Page 52

I’m capable of enduring pain. What I am incapable of is love. I’m not in love.

I don’t love Elara.

“It isn’t.” I whisper. Two pairs of eyes snap to me. “I-I…” I look confused. Hell, I sound confused when I confess, “I don’t love Elara.”

Alec presses his lips into a thin line, as though disagreeing with me but then he nods. “Fair enough.” He shrugs. “Leave her with me once you’re done.”

Then, the motherfucker winks.

I’m on him before my brain catches up. One second I’m sitting on the sofa. The next, I’ve got a fistful of his collar and my knuckles crack against his jaw.

I hit him again for good measure. “Stay away from her, you hear me?” I rear back another punch. “You hear me?”

Alec groans, spitting blood onto the floor. Then, unbelievably, he grins.

“Well…” He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Looks like love to me.” He glances at Roman. “What do you reckon, Ro?”

Okay, I walked right into it. “I don’t love her, you’re—”

“What? Breaking some bro code?” He wheezes bending forward to spit some more blood. “You punched me in the face, motherfucker.”

“You deserved it.”

“For flirting with a woman you don’t love?”

“I thought I made it perfectly fucking clear she’s off- limits.” I shove myself off the sofa and stalk to the fridge, yanking it open.

“Okay, someone needs to say it.” Alec declares. “She’s not good for you. You need to let her go.”

I ignore him, grabbing an ice pack before slamming the fridge shut harder than necessary.

“I suggest you stop talking.” My grip tightens around the ice pack.

“You’ve been a shell of human, worse than when you were when your father—”

“Aleksandr.” Roman growls.

“What?” Alec snaps. “Sergei, the next time you’re tipping over a bridge. I’m not coming to save you.” He pushes himself to his feet.

Before he can take a step, I grab his shoulder and force him back onto the sofa.

“Sit down.” I shove the ice pack into his hands and drop into the empty seat beside him.

Peace lasts all of ten seconds before Roman leans over and pokes Alec in the ribs. Alec swats his hand away but Roman does it again.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Alec lunges for him, grabbing a fistful of his shirt while Roman retaliates by tangling his hand in Alec’s hair.

“Cut it out.” I yell without looking up, tapping a few keys on my phone.

They both pause mid-scuffle to look at me. Roman’s fist still buried in Alec’s hair while Alec has Roman by the collar, halfway to hauling him off the sofa.

“You’re no fun.” Roman complains.

“We have very different definitions of fun.”

He considers that for a second before his eyes light up with what can only be described as a terrible idea.

“Do you think my dad will be pissed if I showed up to his party in a Ghostface mask, going full Scream on everyone?”