“I’ll miss you.” She says, her voice a little wobbly and I don’t have to look at her to know she’s crying.
“Don’t pretend you won’t be here every other night for sleepovers Ali.” I say through my own tears that have started.
“As long as he isn’t here, you let me know and I’ll be right over babe.”
What started as Lev and Alina arguing all the time has turned into them not being able to be in the same room as each other without immediately being at each other’s throats in the worst way possible. It’s like they are drawn together, they can’t stop whatever force is between them and instead of just admitting they want each other because it’s extremely obvious that they still do, they just use the connection to rile each other up. Is it toxic as hell? Absolutely. Do I still want them to be able to work things out and eventually end up together? Yes. More than anything.
“Yes, I know. Don’t worry, none of us want to force you two to be in the same room as each other if we can help it. When I know he won’t be here, I’ll let you know.”
“My little Willow is all grown up.” She mocks, hugging me closer.
“Shut up.” I laugh, resting my head on her shoulder.
“How did we end up here?” She ponders. I know she isn’t actually asking me the question but just thinking out loud over everything that’s happened since we met Dragna and Lev.
“I don’t know… but even though we went through hell, I’m happy it led to now.”
It’s the truth. If I had to go through everything all over again to mean ending up with Dragna and it leading to where I am right in this moment, I would do it. What that says about me I have no idea, but it’s true.
“I’m happy you’re happy Wills. You have no idea how much you deserve this.”
“Thank you girl. You deserve your happy ending too you know.” I reply to her, giving her a squeeze.
“Hmm, I don’t know about that. Maybe I’m destined to just float around this life. Maybe it’s some karmic debt I’m having to pay for from a previous life.” She huffs out a laugh.
“I love you Alina, but if you truly believe that or say anything like that again about yourself, I will punch you in the face to knock some sense into you.”
She swallows thickly at my words then rests her head on top of mine, squeezing me back.
“Thank you for everything Willow. For the most fun years ever being my roommate, and you know that if you ever need to come back, I’ll always have you, the apartment will always be your home too.”
“I know, and you know that if you do want to live here with us, you can. The offer is always on the table. You’d have your own freaking wing of the house… Are you sure you don’t want to move in right now?” I ask her again, hoping she’ll somehow change her mind when I hear footsteps getting closer and closer to us.
I lift my head up and look behind me to find Lev leaning in the doorway watching us, or actually, watching Alina. She turns around to look at him and I swear I can feel the heat radiate off her from the anger that immediately engulfs her body when she sees him. She looks him up and down as he smirks at her and winks before walking away.
“Yeah see that? That’s why I’m saying no. I’d kill him Willow. I would literally fucking kill him!” She all but shouts as she points a finger in the direction of the door.
“Okay, calm down!” I stand and drag her up with me.
“Come on, we’ll go get the girls from inside and head over to the apartment to have one last movie night while we leave the boys to bring all this in.” I say as I pull her towards her the frontdoor to find Mia and Gigi. I take my phone out to text Dragna and let him know I’m letting him deal with all the heavy lifting while I have one more girlie day in the apartment with my best friends.
“That is the best idea you have had all day Wills.” She replies and we both giggle like the two little girls we once were.
Chapter Sixty Five
Dragna
I’m waiting outside the bookstore for Willow to finish work. My phone rings and I see Marco’s name. I debate whether to answer now or call him back later but decide it’s better to just see what he wants now rather than disrupt the night I have planned for Willow.
“Yes.” I answer, already fed up before he’s even uttered a word.
“I have good news and bad news.”
“Don’t delay Marco, spit it out.”
“We found Tommy.”
Three words.
