though she is my partner. As though it is both of us against all of them. When it has only ever been me.
There are so many questions in my mind, but I don’t have time to consider them. She taps my arm and smiles, and I realize she’s trying to get my attention.
I turn back to Viktor, whose eyes are moving between the two of us with a curious expression.
“You have done very well for yourself, Lyoshenka.”
I can’t tell if his words are genuine or not. When only last week he referred to her as a whore, now he can’t seem to take his eyes off of her. I pull her closer on a nod, wrapping my arm around her waist, and he smiles.
“Tell me,” Viktor speaks to Talia, “how married life is treating you.”
When she glances up at me, there is genuine warmth in her eyes. I don’t know where it came from, but I find myself wishing the room were empty now. Instead, I settle for placing my hand possessively on the back of her neck. Stroking the warm skin there and watching her as she answers.
“I would tell you that my husband is a perfect gentleman,” she says. “But we both know that’s a lie.”
Viktor laughs, and when his eyes land on me, there is approval behind them. I pull Talia even closer still, grazing her cheek with my lips. She does not protest. In fact, she leans into me and gives a soft sigh of approval.
“You are happy though,” Viktor remarks. “Yes?”
It’s not a question, even though it is phrased like one. It is an observation. And right now, she does seem happy.
Talia looks to me, her eyes moving over my face when she replies.
“I am.”
And then Viktor holds up his glass, reciting a classic Russian toast to our health and happiness.
Across the room, Katya’s gaze finds mine. Hurt and anger fill her eyes as she moves them from me to Talia. I ignore her and focus my attention on Magda when she enters the room.
“Dinner is served.”
We all move to the dining room, and Talia takes her place at my side.
Throughout dinner, I catch all of the men staring at her. Sergei and Nikolai included. When his gaze finds mine across the table, it is apologetic. And something else.
I don’t allow him to introduce himself to her.
Dinner is a long affair. With toasts and blessings from all the notable members at the table. When Sergei’s turn comes around, he mocks me by simply saying, to my good health.
Katya’s eyes are on Talia throughout the whole evening, and Talia has taken notice of her as well. Beneath the table, her hand finds mine, and I move my attention to her.
She smiles at me, and it still disarms me.
I have half a notion to remove the sharp cutlery from her reach. Convinced she is deceiving me somehow.
But she plays her part well, never missing a beat when someone asks her a question. Every word out of her mouth is a lie of course, regarding our marriage. But only she and I know it.
When the plates have been removed and the men begin to scatter back into the sitting room, Anatoly stops me. He glances at Talia and smiles and then asks me in Russian to retrieve the information he needed on a local politician.
“I will look after your wife,” he tells me. “While you retrieve it.”
Instead, I call for Magda and instruct her to remain at Talia’s side.
“I will be right back,” I tell her. And with all of the eyes in the room on us, I lean down and kiss her as a husband should. Softly, on the cheek.
She smiles up at me, and I retreat upstairs to my office.
As I suspected, I am not in there for more than two minutes before Katya makes an appearance.
“Lyoshka,” she greets me.
My eyes move over her tall figure, filling out the blue dress she has chosen to accentuate all of her best features in the way she always does. She has the body of a model, and the face of one too. The gem that many of the Vory covet, but do not have the position to attain.
At least not permanently. Though I’ll never know how many she has been with besides myself and Nikolai. I was one of the few who had the rank she lusted after in a partner. Only, I did not have whatever else she needed.
I fell for her. And she made a mockery