Page 112 of The Bratva Sinner

“My mom didn’t care if I even went to high school. She said it didn’t matter. My diploma isn’t even in my real name. I had to work and didn’t get the best grades. That wasn’t a priority. Itwas more surviving today and worrying about tomorrow when it came.” I look at my hands. “School was a thing I only did because I had to, until I didn’t have to anymore. After that, the horses were enough.”

“I think you’re really smart.”

I laugh. “Not really.”

“I’m just saying.” She sets the book aside again. “You pick things up fast. You’re observant. You read people well.” She gives me a look. “You figured out Cinder in about forty-eight hours.”

“That wasn’t hard.”

“It took me six months,” she says. “And I lived with her.”

I almost smile. “She’s obvious.”

“Have you ever thought about what you’d want to do? If things were different. If you had the option.”

“Not really.”

“Ah, but something.”

I have thought about it. Not with any hope that it would happen.

“Horses,” I say. “Something with horses.”

“Like what? Training? Breeding?”

“Veterinary.” The word comes out quieter than I intend. “Large animal. I always wanted to know more about what was happening with them. When one of Mr. Hadley’s mares got sick one summer, the vet came out, and I followed him around and asked a million questions. I’d love to know more.”

“Do it. Tell Maksim. He’s all about education. He would absolutely pay to send you. He paid for me until I started making real money and insisted on paying my way.”

“I can’t ask him to do that.”

“Girl, he’s your husband. You can and should.”

I consider that. I am his wife, and I can’t just laze around for the rest of my days.

“I’ll talk to him,” I say.

That evening, I smile when I hear Maksim’s voice.

He’s home. It’s becoming our thing. He comes home to have dinner with me before he heads to the club. I appreciate that he takes the time out of his busy schedule to be with me.

I sit across from him. One of the kitchen staff sets a plate in front of me. I’ve stopped being uncomfortable with that. It’s part of the way things work here. He has staff. I cook sometimes, but I don’t want to take a job from someone else.

“How’s Ember?” he asks.

I can’t stop the smile. “She’s amazing.”

Ember is the foal. The name came to me while I was cleaning out Willow’s stall. It fits, given what happened before her birth.

“Ava was here today,” I say.

“I know.”

Of course, he knows.

I push a piece of roasted potato around my plate and try to figure out how to say what I want to say. I’ve been practicing it in my head since this afternoon, but now I’ve lost my courage.

“I want to do something with horses.” I meet his eyes. “Large animal veterinary. I looked it up this afternoon. There’s a pre-vet program at the University of Miami. I could even take my gen ed classes at a community college to get my GPA up .”