The Promise (Darkest Lies Trilogy Book 2) by Bethany-Kris (fiction book recommendations .txt) 📕

sinking sensation in her heart while he readied to leave.

The illusion of them being alone was created well—she still wasn’t foolish enough to think they weren’t being watched. A bull keeping an eye on things, or Masha sneaking a peek through the curtains. Maybe even Claire, too.

Not that anyone interrupted.

Roman left the car door open, and returned to where she sat. Karine did her best to hold back the tears threatening to fall when he rested beside her on the step.

“It’s scary.”

“What is?” he asked.

“This ... thing with us. Love. I was so happy yesterday when you came back, and now I’m so sad I can barely feel anything at all. I’m just numb. Way deep down, Roman. Numb. That’s exhausting, isn’t it?”

She certainly thought so.

“But it won’t always be, babe.”

While she stared ahead, Roman kept his eyes on her—examining her for cracks, Karine was sure. She dared to peek over at him, then, and he offered her a shrug that earned him a small smile in return.

“I’m sorry that we’re in a tricky situation, and I don’t want to leave you, Karine.”

“But you will leave.”

“And I will be back. That’s how it works.”

Right.

That’s how this works.

“It’s hard to think about what will come in the future when I’m still figuring out how to live in the present,” she admitted.

“I know.”

She turned to him and he took that opportunity to lean in to kiss her. Their mouths met, lips closed, soft and lingering. Every beat of her heart ached when he pulled away. He gave her chin a quick, loving squeeze and stood up.

“Take care of yourself, beautiful.”

“Call me?”

Roman winked. “As soon as I can, you know it.”

Karine didn’t stand up to watch him leave, but she did wave when he gave her one last look at the end of the path. Roman got in his car, and she was stuck staring at fading tail lights until they could no longer be seen. Karine still hadn’t moved. Not even when she heard Masha’s footsteps coming to a halt a few steps above her.

“What happens when he finds you? You know he’s looking for you,” she said.

If she’d been stabbed and her lungs punctured, it would have felt the same as Masha’s words. Karine quickly lost her air at the mention of Dima, not that Masha had been clear who she meant. She also didn’t need to.

Karine knew.

All too well.

“I don’t want to think about any of that right now,” she murmured. “Besides, Roman will keep me safe. I believe him.”

Masha walked down the steps until she stood across from Karine down below, forcing her to stare at the woman’s face.

“You made a promise,” Masha continued, but the sternness she tried to keep didn’t hide the quivering of her bottom lip as she fought to maintain her composure. “You accepted his proposal. That kind of pact lasts a lifetime. I know you’ve been afforded a level of ignorance, Karine, but that’s not going to fly anymore. You have to start thinking about the consequences of certain actions here. Haven’t you thought about it at all?”

What?

Karine met Masha’s stare, saying slowly, “It’s not like I had a choice. I couldn’t exactly refuse his proposal. It was forced on me. You know this, Masha. You were there. You think I wanted to marry him?”

She didn’t understand why Masha chose now to talk about Dima, and the marriage. Today of all days, when her heart had already taken a hit, and she still had tears in her eyes. It felt a little cruel.

Unnecessary, even.

“It doesn’t matter whether it was your free choice or not. The promise was made, and that means Dima is going to come after what he’s owed. He’s been raised in a world that’s told him it’s his right, Karine.”

Shaking her head, she refused to listen to anything else Masha said. Dima was a topic best left under lock and key—no one would force Karine to even think about that man if she didn’t want to.

“Are you even listening—do you understand?”

That condescension in Masha’s tone was where Karine drew the line.

“What is your problem?” she snapped at Masha.

“I feel like someone needs to remind you of reality. You won’t be able to lock yourself away in a room to play house with another man forever, Karine.”

“Stop it. That’s enough.”

Masha sighed, slapping her hands to her jean-clad thighs when Karine stood, turned, and rushed up the steps back into the lodge. Today would be another one of those days—one where she did nothing but lie in bed for the rest of the day—and she wasn’t going to feel guilty about it, either.

But before she could slip through the front door, Claire came running out with a phone pressed to her ear.

“Has he left? Has Roman left already?” she asked.

The panic in her voice froze Karine to the porch. Her throat went dry because she could see it in Claire’s eyes, too. That fear.

“What’s going on? What’s wrong?”

Claire was too busy trying to pay attention to whatever was being said on the phone to see that her panic had triggered something in Karine that she couldn’t control. The rational side of her didn’t even have a chance.

“Maybe I can get one of the bulls to follow him?” Claire asked.

For the first time, Karine was viscerally cognizant of an alter coming to awareness. She felt the way Katina slipped into her skin, blinked and suddenly looked through different eyes. It was so fast, but still, she heard herself ask, “Is Roman in trouble? Is he going to be okay?”

It took more effort than Karine could stand to fight back Katina from speaking—being. She knew what it was that triggered it—the heady, taunting taste of anger and fear.

Katina’s favorite.

Claire held up a finger, and Karine choked at the sudden, loud ringing in her ears. She could already see the trail of destruction Katina was capable of—wanted to—leave as the metallic tang of blood swept over her tongue.

She’d bitten it.

Hard enough to bleed.

She even tried to