Page 50 of Twisted Prince

“I need to meet with my brother first thing tomorrow,” I state as we slowly come down from our bliss. “Then we can go home.”

“Home?” Mel says, rising onto her elbows as she looks over at me.

“To New York.”

“Gleb…”

The hesitation in her voice is enough to tell me what she’s not saying, but I roll onto my side to give her a pointed look. I want to hear her say it.

“This is my home now,” she insists when I wait for her to finish her objection.

“Why?” I ask, the question coming out closer to a growl than I intended.

Mel falters, her dark eyes shifting from mine to look down at her fingers resting on the blankets.

“Are you afraid I can’t keep you safe? Because I promise I won’t let anything happen to you again.”

“It’s not… that,” she says hesitantly, her fingers picking at the pristine white fabric.

“Mel,” I press, pinching her chin gently between my finger and thumb so I can force her to look at me.

“I have a life here, okay?” she says, sitting up suddenly as her tone shifts to defensive in an instant. “I don’t care if you judge me for it, but this is where I belong.”

I grind my teeth, sitting up as well as the closeness between us vanishes. “You’d rather stay here and dance for the Kellys than go back to New York and pursue a career in modeling?” I confirm.

Mel scoffs, her dark eyes flashing as she snatches up her dress from the floor. “Don’t you dare throw modeling in my face right now,” she snaps, pulling her dress back on without bothering to put on her bra.

“Throw it in your face?” I frown, collecting my boxers as the tension between us mounts.

“You’re the one who told me it was too dangerous,” she insists. “That I had to put it on the back burner because I was putting everyone at risk.”

“That was three years ago, Mel.”

“So, the Veles are done fighting?” she counters defiantly, snatching up her bra and panties and shoving them into her bag.

This is a new side of Mel I don’t understand. Three years ago, she would have jumped at the chance to model. Then again, three years ago, she never would have accepted a job at a place like Pearl’s. But she’s not entirely without a point. And that’s what makes me bristle.

Sure, we’ve taken Val out of commission. And we’re starting to rebuild our forces, but we’re not out of the war with Mikhail and the Zhivoder. The rest of the girls have moved on with their lives, though. So, I don’t see why Mel couldn’t achieve the same happiness if she came back with me.

“Nooo…” I say cautiously, standing so I can assess the sudden shift in her demeanor.

Mel straightens her dress and levels me with a look that says that I’ve answered my own question.

“So, what? You’re just going to leave again?” I demand, that familiar sense of hurt and anger rising in me as I sense the direction our conversation is heading.

“I’m sorry, Gleb, but I can’t go back with you. I’m happy here. I belong here…” she says.

“And not with me,” I finish.

Mel’s eyes drop to the floor, her chin trembling with the words she’s not willing to tell me.

“So, you thought you’d have a quick fuck and go on your merry way,” I observe flatly, my temper overriding my urge to be a decent human being.

“You’re an asshole,” Mel snaps, her eyes flashing with anger, and she whirls toward the door.

Watching her leave opens a fresh hole in my chest, and suddenly, I regret what I said. “Mel, wait.” Closing the distance between us, I grasp her wrist, pulling her back toward me.

“What? Gleb?” she demands, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears as she glares up at me.

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