did to me.” I speak in Russian, the guttural, harsh sounds suiting my anger.
He gives a rough laugh. “Oh, you paid me back, though, didn’t you, my little ballerina.”
What does he mean?
I’m about to ask him when my phone rings out. It’s Jasper’s ringtone. I glance at the clock on the dashboard. Oh, shit.
“Bohdan, you better get me home in ten minutes flat, or I’m going to be in trouble.”
He frowns and nods, and guns the engine, peeling out of the parking space far too fast for my liking.
“But in one piece,” I add with a touch to his arm.
He glances at where my fingers touch his bare skin, and I pull away.
My phone goes again, and I sigh and pick it up. This conversation between myself and Bohdan isn’t over yet. I need to know what he means when he says I did something worse. I’ve never done anything to him. Except leave. Could that be it? He hates me for leaving? That’s why he’s back messing up my life?
“Hi, darling, we will be there in five minutes,” I say smoothly, focusing on my husband.
“You better be,” Jasper answers.
“I will, darling, and I got a dress and shoes.”
“Good.” He hangs up with nothing else said.
Fucking asshole. God, I hate him. My jaw is tense as I stare out the window at the pretty streets and wonder how the hell I got into such a mess.
We arrive at the house, and I turn to Bohdan as he parks the car. “Listen,” I say to him. “We need to talk at some point. Clear the air, but I can’t right now. I have to go to this damn dinner party and make small talk.”
It’s the last thing I want to do.
“We can talk, baby, but nothing you say can make up for what happened.”
“Nothing happened,” I spit at him, “which you didn’t cause.”
His face hardens, and he climbs out of the car, slamming the door shut behind him hard enough to rock the car. He still comes around to my side, though, and holds my door for me, taking my bags.
“Thank you,” I say automatically. I’m so well trained.
We head into the house in total silence, and Bohdan deposits my bags on the counter. “If you don’t need me right now, I’ll be in my room.” He doesn’t address me but Jasper, who is seated at the table with a just fucked glow.
I grit my teeth.
“Of course, but I’d like you to be around for the party, if you don’t mind? You never know who might be doing this, even the man who is our guest.”
“Of course. Do you want me to sit in the dining room, or out in the hallway?”
I’m taking a long drink of water from a small bottle I’ve just opened when Jasper answers.
“Oh, eat with us. I’m sure you’ve got some fascinating stories.”
The water goes down the wrong way, and I start to choke. Jasper doesn’t move, but Bohdan comes to me and pats my back.
“You okay?” he asks.
“Yes,” I splutter. “I am.”
“You ought to be careful,” Jasper says, giving me a hard look.
I take my water and leave the room. My heart is pounding, and my head is spinning. What is going on here? Does Jasper know about me and Bohdan? Is this a game? Maybe it is. There’s something going on with him for sure. If he does know, then I’m only safe for so long as Bohdan is here. Jasper is weirdly jealous of me even though he doesn’t want me for himself.
I hit my bedroom and see my hair stylist and makeup artist, Karen, smiling at me. Two-faced bitch. I don’t smile back like I normally would. Normally, I’m so scared of Jasper that I do all I can to have a quiet life. Now, though, with Bohdan in the house, I know Jasper can’t do anything significant to me. Oh, he could send Bohdan away, but firstly, that would put his cash cow in danger. And secondly, I’m honestly not sure Bohdan would go.
I’m stuck with two men who may both mean me harm, and I don’t know who I can trust. I know who I feel safest with, though, and it isn’t my husband. Unless Bohdan has changed drastically in the last few years, he’s not a sadist. Unlike Jasper.
“Jasper told me to go with a full look. Blow dry it out so it looks really voluminous. Then, with the makeup, he said to go for lots of gold and