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She pauses, tilting her head. "Oh, and don’t be afraid of my husband." She stands and smiles. "He really is a bit of a softy."

She leaves, and as the door clicks shut behind her, Matvei looks at me. "That’s actually not true."

That makes me smile.

"I’ll be right back. I have to talk to her. Here. “I downloaded some games and shows for you. You’re staying in bed today. Polina says it’ll help. And there’s a book too."

He hands me a ridiculously large tablet and a book.

I stare. It’sThe Best of Poe.

My throat tightens.

I raise an eyebrow. "I don’t stay in bed all day."

A look crosses his face, and his voice drops. "You do if I tell you that you are."

I smirk. "If you start bossing me around, I’m gonna text Polina. She said she has an in with your boss."

His eyes darken, amused. "Go ahead. Text her. And if you get out of this bed, I’ll spank your ass. Not now. But I have an excellent memory."

I stick my tongue out at him like a child.

He smiles, shaking his head. “That’s one. Keep it up.”

The door shuts behind him.

It still hurts, but not as much.

It’s better than it has been in a long time.

I wonder what medicine she gave me.

I hear them talking on the other side of the door, and a part of me wonders—if I hadn’t run… none of this would’ve happened. I would’ve been forced to marry Rafail.

I can’t imagine being with anyone but… Matvei.

And I know I’m not feeling well, that I’m compromised, and I… He’s the one who gets me. There’s something about his irreverence and hard edges that makes me crave more of him.

No, this isn’t how I plannedanything.

And I do worry about what he’ll do when he finds out the truth about me.

Especially because I know what he wants from me.

But right now, I’m doing what I always do.

Get through today.

Survive.

I’ve never thought about a future.

And I can’t think about one now.

* * *

Chapter20