightly, gladness swelled inside me. Not just because she let me, not just because she hugged me back, but because I’d done this. I’d given her this freedom. I’d ridden her of the pest who’d forever plague her, who would have destroyed her life when she had so much to live for.
At some point, I knew Maxim would come calling, wanting his debt repaid, but I vowed to myself, to God inhistemple, that I’d make sure Maxim got to know Victoria. That he’d make her fall for him, would court her and cherish her. If he didn’t, I’d make surehewas the one who paid for it.
Inessa released a soft cry before she huddled around us, hurling herself into the hug, and for a couple of seconds, I thought I knew what heaven actually felt like.
I was accepted.
I was back in the circle.
I was with my sisters—my family, the only family who were tied to Mama, and it felt good. Better than good. It felt like I was finally warm again.
Tears pricked my eyes, and I wasn’t ashamed of them. Wasn’t ashamed of any of the things I’d done in the past two weeks.
I had blood on my hands, but for the first time in forever, I felt like I could breathe. I felt whole. I felt like I had a future, because that bogeyman of my past was no more.
Pressing a kiss to Vicky’s head, I reached behind me to squeeze Inessa’s hand, and as I did, I heard a mocking voice that sent loathing hurtling through me.
“What a touching display.”
Innie and Vicky tensed up, but I didn’t.
It served me right to think I could have some peace when Abramovicz was still roaming this world.
