Bile rises in my throat at the thought of my angel with this monster. It can’t happen. She cannot be near this demon.
Me: Me too!
Her response cracks my heart. She has no idea. She’s excited to go on a date with a man, but she doesn’t realize it can’t be this one.
Chris Davis: I’ll be thinking of you until then
The fuck he will. This conversation is over. I block his number from her phone so he can’t contact her. But even that doesn’t settle me.Because he knows where she lives.
The thought of this man showing up at her house has me upping all security measures. I raise the volume ofnotifications when someone enters her house. Not knowing if he or anyone else approaches her house is not an option.
However, not having the same measures on my own home, I’m caught off guard when there’s a knock at my door. Not expecting anyone and not used to having visitors, I rush downstairs.
What if it’s Lizzy?
I push the absurd wish from my mind, yet there’s still disappointment in my chest when I check the peephole, and it’s not her.
But the sight of my brother and sister-in-law on my front step lifts my spirits. They’ve never come by before, but they don’t look distressed, so this must be a friendly visit.
I open the door with a smile on my face. Katerina stands closest with Dom and a man I vaguely recognize as Katerina’s guard behind her.
“What are you guys doing here?” I try to mask my confusion, but my voice comes out cautious. It’s not that I don’t want them here, it’s just that my house is very close to Lizzy, and anything Syndicate-related this close to her makes me uneasy.
“We wanted to stop by and discuss some things,” Katerina says with a smile.
“About the Syndicate?” My heart speeds up at the prospect of Syndicate affairs here. I keep that part of my life separate. I don’t bring that kind of work home.
“Mmmm,” Katerina noises noncommittedly.
I look around the street, making sure none of my neighbors are out. I fit in over here, but these three in their all-black getups don’t. They scream of nefarious deeds.
“Well, come on up to my office.” I rush them inside and quickly lead them up the stairs, grateful they’re located near the entrance. There’s no risk of them seeing the framedpictures of Lizzy in my den, nor the notes from her hung in the dining room.
They take in my office, and I try to see it from their perspective. The Legos and puzzles that mean so much to me must look incredibly dorky. But they don’t mention it. In fact, they don’t even seem surprised, which I’m undecided on whether that insults me.
“What can I help you with?” I maintain a cheerful voice despite the discomfort crawling up my throat. I don’t like having them here.
“Bash, we wanted to introduce you to my guard and best friend, Nikolai.” Katerina steps aside as she introduces him.
I’m used to being the smartest person in the room. It’s rare for me to not understand a situation. But at the moment, I am truly stumped. What is going on?
“Hi, Nikolai.” I offer my hand, which he accepts, and we shake briefly. The man doesn’t say anything though and won’t maintain eye contact.
“I’m sorry to be rude, but what can I do for you?” I rub the back of my neck as I ask.
“Nik is gay,” Katerina boasts. Nikolai reddens at the announcement but sends me a smile.
“That’s… nice?” How do I respond to such a statement? Why is Katerina calling out her best friend like this? He seems so uncomfortable.
“And he’s single. We love and accept him just as he is.” Katerina looks at me with urging eyes.
“Bash, we wanted to tell you it’s okay to be who you are. The Syndicate doesn’t care about sexuality. They thought introducing you to me would help you realize this. You should go out and meet someone.” Nik’s confession leaves me speechless.
My eyes widen and I let out a choked sound. What on Earth? I look at my oldest brother, but he just sends me a supportive smile.
Oh my God.
My brother thinks I’m gay! I look around the room. No, my whole family thinks I’m gay. How did this happen?
