Page 33

“Sure,” I allow.

“Then you don’t know what happens when you follow your heart.”

I nudge her playfully. “You would like him. He’s cheesy too.”

We laugh as though it’s no big deal, but we both know that there’s a shred of truth in it.

I return to my phone. He’s sent me another text.

Nikolai: You know what really gets me about you, Serena? You don’t want saving.

Serena: You said that didn’t work out too well for you last time.

Nikolai: When we had what felt like a fight, but then you showed up the next day, smoking, beautiful, tempting me in all kinds of ways.

Serena: Don’t change the subject.

Nikolai: Which is it? Do you want time, or do you want to know everything about me?

Serena: Maybe something in the middle. Or maybe I’m just sleep deprived. I don’t know. Zoe’s been asking about you, and Rosa is giving me these secret little looks. Part of me thinks maybe I should just let myself go.

Nikolai: On a date with me, you mean?

Serena: Something casual. Lunch tomorrow? I don’t want it to be a big deal. I know I’m being awkward.

Nikolai: You don’t need to explain any damn thing. I know some sick bastard probably hurt you, and maybe I’m a jackass for putting it out there like that. But it’s true. If you need to take things slow, I can do that.

Serena: Lunch, then.

A few minutes later, I text him on the Iris phone.

Iris: What if doing the right thing means doing the wrong thing?

He texts back.

X: I’ve never been good at riddles, Iris. But in this world, sometimes the choices are bad and worse. You just have to do your best.

CHAPTER 14

NIKOLAI

Ilean against my car outside Serena’s house. It’s a squat two-bedroom in an okay part of town, the paint faded and chipped in places, the railing on the gate rusted. These are little things, stuff a guy could worry about. Am I seriously playing homemaker already?

Serena opens the door, looking drop-dead gorgeous in tight black jeans and a gray fitted top. Her hair is down, but straighter than usual, and she’s wearing less makeup than she does at the club. She looks natural and beautiful.

I pull her in for a kiss. She smiles and hugs me, then takes a step back. “So?”

“There’s a park, a place to get coffee,” I say. I’ve got an idea for there, too. A way to settle this without crossing any lines. “Shall we?”

She puts her hand on my chest, her touch burning through my shirt. She raises an eyebrow, bright and vivacious, but in a real way, not the Vanta mask she wore in the beginning. “Just so you know, this is a date, date. Not a night where I lose my mind and throw myself at you, got it?”

I smirk and take her hand, then lean down and kiss it gently. “I was trying to be chivalrous. But there was no damn way I was turning you down.”

In the car, she hums softly, looking out the window. I try to focus on the road and not the tightness of her jeans gripping her legs. Or how silky and beautiful her hair is. She even smells good. I’m losing my sanity here.

“How’s the car?” I ask.

She shifts awkwardly. “Good. I’m looking at getting a new one, actually.”