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That’s not so nice.
There isn’t time to think or plan. Without hesitating, I stumble out of Ivan’s embrace. “D-don’t. Don’t shoot. Don’t—Please don’t hurt him.”
Ivan is glaring at me. Rage is rippling off of him like living shadows, crowning him in darkness. It’s probably whatever I’ve been drugged with, but I feel the darkness reaching towards me like vines, trying to pull me closer.
“Cora,” Ivan growls in warning.
The man readjusts his weapon. “Shut up. Both of you.”
But I can’t stay quiet. Not when the truth has been laid so bare before me.
I know, in this moment, that I’d rather die than see something bad happen to Ivan. I’d rather hand myself over than let him get hurt.
This might all be a game for him. But I’m not playing. Not anymore.
“Please.” I look past Ivan to the man behind him. To the gun pressed to his head. “Please don’t hurt him.”
The man tilts his head to the side. I can’t see his mouth, but I can sense a smile in his dark eyes. Then he turns the gun on me.
The world explodes. Sound and movement and color. I see the flash of the shot. Then something hits me.Someone, rather.
Ivan throws himself into me and shoves me out of the way. A feat that doesn’t take much effort considering my legs are little more than poorly stacked building blocks.
I collapse into the side of the building, the wind whooshing out of me.
I need to get up. I need to fight. I need to help Ivan.
The thoughts are wisps of smoke. I reach for them, but they dissolve in front of me.
Ican’tget up. Ican’tfight. Ican’thelp Ivan. I can barely even keep my eyes open.
Between long blinks, I see him struggling with the shooter. They’re fighting and grunting. I can’t tell who is winning or what is going to happen. But as I slip into inevitable sleep, one thought rises to the surface of my muddled mind.
I trust him.
53
CORA
Ivan has his arm around my waist. His hand fits so perfectly against me. Like we were made for this.
We’re in the jewelry store, diamonds glittering all around us. Ivan is watching me slide ring after ring onto my finger. Every time he wrinkles his nose and shakes his head.
“I’ve tried on the entire store,” I laugh.
“None of them are good enough. You deserve the best.”
I press onto my toes and kiss his cheek. “I already have the best. I have you.”
I should feel awkward and uncomfortable. We’re only pretending, after all. But there’s no sense of that here. This all feels…real. Normal.
Like we’re an actual couple.
Ivan smiles down at me. Amusement dances in his amber eyes. “Much to my dismay, you can’t wear me all the time.”
“I can try,” I purr.
He leans in, his lips close to my ear. “Tell me what you know.”
