Satin Princess(74)

“What did she say?”

“Well, she didn’t tell me explicitly. But according to the vibe I was getting, she turned him down flat and stomped on his heart, spat and pissed on the pieces, then set it all on fire for good measure.”

I nod in grim satisfaction. “Good.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Lev fixes me with a sharp expression. “She may not be in love with the guy, but she definitely loves him, you know what I mean? It was hard on her.”

I suppress a sigh. “Where is she now?”

“In her room. Or your room, I’m assuming. She made a beeline straight upstairs as soon as the car had mostly come to a complete stop.”

“And Chris?”

“Left in a huff,” Lev says. “I’d say it looked like the end of their friendship. Unless she decides she’s going to leave you.”

“Which is not going to happen,” I growl.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I won’t let it.”

“This is real then,” he says. “You and her.”

I don’t say anything, but my silence is answer enough.

“Have you told her that?”

“Do I need to? She’s made her decision.”

“Doesn’t mean she knows where you stand,” he says. “Not in so many words, at least.”

I shake my head in dismay. “I never pictured myself as this guy. The one who says the right things. Who fucking cares and shit.”

Lev laughs. Not a drop of sympathy for me, that bastard. “Time to learn,” he says.

I point to the door. “Get out.”

Still laughing, Lev leaves my office. I walk around my desk, more than disinterested in getting back to work.

I’m not sure if Jessa needs some time alone or not, but I can’t wait any longer before I see her. It was hard enough letting her out of the house without me while Marina is still at large.

When I walk into my room, Jessa is lying catatonic on the bed. She’s staring out the windows, her eyes glazed with tears.

“Jessa.”

She sits up the moment she hears my voice. Her gaze locks onto mine and then her entire face crumples like the world just collapsed in on her. I sit down at her side. Immediately, she leans into me, her head resting against my shoulder.

“He says—he says he can’t be my friend anymore,” she says in between sobs. “He b-basically said he can’t be in my life.”

“I’m sure he didn’t mean it,” I say because it sounds like the right thing to say. But fuck if I know.

“He did,” she says. “I know Chris. This time, he meant it.”

“You wanna tell me what happened?”

“I’ll tell you what should have happened. I should have kept my stupid mouth shut.”

I wait for her to continue. She wipes her eyes clumsily and gives a derisive snort of laughter. “I called his bluff. I asked him if the reason he was giving me such a hard time about you is because he had feelings for me.”

“He didn’t deny them?”

“No. What’s worse, he gave me a choice.”

“Me or him?”

She turns towards me. Her eyes are bright and filled with doubt. “I tried to make him understand… but…”

I nod knowingly. “He sees me as the enemy.”

“I can’t exactly blame him. I saw you as the enemy not too long ago.”

“Are you asking me to sleep with him? That’s what changed your mind, but I think I’ll have to draw the line somewhere.”

She shoots me a glare, but I can see the smile she’s trying to suppress. “Don’t be funny. Not now.”

I stroke a fallen lock of hair back from her face. “Kotyonok, don’t stress out about this. Just breathe and relax. Everything will be okay.”

“How can I be relaxed, Anton?” she demands, getting back on her feet so that she can turn and face me. “Everything can’t be okay, because everything I knew is gone. Everything I counted on is gone. I don’t have a job anymore. I don’t live in my apartment anymore. There’s a murderous psychopath after me, I’m pregnant and hormonal, and something I don’t understand is going on between us.” She throws up her hands in frustration. “We’re having a baby together, we have sex on occasion. But I have no idea what I am to you.”

“You are the mother of my child.”

She sighs. “Anything else?”

“What word do you want me to use?”

“What I want is not the point. I want to know what you want. How would you choose to describe me?”

I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to go there. To admit to being in another relationship after my nightmare of a marriage. I consider it for a moment and then give the most honest answer I can.

“My woman.”

“Your woman?” she repeats, her eyes wide. “Your woman.” Eventually, she gives a resigned nod. “I guess I can live with that.” She comes and sits back down beside me. “Thank you for buying me all those clothes.”

“You're welcome.”

She frowns. “I should probably go back to my apartment, though.”

“The thought doesn’t bring a smile to your face,” I notice.