“What?”
“You don’t know that story?” Rubi rubbed his hands together. “Padawan, let me fill you in.”
He did, while I drifted in a nugget coma, musing that I’d always known Decoy was an absolute lad. Then Rubi sobered a little. “Speaking of the Fruit Pickers, they extended their trip, butthey’ll be home in a few days. Which means Folk’s going to find out you nearly carked it, and he ain’t gonna be happy.”
“So don’t tell him.”
Rubi winced. “He was already pissed that Cam let the Russians have you,andthe Doherty thing Cam had to tell him about in the end when Liliana told Mats, and I don’t know if you know this, but Folk’s an actual sea dragon when he’s annoyed.”
Information overload did me in. I focused on the part that jumped out at me most. “Cam didn’t let anyone have me. I wanted to go.”
“I know that. Folk does too. But he cares about you, and that always skews how we see things.”
“Did you get that from a cracker joke?”
“Fuck you, dirtbag.” Rubi stood as Viktor slipped back into the room, addressing both of us. “And don’t forget to keep this place clean. Khaleesi is being nice because you almost died. Trust me, that won’t last if you don’t empty the bins.”
Viktor answered for me. “Friend, I just spent a week with Ivanov. I’ll be in my tidy era for a while.”
“Valid.” Rubi tipped a dry salute. Then he left and it felt different. As if the flat we’d been holed up in was finally empty.
“Are we alone?”
“Da.” Viktor ran a hand through his hair and regarded me as the sun began to set outside. Where he’d just been, the lucky fucker. “Your friends have left for the night.”
“Can we change the locks?”
Viktor stopped mauling his hair. “You are feeling better.”
A statement, not a question. And he was right. If I let myself, I’d sleep for the rest of eternity, but my stomach was chill and my eyeballs no longer felt too big for my head. Progress, right?
Viktor seemed to agree. He helped me up and kissed my cheek. “You would like a change of scenery?”
“Depends on the view.”
“Come with me.”
He led me to the living room that housed a couch almost as big and squishy as the one in his island home. The lights were off, only fading sunlight filtering through the blinds. Devon sunshine. Had I missed it?
I drifted to the window to be sure, but no answer came to me. I’d brought my nanna to this place cos on some level I’d always known I’d need the help of better men than me to take care of her. But that didn’t make it home, and Norfolk could get in the bin too.
Leeds, then. But when I thought of the city that had raised me, I found nothing until my thoughts meandered to that fancy-pants flat with its cluttered coffee table and banging sound system, where it’d rained the whole time I’d been there. Maybe it was time I accepted that to me,Viktorwas the fucking sun.
He slid his arms around my waist and kissed my bare shoulder. “Sit with me.”
On the couch.
I could do that.
With him, I could do anything. Even lie down when I was sick to fucking death of it.
I claimed the big spoon position and pressed my face between Vik’s shoulders. It was how we’d slept most often on the island and I loved it. How he felt in my arms. Awake, asleep, whatever, it was so fucking perfect that a genuine happy sigh escaped me.
Viktor laughed. “For a grumpy person, you are easily pleased.”
“Who says I’m grumpy?”
“Every soul who has come through that door.”
