Page 149 of Ruby Malice

My heart won’t survive it.

“He is not the kind of man who is going to treat you right or be faithful to you,” she says. “I mean, look at Leonid Kozlov out there. I confirmed with a member of his security team that he is here with his mistress while his wife is at home.”

“That’s disgusting.”

“That’s par for the course for rich men like them,” she says. “You’re better off steering clear.”

“Easier said than done. I think my family is cursed. We always seem to fall in love with the wrong people.”

Natalia snorts. “If you think your little gene pool is the only one that’s unlucky in love, I have two thrice-married aunts and a broken family of my own for your consideration. Not to mention my own checkered dating history.”

“You’re saying I’m not as special as I think I am?” I joke miserably.

“You’re special, Rayne,” she says, pulling me against her side in a hug I didn’t know I needed. “Just not when it comes to having bad luck with men. That’s a universal problem.”

35

RAYNE

When I get back to the kitchen, Sonya is standing by the double doors with a sour look on her face. The second she sees me and Natalia, it sours further.

“Where have you been? Service is starting,” she bites out.

Natalia hurries to grab a tray, but when I reach for one, Sonya waves me off. “That’s yours.” She points to a single plate of food. Kirill’s order as he walked away comes back to me.

“Third floor?” I ask.

She rolls her eyes, annoyed I even had to ask. “Yes. Go quickly and come right back. You’re needed down here.”

Natalia never asked me why I was assigned to work on the third floor, but based on the way she watches me leave the kitchen, she’ll have questions later. No matter whether Kirill and I are together or not, I’ll never tell a soul about Ilya.

Moving through the house so late at night is eerie. It’s dark and empty. I keep expecting someone to step out of the shadows. I keep expectingKirillto step out of the shadows.

I hope he doesn’t, though. Because even after my revelation minutes ago, I know I won’t be able to resist following him into the darkness.

But I don’t see anyone at all as I take the elevator up to the third floor and then step into Ilya’s apartment. I expect there to be a few lamps on, maybe even the television. But like the rest of the house, Ilya’s rooms are dark.

“Hello?” I call softly. “Ilya?”

Then I see him. Ilya is standing in front of the wall of windows in his living room, staring out over the ocean.

“Ilya?” I say. “It’s me. Rayne.”

He turns to me slowly. His expression is serene. It takes a few seconds before I feel like he actually registers that someone is in the room with him. Then, finally, he smiles.

“Rayne.”

I wave with my free hand and hold up a plate. “I brought you dinner. Are you hungry?”

He shrugs noncommittally and turns back to the windows. I slide the plate onto the island and cover it with a paper towel.

“You can warm this up if you get hungry later. Why is it so dark in here?” I flick the light switch on the living room wall. But as soon as I do, Ilya turns to face me.

“No!” He shakes his head, his forehead scrunched. “No. Off. No lights.”

Quickly, I turn the lights back off. “I’m sorry. It’s just so dark in here. Don’t you want a light on? Maybe I can get you a puzzle or put something on the television for you. Maybe you could—”

“Rayne.” Ilya’s voice is surprisingly clear. “Look.”

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