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“I’m not letting you push me away,” she insists. “I deserve to know what’s going on with Petyr just as much as the rest of your Vors do.”
“What makes you think I’ve told them anything?”
“Because they’remen,” she hisses furiously. Her eyes are bright with anger. Her hair is coming loose from the braided bun at the back of her head.
“As if anything in this world is so simple.”
She doesn’t back down. “I saw the way those people treated Cyrille tonight. They respected her once, but now that she isn't married to the right man, she's worthless to them. I'm not going to live that way. Especially not with my own husband. Either I’m worthy of your trust and respect or I’m not. It really is that simple.”
I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. “You don’t need to know who those men are, Paige. It doesn’t matter.”
“Maybe I should ask Konstantin?” she suggests. “He gave me his weapon. Maybe he’ll give me an answer, too.”
“Don’t you fucking dare.”
“Oh, I’m going to dare!” She leans forward, eyes narrowed and jaw clenched. “I’m going to dare every chance I get. Because apparently, that’s the only way you’re going to listen to me.” Her fingers tremble from the heat of her emotion.
“You’re working yourself up,” I tell her, in the calm voice that I know riles her up even more. “Go get some sleep.”
“I don’t want to sleep.”
“That might be the case, but you need to sleep regardless. For the babies.”
“Right, because when it comes to taking a step back, that’smyresponsibility, not yours.”
“You’re the one carrying them,” I point out. “If you want to be mad at something, be mad at biology for that.”
“You’re being a chauvinistic asshole!”
“And you’re sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong like a stubborn little nag.”
She gasps, her eyes going wide with shock. For a moment, the twitching in her hand seems almost purposeful. Like she wants nothing more than to use my cousin’s knife on me.
“Go to bed,” I tell her before this escalates any further.
Then I turn and retreat to my office.
For one night, that will keep me safe. The door will lock; the walls will stand between us. But who the fuck knows what the morning will bring?
If only it were that easy to keep my distance.
54
PAIGE
I’m still standing at the foot of the staircase where Misha left me when Noel turns the corner. “Mrs. Paige.” He lowers his head in a subtle bow. “I was just about to lock up for the night. Is there anything else you need?”
I turn to him, trying to swallow down the whirlwind of memories that are assaulting me as I stand there. Trying to bat away old demons that won’t quit.
But I’m losing the fight—badly.
“It’s late, Noel. You should be done working by now.”
“I’m not done until the house is sleeping.”
He watches me with observant eyes, seeking out whatever I might need. But what I need, he can’t give me. So for now, I just need to be alone.
“Thank you for all you do, Noel. I really appreciate it. I know you don’t get told that often enough.”
