Twilight Sins: Chapter 60

It’ll be like this never happened.

His words echo even after the door slams behind him.

I drop down into a bar stool, my legs too weak to hold me up. I haven’t been able to keep anything down all day, but I’m grateful for it now. If I had anything in my stomach, it would have been all over the floor the moment Yakov said he’d be able to “get rid” of me soon.

Tears well in my eyes and scour down my cheeks. I try to wipe them away, but they’re coming too fast. I can’t see. Can’t breathe. I’m sobbing so hard I don’t hear Mariya approach until her arm is around my back.

“Holy shit, Luna. What happened?”

My heart is broken. That’s what this ache in my chest is, right? The searing pain is the last bit of hope that Yakov and I will get through this going up in flames.

Mariya leads me from the kitchen by the hand. “The staff have enough to gossip about after the shitshow last night,” she explains.

She takes me back to my room. Or, Yakov’s room, I suppose. Soon enough, we won’t be sharing it. He’ll have it all to himself again.

It’ll be like this never happened.

A fresh wave of tears nearly brings me to my knees.

“Sit down,” she orders, taking me to the edge of the bed. “I’ll get you some tissues and water.”

She goes into the bathroom and comes back a minute later. I look up and she has two white pregnancy tests in her hands. Her face is creased. “Luna.”

Reality crashes down on me all at once. I drop my face in my hands and Mariya rushes to my side. She hugs me tight.

“It will be okay. Everything will be alright,” she whispers again and again. “You’re okay.”

Except, I’m not.

Nothing is okay.

I’m not sure anything will ever be okay again.

Yakov wants me to leave. He can’t wait for me to be out of his hair so his life can go back to normal. But my life… I don’t even know what “normal” is. Because the life I had before Yakov isn’t possible. I can’t go back to my apartment and job and forget he exists. I’ll never be able to go on a date with another man without comparing them to Yakov. They won’t stand a chance. My life has been turned upside down and twisted into a new, unrecognizable shape. It can’t ever go back.

Mariya strokes her hand down my back. “Is this about the baby?”

“Yes,” I hiccup. “No. I mean, it’s about everything.”

“Have you told Yakov?”

I swipe at my eyes, but it’s no use. The tears keep coming. “I tried, but he… he didn’t want to hear it.”

Mariya groans. “He can be so stubborn when he’s mad. He likes to ice people out. Believe me, I know.”

“It’s more than that. He wasn’t just talking about last night. He was talking about the entire time we’ve known each other… Everything.”

“What did he say?”

I try to repeat the words that are still ripping through my chest, but I can’t force them out of my mouth. I shake my head. “He doesn’t care about me.”

“Bullshit.”

I shrug. “It’s what he said.”

“Okay. Well, earlier, you said you hadn’t taken the pregnancy tests yet.” She holds the tests in front of my face. “People can say whatever they want. It doesn’t make it true.”

“That’s different. This is different. He meant it, Mariya.”

“No. Absolutely not. How can you even think that?”

“Because none of this ever made any sense!” I cry out. “I was just some nervous, rambling loser who walked up to him in a restaurant. My ex-boyfriend was a drugged-up cretin, but he cheated on me. So it doesn’t make sense that someone like Yakov could want me.”

Mariya frowns. “Luna, that’s fucking tragic.”

“Tell me about it,” I mumble.

“No, it’s tragic that you actually believe that shit.”

I cringe, even as I keep my face buried in my hands. “It’s the only thing that makes sense. Yakov could have sent me away, but he didn’t. He didn’t have to bring me back to his house and save my life, but he did. He did it all because he had to unless he wanted to end up as suspect number one in my murder.”

Mariya snorts. “My brother knows every cop, district attorney, and judge in this town. He isn’t worried about getting pinned with any crime. Least of all murder.”

“Least of all murder”? God, this family is scary.

“Plus,” she adds, “everything you said could also be used as proof that he’s obsessed with you. He didn’t want to tell you he wasn’t your blind date because he thought you were hot. He brought you back to the mansion because he wanted to. Ever thought of that?”

I shrug. “Yeah. But it just doesn’t make⁠—”

“It makes plenty of sense!” she shrieks. “Don’t let your asshole ex-boyfriend make you doubt yourself.”

“Okay, fine. Even if all of that was true and Yakov did care about me… he doesn’t anymore. You didn’t hear what he said. He’s so mad.”

“I think all of his anger will disappear the moment you tell him you’re pregnant.”

I sniffle. “I tried that already. He wasn’t in a listening mood.”

“Then call him.”

“He won’t answer.”

“Leave a message,” she says. “Text bomb him until he has no choice. I’ll AirDrop him a picture of your pregnancy tests!”

I lean my head against Mariya’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“You’re the only one right now. Which is why we’re going to fix this.” She grabs my hands and pulls me to my feet. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?” I mumble, my socked feet shuffling across the carpet.

She smiles over her shoulder. “To make a pregnancy announcement.”