Page 28 of Barinov

Callum has officially taken over residence in Cade’s leather chair. August won’t shut the fuck up unless someone threatens him. And Rez keeps leaning against the wall, watching everything with that lethal glare that makes people nervous.

Mine and Cade’s parents are here too. Which isn’t helping.

Way too many opinions cramped in one apartment.

Every chair is occupied. The counters are lined with weapons, laptops, half-empty coffee mugs, takeout boxes, and the ghosts of all the arguments that have never fully ended. Someone is always pacing. One of the girls is usually crying. And there’s always someone—August—muttering something under their breath.

Though, it should be noted that I haven’t fought with Tex in like forty-eight hours or some shit. So, a new record.

“Okay!” I slam my palms down on the table, rattling the glasses. “Everyone just fucking shut up for a second.”

I stand, heat crawling up my spine.

“Look,” I grit through my teeth. “We all want the same thing. Bella back and Luca six feet under.”

A few heads nod.

“But to get her back, I’m going to need all of you,” I admit. “I’ll need some of you with me and Cade when we do these damn trials.”

Laing huffs a laugh. “Last I checked,” the smug bastard says. He leans back with his shirt unbuttoned so the stupid dragon is on full display. “You don’t have the RST Black Book, Barinov. Therefore, I don’t work for you.”

“Last I checked,” I fire right back, not even raising my voice. “I wasn’t fucking asking.”

He stiffens in his seat.

“Laing,” Sabine cuts in before he can lunge for my jugular. She calmly clicks her long blood-red nails on the table. “You can posture if you want.”

Click. Click. Click.

“But we all know how this ends, chéri.”

Laing scoffs. “Do we now?”

Click. Click. Click.

“You care,” Sabine says simply.

Laing’s jaw tightens. “Don’t.”

“Go ahead and lie to yourself all you want,” she continues.

Click. Click. Click.

“But you can’t fool me, honey. I know you wouldn’t have pulled her back after her father’s death if you didn’t truly care for that girl.”

His laugh is harsher this time and defensive as hell. “You don’t know a damn thing about me, Sabine.”

“I know you’ll show up.” Sabine clicks her tongue and tilts her head. “For her.”

Laing shuts his trap.

“Lex doesn’t have your Black Books,” Nate says as he steps forward to face them all. “But I do.”

Every head jerks toward him.

“And if you help us get Bella back,” he continues, his deep voice unwavering. “I’ll give them back. Every single one.”

“What?” Tex roars. “Nate, you can’t just do—”