Page 125 of Ruins
She hasn’t seen me, not the version of me that kills without hesitation, the version that men whisper about in fear.
The thought of her looking at me with disgust, the thought of her beingafraidof me—
It makes my stomach turn.
I run my fingers through my hair, tugging at the strands, trying to ease the pressure building in my skull.
Ineedto see her.
I flick on the monitor, scanning until I find her—alone in her bedroom, sitting on the bed we should be sharing if I wasn’t such a fucking idiot.
Her face is in her hands.
For a moment, I think she’s crying.
A sharp pang of something ugly and unfamiliar lodges in my chest. She exhales, straightens, pulls herself together and heads to the bathroom.
I don’t have cameras in the bathroom, so all I can do is watch the closed door. The need to go to her, to fix this, claws at me. My jaw tightens.
A sharp knock snaps me out of my haze. I grab my phone to unlock the door.
Luca steps inside. Jealousy licks at the flames of my rage.
“What do you want?” My voice comes out sharp, unforgiving.
“Report from Maksim,” Luca replies sternly, unfazed. “He can’t reach Miroslav or Vera. He’s called Pietro in for an interrogation.”
I lean forward, my jaw tightening. “He thinks Ivanov is involved?”
“Not sure yet,” Luca admits. “But the Popovs’ sudden departure from the country raises red flags. Maksim has men flying overseas as we speak, but there’s a problem.”
Luca avoids eye contact. Something very unlike him, it makes my patience snap.
“Just spit it out.”
Luca exhales, his fingers flexing at his sides.
“He wants you to question Vasilisa.”
I scoff, shaking my head. “My wife has been here for weeks. I saw the feed this afternoon when her sister called—she was blindsided. That was genuine.”
Luca’s expression doesn’t shift. “Are you sure?”
Something cold slithers through me.
“Are you questioning my ability to know where my wife is and what she’s been doing since she arrived in my home?” My voice is low, sharp—a warning.
“No, I’m questioning if you really know her.”
My hands curl into fists.
I narrow my eyes. “You’re overstepping, Luca.”
Luca holds my gaze. “I mean no disrespect. I only want what’s best for the family.”
I exhale through my nose, forcing myself to stay still.
“And my wife is part of the family.” My voice is measured, dangerous. “If Maksim can’t keep his organization in line, that’s notmyconcern. My wife is innocent—she doesn’t know anything about her parents’ affairs.”
