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“And since you still have feelings for him…”
“Basile, don’t you start too! Is this all an elaborate plan you guys dreamed up?”
“No, we just know what’s good for you.” He smiles like the little shit he is. “Well, I’m going to go see him for a minute. Will you wait for me here? Or maybe you’d prefer to come with me so you can spend a little more time with him?”
Jerk.
“Very funny… I’ll pass. I’m going home—I’m exhausted.”
I gather my things and throw my infuriating brother one last glance. His eyes are fixed on a spot somewhere behind me, his features suddenly tense. I don’t even need to turn around; I know the moment I hear Vadim’s deep voice.
“Alma, Basile, how is your… friend?” he blurts out as he comes and stands beside me, jaw-droppingly handsome in his designer suit.
Am I dreaming?
He came back from London… for me?
“Alma, what the hell is he doing here?”
“Ah, the Lancaster brother. Charming as always…” Vadim says.
As the two men size each other up, their eyes don’t meet—they collide. The tension becomes unbearable, mixing with the stench of rubbing alcohol and stale coffee that fills the room.
“You’re always showing up in places you aren’t invited to, Arcadi. Or should I say King? Did you change your name to run from the law again?”
“No, but we can go discuss it outside, if it’s bothering you…”
“Grow up, both of you! Your days of teenage brawls are over!”
My brother stares at me, dumbfounded. “Alma, don’t tell me you’re back with this guy?!”
Basile waits for an answer. Vadim does, too.
The problem is, I’m too drained to find the right words. Or even to just tell them both to beat it. All these emotions have taken their toll on me. So, I stay silent, avoiding their dagger-like glares.
I wait for one of them to give in, hoping it will be my brother who leaves. No such luck. When I finally raise my head to look at him, Vadim is already gone.
I want nothing more than to go home, but Raphaël’s family keeps me there for another hour or so before finally letting me slip away. It’s already dark by the time I finally manage to park on the street down from my building. All I want to do is get out of my clothes, which reek of the hospital, take a long, relaxing shower, and collapse in front of the TV—all in all, a pretty fabulous plan for the evening.
What I hadn’t counted on was the black sedan double-parked outside my building.
20
Alma
Just before I reach the entrance, I hear a car door close. When I glance over, I can make out the shape of Vadim striding toward me.
“You really are everywhere…”
I mutter this under my breath, but he answers in a clear, steady voice.
“Do you want me to leave, Alma?”
Vadim stops a few feet away and stares at me without blinking. His good looks catch me off guard. Then, I look more closely at the car he just got out of and notice a brunette sitting in the passenger seat.
“No.”
“No?”
