Page 43 of Cruel Juliet

“Because I don’t trust you.”

My stomach twists. “Excuse me?”

“You told me it’s a girl.” He takes a step closer. “But I can’t know that. For all I know, it could be a boy. My heir.”

“You think I’d lie about that?”

“I think you’d do whatever it takes to get free.” His jaw tightens. “So I’m going to find out for myself. I want the doctor to confirm it while I’m in the room.”

Anger rises through me. My chest tightens and my thoughts tumble one over the other.

I want to fucking yell at him. Does he even realize how insulting this is? No. Of course not. He thinks he can treat me whatever way he wants. He’s made that abundantly clear. Why shouldn’t he call me a liar about this, too?

That is who he is.

I was just too stupid to see it.

“You don’t trust a word out of my mouth, do you?” I find myself whispering. “Not one.”

Petyr’s face is blank. Cold. Not a single trace of remorse on it. “Not when the future of my Bratva is on the line.”

I push my chair back. The legs scrape hard against the floor. “Do you even hear yourself? You’re treating me like a criminal. Like I’m sitting here plotting lies just to trick you.”

His stare doesn’t soften. “You’ve run before. You’ve lied. Why should I believe this is different?”

“Because this is my child, too.” I lift my chin and meet his eyes. “Because I wouldn’t use her like that.”

For the first time, he falters. His gaze drops to where my hand rests against my belly. “I’ll know tomorrow,” he says after a long, slow exhale. “Be ready.”

He’s halfway to the door when I find myself speaking again. “What good would it do?”

Petyr stops. His hand lingers on the knob, but he doesn’t turn it. Nor does he turn around to face me.

“In a few weeks,” I continue, “the truth will be obvious anyway. You’ll see it for yourself. So why do you think I’d bother lying? What good could it possibly do to me?”

He faces me fully again, eyes narrowed. “Because you’re trying to manipulate me. You hope that, if I think you can’t give me what I want, I’ll let you go.”

I blink at him, stunned. “Is that even an option?”

“No.”

“Didn’t think so.” My arms cross over my chest. “So again, why would I lie?”

“Because it’s what you do.”

I rise from the chair, my knees unsteady but my voice steady enough. “Right back at you.”

His eyes narrow further. His lips part like he wants to say something more, then press tight again. He stands there, shoulders tense, every line of his body rigid.

I shift my weight and rub a hand over my stomach. The baby stirs, a reminder of what all of this is really about.

“You think I don’t know who you are, Petyr?” I step forward, furious. “You’ve lied to me since the beginning. About what you wanted. What I was to you.” My throat burns, but I force the words out anyway. “Don’t act like you’re the only one with the right to doubt.”

“So you admit you’ve tricked me in the past.”

I shake my head. “I admit I’vesurvivedyou. There’s a difference.”

He shifts his stance, shoulders squaring again, and I know the conversation is over. This time, though, when the door slams behind his back, I’m glad to see him go.