Page 56 of Pageant

“They’re fighting about who gets to fuck Lilia next,” Madison mutters, and Olivia tells her to shut her mouth.

A moment later, Elyah storms out of the room. Everyone turns and looks at me for an explanation, but I don’t know what the hell is going on.

“Maybe these three men aren’t such great friends, after all,” Imani says hopefully.

“I don’t know,” Madison replies. “This all seems suspicious to me.”

“Suspicious how?” someone asks.

Madison sniffs and stays silent. She seems like she’s going to let it go, but then bursts out with, “I’m just saying, we’ve watched other women get eliminated for daring to scream once, but Lilia can talk back and insult these men and they donothingto her.”

I clench my jaw tightly. Like getting fucked with a gun and then the trigger being pulled is nothing.

“What are you getting at?” Olivia asks.

“Maybe Lilia is a spy.”

Several women speak at once, their protests angry and defiant.

“Don’t get pissy with me for saying what we’re all thinking,” Madison snaps. “Anything’s possible in this crazy place. Maybe she’s fucking them at night and laughing at our terror behind our backs.” She flicks a disgusted gaze up and down my body.

“Madison, I’m not a spy. Konstantin wants to keep me around because I’m entertaining him. Elyah wants me dead, but he’ll put it off until the last second.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because he doesn’t really want to kill me. He absolutely will,” I add hastily. “He’s furious with me and he’s sworn he’ll do it, so that’s that. But he has three older sisters he loves dearly, and he’s never put a hand on a woman in anger in his life. He once saw my husband beat me and…”

My throat closes up as the worst day of my life flashes through my mind yet again. Why am I even talking about this? Madison can think whatever she likes. I’m a spy. I’m not a spy. Who fucking cares?

“And Kirill?” Marija asks, turning around. “Why is he always sniffing around you?”

Olivia shoves Marija’s shoulder until she’s facing the mirror again. “Because he’s a fucking weirdo. Now leave Lilia alone or I’ll smack your goddamn mouth.”

12

Elyah

Konstantin stares at the door Lilia just disappeared through, an expression in his eyes like he wants to go after her and find out what her pussy tastes like. Alarm plunges down my spine. I would think that he’s had his fill of treacherous women by now.

When I woke up this morning, the first thing I saw out of my bedroom window wasn’t the flowers in the garden or the sun glinting on the smooth waters of Lake Como. It was a crow. A huge black crow staring beadily at me from the lawn, its wicked beak glinting. I smacked the glass with my palm and it didn’t so much as ruffle its feathers.

When I was in prison, I learned to take these signs seriously. If I saw an inmate who was a friend first thing in the morning, my day would be all right. If I came face to face with an enemy, even if it was just in the line at the canteen, I knew there would be trouble before the sun went down.

I round on Konstantin and growl through my teeth in Russian, “Do you want another bullet in your head?”

I should probably switch the mics off so the women can’t hear us in the next room, but none of them speak Russian.

Konstantin turns slowly toward me, his expression neutral as he waits for me to speak my mind. I don’t like silence when my head is full of shouting and chaos.

“If I tell you that a woman is a viper, I thought by now you would have learned to believe me.”

Kirill loads the revolver with fresh bullets, snaps it closed, and spins the cylinder. “We are bringing that up now when we have just had a lovely time with Number Eleven? You’re such a mood killer, Elyah.”

I ignore Kirill and keep my eyes trained on Konstantin. I see the way he’s started looking at Lilia. He’s fascinated by her, and his fascination is growing every day. He wants her. Not to marry her. To fuck her, and if he does that then we’re all done for.

I don’t know how she’ll do it, but if Lilia gets her claws into him then we’re screwed.

“Is she going to make you turn on me?” Konstantin asks.

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