CHAPTER 17

" I wasn't lying. " Kathy said in a dead little voice. She was seated beside Yuri on the sofa, her body stiff and tense, and Yuri had to clench his fists as he fought the urge to tell her it was okay and she had nothing to worry about.

Around them, the silence was more introspective than heavy in spite of the dim lighting and drawn out shades turning the room's floral wallpaper into obscure figures in the shadows. The only other sound in the room, aside from Kathy's voice, came from the metronome on the coffee table, it's rhythmic swinging making Yuri think of a ticking bomb.

In front of them, Dr. Miller, the therapist of Aria Denice Redfield (Kellion's Girlfriend) had referred to them, only nodded and scribbled something on her note pad.

Kathy's tone became fierce. " I wasn't the one who wrote the words on the mirror. "

Yuri's face remained expressionless.

According to Kathy, she had seen the words I WILL BREAK YOU on the mirror.

But when Yuri had gotten to the en-suite bathroom, there had been nothing but mist on the vanity mirror and when they had checked the CCTV footage, it showed no intruder breaking into their room. The footage hadn't shown any signs of tampering either.

She suddenly looked at Yuri. " You believe me, don't you? "

He pulled her close, and his heart clenched at the way she trembled against him. " It's okay, sweetheart. " He didn't want to lie to her.

" Mr. Athanas? "

Keeping Kathy in his arms, he looked at the therapist murmuring. " Yuri, please. "

" Yuri, then. " The therapist checked her notes. " Can you tell me if there's anything new that happened during your vacation? I believe this is the first one you two have taken as a couple? "

" Yes. "

" And have there been changes? Something new that was added to your routine or any other first you two enjoyed as a couple? "

" It was the first time for us to go to the beach together. "

" Uh huh. What else? " The doctor's gaze remained on them even as she resumed scribbling.

" It's also our first time to stay at a hotel. "

" I see. "

Kathy stirred in his arms, and he reluctantly let her go.

" Doctor? " Her back was straight, and her voice was a stiff. " Yesterday, we... I thought... " She swallowed, and it was his first time to see Kathy uncertain of what to say. " I thought he was going to leave me. "

The older woman's dark brows shot up.

" It was a misunderstanding. " He said emphatically. " I didn't intend to leave her. I love her. " But he had never thought he would say such words in the circumstances they found themselves in now.

" I see. Anything else? "

He took a deep breath. " We also made love for the first time last night. "

" Ahh... " The therapist placed her pen down, her gaze pensive. She was an attractive brunette in her late twenties, someone who could have easily married any man she wanted. But her fingers were ring less, and he wondered absently if it was because most men avoided dating shrinks, knowing they were impossible to lie to.

Finally, Dr. Miller said. " Based on what you have shared so far, I think the stress of certain changes in your life, in both of your lives has greatly attributed to Kathy's episode this morning. It might either be because of the sex or the fact that she was scared. "

Kathy and Yuri said spontaneously. " Not the sex. "

And then realizing what they had said at the same time, Yuri laughed, and Kathy managed a smile.

The therapist coughed, but her eyes were twinkling when she said. " I think so, too. " She handed each of them a card. " I'd like you to come back and meet me next week please. Just schedule an appointment with my secretary. "

They were walking towards Yuri's waiting limousine when Kathy suddenly told him. " If she had banned us from making love, I think I would have cried. "

Despite his worries, he couldn't help smiling at Kathy's utterly serious tone. " I think I might have cried, too. " He said solemnly.

Inside the car, he drew her to him and, taking hold of her hand, he brought it to his lips. " It will be alright, sweetheart. "

She only nodded.

He pulled her tighter against his. " When we're back at Head Quarters promise me you'll try to sleep. You have dark circles under your eyes, and it worries me, " he said gently. " to see you so tired. "

" I'll try. "

But there was a silent, troubled question in her eyes, and Yuri, correctly interpreting it, said quietly. " I won't leave. I will be in the headquarters. You can use our tv to access the surveillance cameras. I taught you how to do it, remember? "

" Yes, I remember. " He felt her slowly relax against him.

When they were back at the club, he took her straight to their suite and tucked her in. " Lights out or not? "

" Not. "

He pressed a kiss on her forehead. " Sleep tight, sweetheart. " But he had just turned around when he felt her clutch the back of his shirt.

He turned around and saw her staring at him with a pale, tired face. She looked like she was about to break any second, and helplessness ate at him because he no longer knew what to do.

" I love you, Yuri. " She whispered.

" I love you too. "

But this time, it hurt to say the words.

He didn't know why, but worse, he didn't know either that Kathy had heard the pain in his voice.

And it hurt her.

Leaving their suite, Yuri went directly to the private library for the officers and placed a call to the one person he thought he would never have any reason to contact.

Dr. Simon Corba answered at the first ring. " Mr. Athanas. What may I do for you? "

" I'll keep this brief. "

Dr. Simon listened, patiently, and when the younger man has done speaking, he answered, pouring his poison into Yuri Daniel Athanas mind just as patiently.

Anytime now, he thought triumphantly when the Greek Scion ended the call.

He just had to continue biding his time, and once the first domino fell, everything would follow. Yuri Daniel Athanas would be out of the picture, and Kathryn Ice Rewis would be his.

Dr. Simon Corba's lips tightened. And this time, he wouldn't treat her as gently. She would still be his wife, but only because of the money. But this time, he would treat her like a whore.

" Are you sure you're up to this? " Yuri asked hours later as they changed for dinner.

Kathy only nodded, but the stubborn glint in her violet eyes told him there was no talking her out of it.

He sighed. " You know this may be another opportunity for me to tell you I told you so. " But he only said it to tease the darkness out of her gaze, and he succeeded somewhat. Kathy was smiling at him, and the brightness of it managed to dispel most of the shadows that still haunted her gaze.

" I want to be a normal. "

He wondered if she realized how her words had changed. It used to be she had only been different and special. Now, that was gone.

She was facing the full length mirror in his suite, clipping pearl earrings into place. She wore a high-collared white dress, with long billowing sleeves, and a bronze belt cinched around her slim waist. And in her two-inch kitten heels, she was a lot taller and looked fit to walk the runaway.

But the beauty was lost on him.

For the first time, Yuri realized uneasily that he wasn't seeing Kathy when he looked at her. Instead, he saw the young, fourteen-year-old Kathy, whose soul had still been chained to the past because of Madame's Antonia cruelty.

The realization made him guilty, and he looked away abruptly.

He completely missed seeing the pain in Kathy's eyes as he turned away.

" Shall we go? "

" Yes. "

At dinner, Kathy and Yuri barely spoke, and their tension permeated the atmosphere in the room despite every awkward attempt of their friends to ease the strain between them.

" A call for you at the library, Sir Athanas. " A volunteer informed him.

Yuri stood up, feeling privately relieved to have an excuse to leave the room. He needed...space. He needed time to think things through. " Kathy, I'll be taking this call. "

She nodded slowly, but fear had started clouding her eyes again.

" I'm not going away. I'm just going to take a call. I'll be back in a couple of minutes. " Turning away, he felt Kathy's gaze on his back as he headed to the door. It's going to be okay, he told himself firmly.

But it was not.

When he came back, it was chaos.

The officers were on their feet, and there was a volunteer, sobbing.

" I didn't do anything! " She cried. " I just tripped. You all saw me! I didn't mean to trip and then she... " Her eyes flew to the far end of the room, and that was when Yuri saw Kathy standing stiff and alone, her beautiful face pale, stony, and remorseless.

" She slapped me for no reason! "

Kathy's lips moved.

Yuri read the silently spoken word.

Liar.

Yuri strode forward. " I'm sorry, Claire Jane. " If it had been the other volunteer, Lily Anne Smith, he would have thought it was a setup. But it wasn't, and now he knew he had to withhold his judgement until he heard Kathy's side.

" I will speak to my fianceé about this. " He continued quietly. His gaze sought Kathy's over the volunteer's head, and Kathy returned his gaze unblinkingly.

He turned to Kellion and repeated his apologies.

Kellion shook his head. " You know we all understand. I'll handle this. You have someone else to look after. "

His lips twisted, and his voice was uncharacteristically hard as he said. " Kathy told me herself she doesn't need my help. "

Kellion gazed at him oddly. " I'm not sure what you're trying to say, but whatever it is... " The president's voice was blunt. " you sound like an asshole. "

And when he turned to face Kathy and saw that she had heard him speak, he did feel like an asshole.

He took her to the private dining room in their floor and for once, Kathy didn't volunteer to make a bento for them, leaving Yuri to scrounge through the freezer for food. Finally, he found pasta and salad to microwave and had them steaming and ready to eat ten minutes later.

Kathy started eating, swiftly and gracefully.

" You want to tell me what happened? " He asked finally.

" The volunteer said, Madame Antonia is coming. "

He frowned. " She specifically said, Madame Antonia? "

She nodded.

Yuri stared at her.

She stared back at him.

Could she be crazy after all?

He pushed the thought away as soon as it occured, but it was too late, even though he hadn't known it.

Kathy had seen it.

Have lost his appetite, Yuri pushed his plate away and said slowly. " According to the volunteer, she tripped, stumbled against your chair, and accidentally hit your head. That's when you slapped her. She was already apologizing, but you still slapped her. "

Kathy slowly lowered her fork. " She was lying. " Her voice was perfectly composed. If Kristina Rewis had been alive, she would have known this was Kathy at her bravest and...most terrified. This was Kathy back when she was still it and under Madame Antonia's thumb.

" I see. " But he didn't. All he knew was that he had two versions of the incident, and Kathy's rang more like fiction than the truth.

When they went to bed, they kept the lights on at Kathy's request. It was also the first time they had their backs to each other.

" Yuri? "

His guilt increased at the sound of her whisper, and he almost hated her for it. For almost his whole life he had lived with guilt, and here she was, fucking adding to it.

" What is it? "

" Please don't look at me like that again. "

He didn't answer, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

" I'm not crazy, but you make believe me I am. "

Finally, he said. " I'm sorry. " He could say the words because they were true. He did mean them. He was sorry, but it wasn't just for the things Kathy thought he ought to be sorry about.

For one thing, he was sorry for who he was because it was beginning to be clear to him that he might not be the right man for Kathy.

He had loved his father, Nathaniel Athanas, for years, and it had blinded him nearly to the point of causing his sister, Hallie Daena Athanas irreparable harm.

But Kathryn Ice Rewis?

She wasn't even related to him by blood. He had only even known her for weeks.

And yet here he was, wanting to lie to himself and to everyone else.

He would kill anyone who told him Kathy wasn't normal, would kill anyone who tried to take her away from him.

But would that be the right kind of love?

He stared sightlessly at the ceiling.

How the hell could someone like Kathy survive without him?

How the hell could a broken man like Yuri protect her?