Tristan’s thumb resumed its circles on my shoulder blade, and then it hit me—Tristan could call his own people. His brother Cedric would drive down in a heartbeat, if he asked.
Tristan was staying because I was staying.
My chest squeezed. Nobody had ever—not once in my entire fucking life—chosen to suffer with me when they had a way out.
“I’m not calling.”
I guess I wasn’t done letting people suffer from my fuckups after all. I closed my eyes and tried not to think about how many ways this could go wrong.
40
ALEKSANDR
My phone buzzedas Dmitri and I watched one of his men beat the shit out of someone who’d tried to encroach on the Pakhan’s territory.
I ignored it.
It buzzed again, and then a third time.
Dmitri raised a blond eyebrow. “Expecting a call?”
“No.” I checked the phone, and fuck, it was Eva.
My heart stopped. She’d never be calling this late unless?—
“Take it,” Dmitri said quietly, nudging me with his shoulder and a sly smile. “I like seeing that expression on your face when you think about her.”
“Fuck you,” I said without heat as I stepped away. “Baby girl?”
“Alek?” Her voice was breathless and scared. “We were at a party, and Cole came late and he got in a fight, and the cops came and he and Tristan got arrested.”
I could barely follow her, she was speaking so fast. “Eva, where are you? Are you safe?”
“I’m—I’m—I’m?—”
“Where are you? I’m coming to get you.”
“I’m safe,” she finally said. “In Rami’s car, parked down the block. Once the cops came, the team hustled me out.”
As they should have. Pride expanded in my chest. These young men weregoodmen, the kind of men I wanted to be.
“Sorry,” she muttered, sounding sheepish. “I shouldn’t have called you. Rami’s bringing me to the station. We’re going to try and get them out. I just panicked.”
“Stop,” I said firmly. “Take a deep breath.”
She inhaled.
“Now let it out.”
She exhaled.
“Again.”
She inhaled.
“Now let it out.”
She exhaled.
