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“I can only think my father must have taken me somewhere the Butyrskayas owned. Maybe something happened to me there.”
Given my situation with Desmier, there’s every chance Dad’s position in the Bratva could have exposed me to all sorts of things. Something my parents kept from me.
Every time I brought up my nightmares, they brushed it off like it was nothing but my imagination. Thank goodness Mira helped me work through it until they went away. But now they’re back.
“Since the crest is real, I’ve been thinking I could be right about the rest of the dream.” I sigh. “The parts where the shadow monsters kill me. Of course I’m not dead and I know the monsters weren’t monsters, but if I had a bad experience I want to know what happened.”
Worry washes over her face. “Do you think you should? I mean maybe that’s why your parents didn’t want to talk about it when you brought it up.”
I nod slowly, feeling a little defeated. “I guess, but I just wanted to know.”
“Anastasia, I think you need to take each day as it comes and one problem at a time.” She reaches out and covers my hands with hers. “Things are already intense enough with Desmier. You’ve been thrust into this new life where you’re not with Viktor and you can’t speak to your father. Don’t take on anything that’s going to add to that stress.”
“You’re right.” Playing Nancy Drew is not what I should be doing now with everything else going on.
“At the same time, I’m not saying you shouldn’t do anything because maybe you can ask Desmier. But be careful.”
“I will.”
“And remember I’m here for you.”
“Thank you.”
We hug again, then fall into talking about college. Time flies by way too fast and soon she has to leave.
Ehlga comes out to get me moments after, but the person I see walking alongside her has my skin crawling.
It’s Gytha.
She’s not with Desmier like I imagined.
Today she’s wearing a fitted skater dress with thigh-high leather boots. While I look like I’m appropriately dressed to rummage through the snack aisle at Walmart, she looks like she’s ready to sign a modeling contract with Dior.
Jesus, what’s wrong with me?
Why am I comparing myself to this woman? I’ve never worried about my looks before. All my life, people have told me how beautiful I am. At one point, I got tired of it, especially the comments I’d get about how blessed I was to inherit my mother’s hair color and her ice-blue eyes.
Gytha zeros in on me like a cat about to pounce on an unsuspecting canary. Ehlga, on the other hand, has a put-out expression on her face. Although I don’t know this for sure, I get the impression she’s not overly fond of Gytha.
I sensed it yesterday after my first encounter with theLa Femme Nikitawannabe.
“I’m ready to go,” Ehlga announces, forcing a smile.
“And I just wanted to introduce myself properly before you leave,” Gytha cuts in, looking me up and down, sizing me up.
“Anastasia, this is Gytha.” Ehlga points to her. “I told her Desmier would have introduced her like he has with all the staff, but she felt it more appropriate to do it herself as you are going to be his wife.”
I almost laugh when Gytha cuts Ehlga a crude stare, clearly disliking what she said.
“That’s not entirely true, but it doesn’t matter. I wanted you to know I’ll be trading places with Zane this week, so I’ll be around more.”
“Okay, I’ll bear that in mind.”
“You need to because Desmier and I have a past you might not be aware of yet. When I’m around and we’re together, we don’t like to be disturbed. Let’s just say I’m queen of the castle. Always. No matter who you are or what you are, wife or not, that will never change.”
What a fucking bitch.
“I see.” A pang of hurt goes straight to my heart. It’s not for Desmier. It’s for what I lost with Viktor.
