Page 115 of Cruel Romeo

My heart is pounding so hard I swear I can feel it through my sleeve. If Maksim decides to use force, Luka might not be enough to save me. I’ll be back under that roof, with my husk of a mother and my monster of a father, and be married off within the week.

“Please,” I repeat, locking eyes with Maksim, willing him tounderstand. “Walk away. Right now. If you ever cared about me at all, you’ll pretend you never saw me.”

He stares at me like I’ve slapped him. His mouth keeps opening and closing with words that don’t come.

I take that hesitation for mercy and rip my arm free. My legs move before my brain catches up, carrying me down the hallway and out the door.

The cool air slams into me as I stumble onto the street. I spot Luka immediately, sitting behind the tinted windscreen. He straightens when he sees me, putting away his phone.

I yank the back door open and slide into the backseat. “Let’s go.”

“Is everything okay, Miss?” Luka’s eyes narrow a fraction. “You don’t look so good.”

“Yes,” I lie. Not my most convincing lie so far, but with the state I’m in, it’ll have to do. “I’m just not feeling well. Need to lie down a bit. Take me home, please.”

Luka studies me for a long beat, like he’s trying to peel away my skin and see what’s underneath. He doesn’t seem to like it any more than I do, though.

“Lady troubles,” I add, hugging my belly. “Cramps. Really bad ones.”

Suddenly, Luka’s cheeks flush a deep crimson. His gaze drops mine like a hot potato from the rearview mirror. “Understood,” he mumbles, and starts the engine.

I turn my face to the window, willing the tears stinging my eyes not to fall. If Luka sees them, he’ll start asking questions again, ones I can never answer.

Once he pulls into traffic, I see Maks from the window, growing smaller and smaller on the curb. I pray he didn’t jot down the license plate. I hope beyond hope that he never finds out who owns the car that just took his sister away.

Because if he ever does, it’ll mean war.

45

SIMA

Back at the penthouse, I pace across the bedroom.

My breath is shallow and ragged, like I just ran up every flight of stairs of Petyr’s ridiculous skyscraper. My heart won’t slow down, too busy pounding against my ribcage as if it wants to break free. I press a hand against it, but the thundering doesn’t stop.

It only reminds me of the truth: Maksim saw me.

He knows I’m alive now.

The realization keeps circling around and around in my head. Maksim—my baby brother, the only one I ever trusted—knows. And if he knows, it’s only a matter of time before Anatoli knows, before my father knows.

My chest tightens, a band of panic squeezing until I can’t draw a full breath.

I stop at the window to clutch the curtain in my fist and stare out over the glittering city below. For twelve years, I lived like a ghost to avoid this exact moment. I built walls, took upnew names for myself, buried the girl I used to be so deep she’d never be found.

But Maksim found me. One glance, and the whole fragile lie came crashing down.

I squeeze my eyes shut and press the forehead against the cool glass.He wouldn’t tell them.I try desperately to convince myself of that.

Maksim and I loved each other when we were kids. I used to sneak him sweets when Dad wasn’t looking, and he used to defend me when my other brothers got too rough with me. He was always my baby brother, the only pure one in a litter of wolves.

But that’s all in the past. We’re not children anymore. He’s grown into one ofthemnow. The suit, the tattoos, the gun—everything about him confirms it. And loyalty to the family comes first, always.

He’ll tell Anatoli. Or worse, he’ll tell our father directly.

And then there’ll be hell to pay.

A tremor rips through me. I dig my nails into my palms, lean into the windowed wall to keep upright.