Page 106 of Beautiful Trauma

“I promise.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: MILA

After coming in from my date with Kellan and the confrontation with Lev, I took a scalding hot shower before collapsing in bed. I’d shared a goodnight text with Kellan before falling into a deep sleep.

It felt like I’d barely been asleep when the buzzer on my door went off. Groaning, I rolled over and glanced at my phone. It was only eight in the morning.

As the buzzing continued, I staggered out of the bedroom and down the hall. “Coming!” I shouted as I hurried to the foyer. A part of me wished it would be Kellan standing before me and that he’d come to surprise me again.

But it wasn’t.

Instead, Kira stood with a drink carrier and a bag from our favorite bagel place. “Morning, Sleeping Beauty.”

Rubbing my eyes, I demanded, “When do you get up before noon on the weekends?”

“Since Father has been in even rarer beast form after Dima’s accident.”

“Is that what we’re calling it? An accident?”

She wrinkled her nose. “I have to call it that to condition myself not to slip up around my friends on the outside.”

“I see.”

“As I was planning my escape this morning, I thought I should come check in on you after the week you’ve had.” She handed me one of the coffees. “Skinny Vanilla Latte with a shot of espresso.”

“Thanks.”

I trailed behind Kira as she made her way to the kitchen. After a scalding hot sip of my coffee, I said, “You know you’re more than welcome to stay here with me until things blow over.”

She snorted. “I might as well be poking the bear if I did that.”

“You really know how to make me feel like the pariah I am,” I joked.

She arched a brown brow at me. “Hey, you know I have to play dirty until I’m twenty-one and get my trust fund.”

And I did know because I’d played the same game with Father. I’d bit my tongue more times than I could remember so that my college would be paid for, that I’d have a place to live, a car to drive, and food on the table.

I endured all of that until I was twenty-one. That magical birthday unlocked a trust fund worth millions left to us “bastards” by our Grandfather Korolova.

With a smile, I reached for a bagel. “Just two more years.”

“Thank God.” Jerking her chin at the fridge, Kira asked, “Will you grab the butter? They left it out again.”

“Sure.”

As I opened the fridge door, Kira’s words froze me. “Lev said he caught you on a date last night.”

When I whirled around, I scowled at Kira. “You know what? I’m going to quote Miranda fromSex and the Citywhen I say that these are bullshit bagels.”

“But I’m not here to talk about my ex like Carrie was,” Kira challenged.

“No. You’re here to get all the details about my new man.”

Kira rolled her dark eyes. “Well, duh.”

“Then why pretend you were here to check on me?”

“Because I know you. If I came in here asking about Kellan, you’d become all cagey like you always do when it comes to talking about your feelings.”