“Maybe that was the original plan,” Lucca says, jaw tight.
“Aleks says he has people he trusts in his family’s Bratva. He’s going to try to get someone to talk and see what they know. He suggested I call my brothers.”
I won’t mention what I discovered on Aleksandr’s phone. That’s no one’s business but his. While some syndicates have shed their irrational hatred of gay members, the Russian Bratvas have not. His father is very likely to kill him - in some horrible way - as a lesson to his people if Aleks is found out. I’ll give him his phone back today with his sweatshirt and a vow to take his secret to the grave.
“This is good,” Lucca says, running his fingers through his hair. “At least he’s on our side. He doesn’t want this union either, then?”
“No, he does not,” I said, maybe a little too emphatically. He looks at me oddly, but doesn’t question me.
“Why don’t I bring breakfast up to you,piccolo bacio?”he offers, kissing my hand.
“You’re spoiling me!” I protest, laughing. “I have to go back to class today.”
“All the more reason to save your strength and have breakfast here,” he counters, and I relax against him gratefully.
Lucca…
After walking Tatiana to her first class, I spot Mateo glaring at me from across the grass commons. He’s looked like shit ever since the Dean’s “disciplinary action.” I’m still not ruling out killing him this summer once I’m off the Academy grounds. The ‘eye for an eye’ law here is too solid and I’m not going to risk getting killed in retaliation and leaving Tatiana alone.
“You have a problem,pezzo di merda, you piece of shit?”
He sneers, turning away and heading into the gym.
He’s been lurking around more, and it’s concerning. Since having his hand cut off, he’d done everything he could to stay on the opposite side of the campus from us. He’s a problem that I’m going to take care of, sooner than later.
Two weeks later…
Mateo’s bizarre behavior starts making sense with a text to Aleksandr’s phone.
I know about you, you sick fuck. I’m going to tell everybody.
Aleks burst into the suite, face pale.
“What is it? Are you okay?” Tatiana hurried over to him, putting a hand on his arm.
Don’t be an asshole,I thought, wanting to punch him,she’s already chosen you.
Wordlessly, he showed her the text. “Oh, no.” She shook her head, “No, no no no no! Not him! How could he have possibly found out?”
“I don’t know,” he said, voice tight with dread, “but I have to stop him.”
“We’ll help,” I said instantly. I still don’t like their friendship, but he’s accepted my relationship with Tati and I owe him. “What does he think he knows?”
They exchange a long look. “You can tell him. Lucca is trustworthy.”
Aleks pushes his hair back with a shaking hand. “I’m gay. I don’t know how he could have found out, I’ve been so careful, I-Fuck!”he shouted.
“Okay?” I shrug until I realize who I’m talking to. The next in line for the throne asPakhancannot be gay. “That fucker. We’ll figure this out. Let me get you a drink. You need it.”
Tatiana’s already pulling out her laptop. “He obviously has a way to communicate illegally with somebody.”
“Don’t be judgmental,” I said, “so do we.”
Ignoring me, she does something complicated that involves moving in and out of multiple tabs on her computer. “I miss my triple monitors…” she murmured. “Given the likelihood that he bought the phone off Mark Tanner,” she says, “I’m going to track backward from his WIFI splitter and see…”
Watching her work is fascinating, her slender fingers flying over the keyboard, following strings of code. Heaving a sigh, she looks up at us. “It’s going to take a while. It would be faster if you text him, telling him you’ll pay him. Do not specify about what! We don’t need any admissions, all right?”
“I’m just going to fucking kill him,” Aleks said.
