I called Carina. “Which corner of the house are you in?”
Her laughter crackled through the speaker. “I was about to come over. I visited Matvet.”
“Oh,” I said, brows lifting. “Do you need help? Should I send a guard or two?”
She giggled. “He hasn’t kicked me out yet, so it’s going well, I guess.”
It turned out Carina wasn’t Matvet’s favorite, or maybe he was just wrestling with something. Yesterday, he had ignored her completely, shutting down every question she tried to throw his way. They looked less like allies and more like enemies trapped in the same room, waiting for the slightest excuse to set the floor on fire beneath them.
“Fine,” I said. “I am coming in a moment.”
I needed a shower to clear my head, breakfast to steady myself, and a vase for those flowers.
Chapter Forty-three
Alessia
I stood in front ofthe mirror, smoothing the fabric down my hips. The dress hugged me too perfectly. The soft silk in midnight blue shimmered when I moved, the hem brushing just above my knees. The neckline dipped low enough to tempt without surrendering everything. And the thin straps on my shoulders felt like whispers against my skin. My lips curved into a smile, though it was laced with dread.
When I had asked Rodion for this date, it wasn’t to be spoiled. It would remind me there was still a world outside his walls and this heavy life where blood and power came first. I needed him to step into a normal world with me, even for a night, because I was enjoying his space too much. If he could walk into mine, then maybe both sides could feel real.
Carina was behind me, busy fussing with my hair as if she werepreparing me for a coronation. Her excitement was impossible to ignore, so bright it spilled into me and made me smile. She had helped me on every date so far, and this one was no different.
“I hope this goes well,” I said.
Carina chuckled. “According to my research, it will. Wasn’t he the one who sent that dress on your date with Marco?”
A laugh broke from me. “Not in a good way.”
“True.” Her grin flashed in the mirror. “But on the positive side, this man walked into a lingerie shop and bought you underwear. And he got your size right back then. Let’s stick with that side of the story.”
I covered my mouth, laughing, unable to deny it.
She moved in front of me and tilted my chin, fixing my lipstick with the pad of her finger. “Plus, he buys flowers.”
“Yeah, right? Today, I want us to talk about ourselves. Not business, not anything else. Just us. I hope it will go well.”
“It will.” She reached for the liner again. “Close your eyes.” I obeyed. “You could ask him anything you still doubt,” she said.
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Good. Open your eyes.”
I did, and the face staring back at me was mine, though it looked alive in ways I didn’t always recognize. She nodded with satisfaction. I smiled and pulled her into a hug.
“I’m glad you’re here. Thank you.”
She hugged me back, careful of my hair. “Don’t thank me until he proposes. Then I’ll send him an invoice for all these hours.”
We both laughed at that. When we pulled apart, I breathed out. “Okay. I’m ready.” She ran to the bed, snatched up my clutch, and pressed it into my hand. She fixed my hair again, and I swatted her playfully. “I’m sure I’m fine.”
“You look good. Smile. Go enjoy the night.”
Excitement and nerves danced through me. “Oh, Carina. Thisis crazy.”
She grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the hall. “Yes, sweetheart, it’s crazy and real. And relax. This is not Marco. This is Rodion.”
I groaned. “We should ban that name from our mouths.”