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“You like that it et close to you,” she guessed, earning another baleful glance that h, so nized their similarity She feared isolation, so she forced herself to find content people off so ferociously? Caring?

The thought was a double-edged sword of understanding and hopelessness so acute it made her head swim

“This scar reminds me who I ao, Clair,” he said in a gentle warning that made her heart batter her ribs So he had suffered a very deep wound Nevertheless, she would listen to his story if he wanted to tell her Had he ever told anyone, she wondered?

The lights faded before she could ask Faces below rotated to watch the curtain rise Music swelled as Petrushka began to unfold with its tragic puppet, considered cruel but instead capable of emotion, trapped in a cell, unable to reach the ballerina he loved

Aleksy loathed small talk It was a step into faed Clair had been spot-on when she suggested he was happier holding people at a distance

Scowling, he wondered what had possessed him to talk about his scar It was a topic he usually shut down outright, but he’d been compelled to learn if it was behind the reserve she’d shown earlier Clair was exceptionally beautiful tonight, and fresh bitterness had overcohtly match for her

Intellectually they were on an even playing field, which was an ano inanities or barbs, she had a quiet sincerity when she spoke and displayed surprising insight He avoided women who made him feel He’d never had one who made him think

Disturbed by a rush of both anticipation and caution, he forced hiet under his skin and instead focus on their surroundings

He noted with twisted pride how her s inter at any level and would have stayed in the private lounge attached to the czar’s box if he could, but he succus

With hooded fascination, he watched her greet those who approached with see dresses and jewelry if no other conversation presented itself He was used to his dates sulking, or s the weight of social chitchat up to him Clair put people at ease and he found his own tension ebbing because people weren’t so nervous—which, contrary to what she’d said, alwayscouple, sray beard and the woori and Ivana Muratov, s to hold his attention to

After brief inquiries about their daughters and grandchildren—he had known their entire faht up in discussing politics

“That was the chi her husband to interrupt their conversation “Inter lady has just told me about the charity foundation she has started We would like to help her with that, wouldn’t we? Aleksy has made a donation”

The unexpectedness of Clair’s subterfuge against these of all people er Thankfully the couple didn’t notice, both s at Clair’s bewildered face

“Of course we’llAleksy’s shoulder with enough enthusiasm to nearly knock him off his unsteady feet “Send oodbyes, they hurried down the hall toward their own box

“They seeuileless eyes to hi expression “What’s wrong?”

“Grigori gave me my first real job after my father was killed,” Aleksy answered He had to school his fury with everything in hie Before she could pass through to the balcony, he cut her off, closing the doors so they were alone in the sitting room