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She isn’t supposed to be here. Did Alexander send her? Mikhail? Francia? Someone worse?
I throw out an arm so she can’t pass. “Who are you and what do you want?”
Her cheeks flush and she speaks even more quietly. “I want to help you…with your blankets. That’s all.”
The way she says it sets off even more alarm bells. “No.”
“Miss Cora,” she says so softly I can barely hear her, “if you’d just let me in, then I’ll—”
“I’m not letting you anywhere,” I bark. “I don’t know who you are or what you want, but if you don’t leave then I’ll—”
I’ll… what? Yell for Alexander? If this woman is here, it’s probably at his bidding. She’s probably going to slip some kind of powdered drug on my pillow to knock me out so he can do God-knows-what to me.
Before I can finish the thought, the woman reaches into her pocket.
I take a step towards my bookshelf so I can snatch my letter opener out of its hiding place, but then I stop.
The maid pulls a phone out of her pocket. She taps a single button and presses the phone to her ear. “Here is Cora, sir.”
Cora.Not Cordelia.Cora.
Then she holds the phone out to me.
I stare at it like it might be radioactive. In the end, curiosity gets the best of me. Gingerly, I press it to my ear. “Hello?”
There’s a single beat of silence before three little words crack my heart wide open.
“Cora.” The deep rumble of his voice is as familiar to me as my own. “It’s me.”
Ivan.
I drop to my knees.
19
CORA
The maid checks the hallway and then closes the door behind her.
I’m still on my knees. My legs are weak and wobbly, but my grip on the phone is crushing. My mouth opens and closes around silent words I can’t speak.
I miss you.
I need you.
Where are you?
Come save me.
Finally, I rasp out, “It’s you.”
“It’s me,” he repeats. “I’m sorry it took so long.”
Tears sting my eyes, but I blink them back. I don’t know what this conversation is about yet. Last I heard, he’s engaged to Francia. I’ve learned better than to jump to conclusions.
“What is this, Iv—”
“Don’t say my name,” he barks.
