But I don’t really need him to say much. I realize that I just need the catharsis of speaking out loud.
“She was my only real female friend, you know,” I continue. “I was home-schooled and Papa didn’t exactly encourage me to get out and meet new people. Tamara visited a lot. She was the only one that was pre-approved and that was because she was also my cousin.”
“It wasn’t so much when I was younger,” I say. “I had Cesar.”
I lift my eyes to Artem’s. He looks relaxed, but I can see the whites of his knuckles, the way his eyes grow still and tense as he looks at me.
“You still haven’t told me… how it happened,” I whisper, feeling a lump rise in my throat.
“I will tell you,” Artem says seriously. “But not today.”
“Because it’s not the right time.”
“That’s a cop out,” I accuse.
He sigh
