"No, you don't. You read three pages and tell me you can't read my book because you don't like the hero’s name."
"Well, if his name is Garth, I'm not reading it. There is nothing sexy about a Garth, Adrianna! Nothing. And I know you agree with me."
I started laughing uncontrollably at her tone and reasoning. She had a point, but I also never read about a Garth before.
"If his hair is red, that's a deal breaker for you," I added. "If he's a doctor, a lawyer, a firefighter, hell, if he's the fucking CEO of a billion-dollar company, you would tell me no."
"Excuse me for knowing what I like. A fiery, flaming bright orange head of hair and eyebrows is not hot to me. His pube hairs will be the same color, and I cannot deal with that. Just fucking stop right now, bestie."
A loud laugh burst from my throat as tears blurred my eyes from laughing. Avery joined in, chuckling over her own comments like she usually did. I missed my friend so much and wished in moments like this that we lived closer together again. Between her wicked sense of humor and array of timbre in her voice, this was more than what any book could give me.
"You'd rather read about smelly hobos. I bet that's what you love."
She nodded, agreeing with me.
"I knew it."
"You're missing out. My book is forbiddenish."
I gave thought to it for a moment. That piqued my interest, but I knew her better.
"Ish. You lie. That probably means a boss can't date his employee. Lame. And, Ave, have you forgotten I'm living the forbidden life? The book can't possibly be better than real life."
"Have you spoken to Konstantin since coming home," Mom inquired after her third glass of vodka. She was putting them back faster than Dad.
This was the first thing she'd said to me in days and it left me momentarily speechless. A feeling of doom settled on me the moment I walked into the dining room. It was the same feeling that struck me when I pulled through the iron gates only a handful of days ago. I stared into my mom's eyes trying to muster an answer. She was goading me.
The two of us were seated at the grand table, across from each other, little appetizers placed sporadically around us. Dad and Xavier were in the other room refilling their glasses. I hadn't touched one morsel of food. I was too on edge.
Steadying my heartbeat so the lie would sound authentic, I said, "No, I haven't."
It wasn't entirely a lie. I had tried to contact him after my mother ambushed me with the newspaper article. He wouldn't return my texts or phone calls. But there was no way she could've known that.
"No?" she repeated, soft and patronizing. Delicately, she twirled the glass on the table, staring me down with nothing but animosity for reasons I could never fathom. "No," she said again, so regal. "I know you're lying."
I ground my teeth and looked her straight in the eye. "I'm not."
"I should be proud with how well you've managed to live a lie. It sure isn't for the faint of heart."
It was so easy for Mom to get under my skin with her refined manners and the confident yet clipped tone she loved to use. My stomach churned viciously. I didn't like the way this conversation was going.
I subtly shook my head. "My life isn't a lie. I don't know what you're talking about."
"Want to try that again?" she asked. Her eyes were too knowing, and it made me queasy. There was no way she could've known I tried to contact Kova.
"I don't know what this is about, but I haven't spoken to him, Mom," I said confidently.
She took a long sip from her crystal tumbler and licked her lips. "You can't fool me… I know you're fucking your gymnastics coach."
I inhaled with an audible gasp, my heart nearly stopping. She said it so soft, in such a gentle tone it terrified me. Pure evil. My world tilted, my face fell. I was starting to feel lightheaded. The room was at a standstill. Our eyes bounced back and forth, she was spewing fire in my direction.
"That's not true," rolled off my breath, but no one heard me. I shook my head, I could hardly breathe. "It's not true." My heart was racing so fast and hard it hurt. I clutched my chest, trying to ease the pain. The walls started to close