My father leans down, glaring at me. “I hope you’ll think twice about blowing off your responsibilities from now on, Dimitri.” He spits on the ground beside me and then slowly walks away.
Even as pain wracks my body, I know I wouldn’t change a thing. I won’t hesitate if Savina needs me. She comes above all else in my world, and nothing is going to stop me from keeping her safe. Fuck everything and everyone else.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Savina
IT’S MONDAY MORNING,and I’m standing at my locker when Darby comes running up to me. “Hey, so what happened at the party? You didn’t have a good time or what? You never texted me.”
“Dimitri p-pushed me in the p-p-pool, and everyone s-saw it,” I explain to her with a groan.
Her eyes widen, but then she quickly schools her features. “Oh, so you went for an unwanted swim. So what? It’s not the end of the world.”
“Yes, it is!” I exclaim. “Corbin d-d-didn’t even text me the r-rest of the weekend. He was probably m-m-mad that I bailed on his p-p-party.”
“Well, it’s not like you could have stayed after that,” she mutters.
“Exactly.”
“So, what was the ride home with Dimitri like?” she asks, waggling her brows.
I roll my eyes at her. “W-what is your obsession w-w-with him?”
“I’m not obsessed,” she scoffs. “I’m living vicariously through you. You have a hot, broody Romanian mafia type guy who is totally in love with you and —.”
I hold my hand up. “He isnotin l-l-love with m-me.”
“Oh-kay, Savina,” she drawls out, likeI’mthe one who’s insane in this scenario.
“Besides, nothing happened. Dimitri t-t-took me home, and that’s it. I mean, it was the l-least he could do after t-t-totally embarrassing me,” I grumble.
“Damn,” she says, disappointment dripping from her tone.
“S-s-sorry that my real life d-d-doesn’t live up to the s-stories you’ve been reading,” I tell her, pointing to a mafia romance book resting on top of her folder.
“Book boyfriends are so much better,” she remarks under her breath with a heavy sigh.
The bell rings, and I grab my things and walk out of the library. I’m halfway to the cafeteria when I round the corner and bump into someone. My books go flying to the floor, and I mutter asorryas I scramble to pick them up. When I see the black combat boots step into view, my heart skips a beat. My eyes slowly climb upwards, taking in his unruly uniform…and then his black eye. Oh my god.
Standing quickly, I instinctively reach towards him. “What h-h-happened t-to you?” I question with concern.
Dimitri steps away before I can touch him. “Nothing,privighetoare mica,” he mutters before handing me the books he collected from the floor. He grimaces as he moves, and I wonder if the black eye isn’t the only problem he has right now.
I think back to the other night when he said his father was calling him on the way to my house. I wonder if his father gave him the black eye. Dimitri must have gotten into trouble for pissing off his dad and going to the party. I just wish I knew why he felt the need to do that. Dimitri told me he wasn’t even invited, so I have to wonder if he went because of me.
“Dimitri, I…” my voice trails off. I really don’t know what to say to him. It’s been so hot and cold with us lately, and it’s, quite frankly, giving me whiplash. He’s a walking, talking mood ring, and I never know which mood I’m going to be experiencing next. I want to know why he acts the way he does with me, but I’m also afraid of his answer. Does he truly just hate me that much, or is it something more, something deeper?
But before I can say anything else, I hear someone call my name. I look up and see Corbin waving at me from the end of the hall. My heart definitely doesn’t skip a beat like it normally does when I see Dimitri, but I push that thought to the back of my mind.
“We’ll t-t-talk later?” I ask Dimitri.
He gives me a slow nod before glaring in the direction of Corbin. Then, his icy blue eyes turn to me, and I swear it’s like he’s looking right through me.
Okay, so we’re back tothisagain.
Dimitri turns on his heel and walks away, and I don’t even try to stop him. I’m determined to talk to him later and try to figure some things out. I desperately want to know what is actually going on between us.
I hurry down the hall, and Corbin puts his arm around me. “Sorry I didn’t call you over the weekend. My parents found out about the party and grounded my ass. No electronics for a week.”
