“Some of the files are shared,” he snaps into the phone. “If someone hit me, they could’ve brushed Alexei too.”
That’sthe part that scares him. He’s terrified of the man, even if he acts all big and hard.
I sit on the couch with my kit open on the glass table. I cook the dose carefully, lost in my mechanical motions and trying to drown out the yelling. He woke us up way too fucking early for this shit.
Adriana curls up on the opposite end of the couch, knees to her chest, arms wrapped around herself with a blanket. She watches Nolan pace, then flicks her gaze to me. “He’s finally realizing,” she murmurs, so quietly it barely reaches me. “What it means to deal with men worse than him. To deal with men who scare you.”
I snort and lean back, the needle sliding in like it knows the way home. “Yeah,” I mutter. “Welcome to the food chain, motherfucker.” The warmth hits fast and heavy, and my breath leaves me in a sigh.
Nolan spins on me mid-rant, eyes wild. “Do you know who would do this?” he demands. “Who would be stupid enough to come after me?”
I open my mouth to answer, but the words drag, thick and slow, sticking to my tongue. I don’t even bother fixing it. “Lot’a people hate you,” I say. It comes out slurred and lazy.
Nolan stares at me. Then he throws his hands up. “Unbelievable,” he spits. “You’re goddamnuselesslike this.Fuckingjunkie.” He storms toward the door, rage vibrating off him. “I’ll be back later. We’re riding together to dinner. Get your shit together.Fuck.”The door slams so hard the walls tremble.
Silence settles in after him. Finally. My head lolls back against the couch. The TV flickers with some movie I’ve seen a hundred times.
Donnie Darko.
Damn. I love this movie.
Adriana sighs and stands, moving to the kitchen. She makes two vodka cranberries without asking and sets one gently on the coffee table in front of me.
“Thanks,” I mutter.
She doesn’t respond. She just stands there, her eyes lingering on the bruises along my jaw and my split lip. She doesn’t say anything. She hasn’t really, not since the night she broke down and told me everything and cried into my chest. I’ve kept my distance since. I don’t want her thinking I like her. I don’t.
Chapter twenty-one
JUDE GRAVES
Alexei’s estate looms ahead, and my emotions are pretty much nonexistent. I feel numb as I watch the dark trees blur past on either side of his long driveway. When we walk up the stone steps to the front door, we are greeted by warm light and soft music, as if it were just a normal evening.
“Ah,” Alexei says when we step inside, arms spreading wide. “Welcome.”
Erik stands silently at his side, eyes already locked on Adriana like she’s something on the menu for him to devour. I feel her stiffen beside me. Her fingers curl into my sleeve.
I turn my head just enough to meet Erik’s gaze.
Don’t.
The message lands. His mouth twitches, amused, but after a beat, he looks away.
Alexei notices everything. “Please,” he says lightly. “Sit. Eat. Let’s talk.”
The table is immaculate, set with delicate plates and crystal glasses. A young woman steps forward with the dishes, setting them down one by one. She’s beautiful in a fragile way—soft eyes, thin frame, shaking hands. Her throat is bruised with purple and yellow marks in the shape of fingers.
My jaw clenches so hard that my teeth are in danger of cracking. Adriana sees it too, her knee anxiously brushing mine under the table. We’ve lived in hell-adjacent worlds before, but not like this. Not where people are owned...soopenly.
Alexei gestures for us to begin. “Eat.”
Nolan does. Too eagerly, I might add.
“So,” Alexei says conversationally, cutting into his bloody steak. “There’s been some activity. Small incursions. Access attempts. Care to explain?”
Nolan swallows. “I—I believe it’s an enemy of mine. Or someone jealous of our partnership. Nothing to do with you, of course.”
Alexei hums, unimpressed.