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Her eyes flared Instantly, she spat, “Then act like it”

And I paused

Anika had never spoken to me like that Not ever And it prickled

I blinked at her as she glowered at ns of emotion lost She withdrew back into her void

My heart began to pound

I was sick of this Sick of being lied to Sick to death of worrying about them both

“What is going on with you?” I asked gravely “I know you’re going through soht” I added on a whisper, “Your hair is falling out Are you…” It was a ht that flashed in my mind “Are you sick?”

Anika let out a bitter laugh “I wish”

She wished she was sick?

I couldn’t even begin to comprehend why she would say that

My heart ached at her detachment And I atteirls’ night? Just you and me?”

Ani lowered her gaze and sniffed indifferently She stood and walked out of the bathroo a listless, “No thanks”

Doroteya scooped more pasta onto my plate, and when Vik saw the expression on ue and said, “Ma, leave her alone She’s not hungry” My cheeks blazed furiously when he added a sly, “She just ate”

Anika’s fork dropped to her plate With a bored expression, she pushed up out of her chair, stood, and uttered, “I need to be excused”

Her retreating back was taut, rigid, and I got the awful feeling that er viewed me as such

24

Anika

“What a disappoint in my open doorway

She strolled into ht, and I let her, because… well, the last time I slammed a door in her face, she slammed me into a wall

Ksenia had always been a hard wohters of her own Perhaps that was her excuse for treating me so harshly Her sons were all Bratva stock I’d only ave off an eerie feel about them They were proud of the reputation they earned They were referred to as heartless Brutal Psychopaths, even

Their ed to hide those traits better than they had

Now, as my aunt moved closer to me, I sed hard as I chanced a look into her eyes

They were cold Scornful So full of contempt