Page 76 of Wicked Savage

I pick up my glass of water, pushing the untouched salad around. Why did I even bother coming out? I’m terrible company.

“I was asking if you’re going to the club this weekend. Rzvrt is hosting an event on Saturday. We’re going.”

“No, I’m not going. But have fun.”

The idea of being there makes me want to crawl out of my skin. I can’t bear seeing him, feeling the sting of him ignoring me again.

“What do you mean, no? You need to come!” Alisa says. “You’ve been holed up for way too long, Din. This isn’t healthy. You look like a damn ghost.”

“Wow, thanks,” I mutter, rolling my eyes.

“What she means is…” Natalia shoots Alisa a look, almost like she's scolding her. “We love you, okay? We just want to help you move on. And even if you were a ghost, you'd still be hot as hell.” She grins. “Please say yes. We don’t want to go without you.”

“I can’t. I’m done with that place. It’ll only remind me of him.”

“Stop it!” Natalia’s brows knit. “All you've done for weeks is mope around.”

“I haven’t been moping.”

“You definitely have,” Alisa chimes in, a sympathetic look on her face. “Hey, he might even be there.”

My gut twists, a sharp, ugly knot of jealousy coiling inside me.

What if she’s right? What if he’s already moved on?

The thought slams into me like a blade, cutting deep and leaving behind a burn I can’t ignore.

He wouldn’t. He couldn’t.

But what if he did?

If Cillian thinks he can just show up there with some new woman at his side like I never fucking mattered, like I was replaceable, then he’d better be ready for what’s coming.

Screw this. Now I have to go and see it for myself.

“What the hell are you doing?” Natalia’s voice shakes me from my spiraling thoughts. “She doesn’t need to hear that!”

“No, it’s fine,” I quickly say, waving it off. “I’ll think about it and let you guys know.”

They both nod, but I know the truth.

There’s no way in hell I’ll be staying home now. And when he sees me, I’m gonna make him eat his heart out.

* * *

“How are you doing, Moya dorogaya?” Konstantin asks, sitting across from me at the table, eyes studying me like he’s trying to read every piece of me that’s falling apart inside.

Are you really okay?I know that’s what he’s asking, even if the words sound casual.

Everyone is here—my siblings, his brothers—but I feel more alone than I ever have. We’re all gathered around his large, gleaming dining table, but I just want to be alone.

They all know what happened. Knew it would end this way. And even though they warned me—even though deep down, I knew there was a chance they were right—I still hoped.

I wanted so badly for Cillian to pick me. To chooseus. I wanted him to be the one to fight for what we had. But I didn’t matter enough.

The back of my throat burns as I swallow the sting of my own pain. I grab the club soda in front of me, forcing it down in large, shaky gulps, trying to drown out the ache.

“I’m fine.” The words come out too loud, too eager. I don’t mean for it to sound fake, but it does.

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