Reign of Thieves: World of Thieves: Episode 2 by Nikki Black

Author:Nikki Black [Black, Nikki]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2022-04-29T00:00:00+00:00

15. Baby Do You Love Me…?

Karina was halfway to Versace when she ran into her two friends. The usually calm, well-put-together women rushed up to her, demanding they speak with her immediately.

“Karina, we tell you this not because we believe the tramp but because we are friends, da,” Valentina said.

Her other longtime friend Anya, short for Analisa, nodded in earnest. They both bombarded Karina after she left Chanel. Karina knew them both to be fun-loving mothers and they all often bonded over their children’s antics. Today Valentina and Anya wore identical looks of shock and indignation.

“What are you guys up to now? Did AK call with another prank?” she asked, walking into Versace. She had their latest platform ankle boots on special order since she saw them hit the runway. They were sleek and comfortable, which was very much her style right now.

Valentina stepped in front of her. “Listen to me. There is a woman who says awful things.”

“We know they’re just rumors,” Anya spoke up.

“No. We don’t,” Valentina shot her a look.

“What’s going on?” Karina asked, finally giving them her full attention.

“A woman in St. Petersburg is saying she is a mistress. To Vladimir,” Anya whispered.

“Tah,” Valentina spat. “She claims it’s been going on for years.”

“Years?!” Karina gasped. “I knew it,” she mumbled.

Her soft-spoken friend put an arm around her shoulder. “It’s okay, sometimes these things happen. It’s not uncommon. You still have your kids. He won’t leave you.” Anya tried to sound assuring but Karina didn’t need to be doted on. Her world was just turned upside down.

Karina stepped away from her friends, saying she would see them later. She felt like someone knocked the wind out of her. She thought it was all in her head. It was one thing to feel like your spouse was being unfaithful. It was another to have someone outside your marriage come to you with proof.

She slept in Anya’s room that night. She lied to herself and said that she wanted to spend some extra time with her daughter, but Anya’s room faced the front of the house. Karina had a perfect view of Vladimir’s car when the driver dropped him off at 3 am that morning. She tried to ignore her friends’ words and the piercing of her heart.

Clearly, Saba was interfering in the wrong timeline, Karina thought. She didn’t tell anyone else what she suspected. Valentina and Anya came to her unprompted.

Karina had a choice to make. She could lie and say that this news didn’t affect her, or she could confront Vladimir. The latter would force her to make decisions she never thought she would have to make. Decisions that could change her life and that of her children forever.

Karina, ever the one to put off hard conversations, distracted herself by arranging for the kids to spend the afternoon at the park the next day. Their laughter and joy kept her sane for the most part. Unfortunately, their dimpled smiles didn’t help her with the reality of her current situation.

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