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And Ravenna says, “You fell in love. Does he know yet?”
How did this call turn so abruptly away from college and into the murky depths of my relationship?
“Um. I mean, I’ve said it to him.”Twice.Now I sound really lame.
Ravenna purses her lips. “But he hasn’t said it back to you yet?”
I shake my head, my cheeks flaming. Roman has had so many opportunities to tell me he loves me, but he hasn’t.‘I don’t deserve you’is hardly a declaration of love, if anything, it’s a brush off. But when I go down that avenue of dark thoughts, I begin to spiral.
What if Roman never loves me?
“Men.” Ravenna scowls. “They’re so dense.”
That catches my attention. “What do you mean? Did you have a similar situation with Cian?”
Elena rolls her eyes. “Don’t even get her started on how much of a fool Cian was for months on end. Then to think he tried to bring himself to kill her when he found out…you know.”
“Ooh, spill the gritty details.” Ginevra’s face fills her screen. “We’re all ears.”
It’s Ravenna’s turn to blush and awkwardly lick her lips. “I knew he’d fallen for me way before he was able to say it out loud.”
“How could you tell?” I ask.
“There were a lot of indicators, really. The way he looked at me, how he kissed me, the small things that he’d do or say that were justextra. And the way we had sex. It changed from carnal pleasure to love-making. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain.”
“No, that makes sense.”
The look in Roman’s eyes when he watches me these days is different. Less wondering if I’m going to stab him and more like he simply can’t believe I’m here with him. And the sex… Yes, that’s changed too. It feels more intimate than before. So maybe…he loves me too?
Gin chimes in. “Well? Does he do those things, Sophia?”
“It’s none of our business,” Arianna tells her in a clipped tone.
“But I want to know. I mean, she’s fallen for him so—”
Gin is like a dog with a bone. Once she’s set her mind to something there’s no shutting her up until she gets what she wants.
I wave at the screen. “I have to go. Bye!”
I end the call before they can dig any deeper into my complicated love life. All I want to do is bask in the excitement of getting accepted to Columbia, not worry about whether my husband loves me or not. That’s too damn depressing. Even if there may be a ray of hope.
CHAPTER24
Roman
The title on one of today’s articles reads:Russian Mobster’s Body Found in Hudson. Is Mob Violence Escalating in New York City?Relief. Disappointment. Both anger at not having been the one to end Kozlov myself, and a sense of closure I never thought I’d experience, crash through me.
It’s done. Over. Nikolai Kozlov is burning in Hell.
I should be elated. Strangely, the hollow in my chest remains wide open, a vast empty space of unfulfillment. Maybe if I’d been the one to take his life, to witness the light leave his eyes, I’d be more satisfied.
As it is, I’m glad he’s gone.
While we were in the air returning from Paris, I’d employed Baron to hunt down Kozlov and keep him warm until I could deal with him. Since Kozlov’s demise showed up in the newspaper, that means someone got to him before Baron.
The end result is the same, however. He’ll never lay a hand on Sophia again. He’s no longer out there living in the same world as I am, breathing the same air, haunting my waking hours.
He’s dead. Finally.
