He's Good at Being Bad

res came in

d-dripping water, somewhere

't save

p with sweat. Moonlight streamed in through the long

trembling hand

first time she'd

uldn't be

year

broken door to the laundry room, her knees scraped from being shoved d

ruised wrist tucked beneath her chin. Madame Cora h

ina had whispered. "

cold and final. "And you kno

ruler cracking against skin. Or the s

d left a heel of bread under Mari's pillow. It was mol

afterward, shiverin

n't sav

't done

like

d to the window. Below, the garden shimmered in the moonlig

ow beautifu

fa

fe. Fed. Clothed

wasn't

ifferent k

she was beginning

she found Elise wa

aid. "A political dinner. Small, ti

ow. "He's trusting me

u can hold your tongue. Tha

"Does he know I dream of

. "He probably dre

through the library, pretending to read.

lately. Not just the pain. The s

. That good people always tried. That

he

and velvet knives, goodness di

s of herself were armor-and wh

yea

hen she learned what it

and half the mattresses were wet with freezing water. When R

x your life," he said. "So

idn't

ed until

mattress-huddled close, tiny limbs tangled like knots-and

ething she would carry into ever

don't s

ve you

e, Reina felt like a st

slit high at the leg and backless. She stared at it

version of her, t

be her weakness

be her

Os, one known arms investor, and a former senator. Reina recognized

of the long glass table, speaking in l

his gaze flicked over

rov

ot wa

r wa

he first hour, listening. Names flew like currency. A

e finally t

t, Miss..." the s

r wine glass. "And I prefer l

is room, quiet women either have

n smoothly. "

ide bloomed

hed it i

ikolai led her to his office. He didn't spe

did w

t say an

act

Why do you bring me into these rooms?

id. "You're

. "What doe

they want to see. Innocence. Ambition. Submission. Fire. T

t's no

ed. "But that

exhausting, pretending

head. "Then st

"You want m

ou even know what t

ind - two

en, thin, eyes like regret. He was only

d asked, "Do you ever wonder if this is i

't answe

ruth was, she

ry

a palace dressed as a

ut on your throat, if your heart still wh

n the windowsill of her room,

f Mari, cold

who va

o said no on

lived i

il

she whispere

time in years, s

ache in her c

ot done