“Did I tell you about the plane?” she hoarsely asks.
“I’m glad you didn’t get on it.”
A tear drips down her cheek.
“Hadrian said you killed a spider.”
Isolde’s brow dips.
“What does that mean?” The words all but beg her to tell me.
“I killed a spider,” she hums. In a second, I’ll go and get her some water. For now I’m worried about the wonder in her voice. She’s killed men before, but a tear spills down her face like she’s coming to some momentous realization.
Two minutes later, she’s drifted back to sleep, her cheeks wet.
I extract myself from the bed, pulling on more clothes before I exit the room.
The doctor is holding a pot of coffee. “I took the liberty.” He offers me a cup before taking the opportunity to go check on Isolde.
The morning sun catches me off guard. Despite the hour, I know I can expect Ben to pick up the phone.
“Hey,” he says, sounding like he’s guzzling coffee. “The Akatovs called. We know something happened.”
“I need to talk to Dimitri. Today.” I don’t have contact information for the Bratva's quiet strategist, so I need the help.
“Dimitri? Why him?”
“Can you set it up for me?”
“There’s no guarantees it will be today,” he warns.
“It will be today.”
“Trevino? What’s going on?”
“Get me a meeting today.” I hang up before he can ask any other questions.
The doctor leaves Isolde’s bedside.
“Is she all right?” My fingers curl around the handle of my coffee mug. Her tears fucked me up a lot more than I want to admit.
It doesn’t help when in the most banal manner the man says, “Her mind and body have gone through trauma.”
He goes back to his coffee and newspaper. I can’t fucking imagine how much Hadrian is paying this guy.
I scratch at my throat, the idea of calling my dad drifting through my mind. It’s stupid wanting to call another adult. Wanting someone who knows how to take care of a sickly patient. Who knows what to do.
My phone lights up.
Ben: Dimitri is booked. I can offer you Boris (Lennie and Ads are freaking the fuck out after Luis ran after Isolde).
Tristan: Call Dimitri back and tell him Hadrian Hallow is involved
Ben: Its only fifty/fifty that will work. He hates the little shit.
I guess I always figured I’d get along with Dimitri more than anyone else in the Bratva.
I’m at Isolde’s bedside when he texts me again with a time slot.
