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“Why?”
“Because I need you safe.” Not just wanted, needed. I needed to know there was someone with her who would take a bullet for her. Who would intercept other avenues of attack. Who would keep people from taking her if it came down to that. She’d disappeared on me once, and those agonizing days between when she’d disappeared and I found her in the middle of Vandals business were permanently imprinted on me.
I didn’t know whether Adam was dead or alive, and there was my kotyonok surrounded by criminals, up to her neck, in a messy business that was closing its noose around them.
Then, King took an interest in Emersyn. My world had narrowed and then narrowed further still.
She was tied to far too many in King’s orbit.
“Need me safe from what?” Again, absolute patience filled her voice. I didn’t want to answer and maybe that was reflected in my expression because she leaned forward. “Ezra, I haven’t rejected his presence. I’ve allowed him to escort me. I’ve endured his attention and hovering, and even Milo agrees with the idea.”
“He does?” I frowned. What did he know that I didn’t?
“Don’t let it go to your head.” She picked what might be imaginary lint off her skirt, then uncrossed her legs to shift her position. “I understand wanting to offer protection. I’ve protected Emersyn for most of our lives, remember?”
Yes, I was very well aware. How often did that put her in the sights of madmen like fucking Sharpe and now King? No, I was too goddamn aware. Her relationship with Hardigan didn’t improve the situation at all. Those were the threats we knew about.
“Don’t just make decisions for me.” She picked up the water glass. “Involve me in my own safety. I don’t typically make foolish decisions.”
“I don’t know that I can agree with that assessment.”
“Really?” Cool didn’t entirely cover her tone. “When you took me to the island, you just put me on a plane but didn’t tell me where we were going.”
“And you were furious…”
“Until you said you needed to put me out of reach for a time so I wasn’t leveraged against Adam or you… or Em.”
It was the only way to keep her from getting any angrier. “I remember.” The fight had gone out of her when I told her. She’d sagged onto the sofa on the plane and asked me a single question.
“So I’ll ask you now what I asked you then.”
I really wished she wouldn’t.
“How bad?”
Maybe I shouldn’t have opened us to this argument. “That isn’t exactly what I wanted to discuss with you.”
“No? You’re avoiding what you want to ask me though, so while we’re both here and you’re not drunk—” She paused and eyed me.
“No,” I agreed with her. “I’m not drunk. Not that I’m not wishing this water was whiskey.” I drained the glass and then rose to get the bottle for a refill.
“Then talk to me,” she continued. “Tell me what’s going on that has you all up in knots and picking fights with Adam.”
“I wasn’t picking a fight with him.” Frankly, I hadn’t wanted to have that discussion with him at all. He had no idea about Lainey and me, or he hadn’t until the night of the gala. Now? “He isn’t speaking to me.”
“Well, you made a bit of a mess. We both did.”
We— I pivoted to stare at her. “We?”
“Yes, we. You weren’t alone in the living room or on the island. Don’t be an ass.” The corner of her mouth quirked upward. “Again.”
I glanced at the bottle and then unscrewed the top. “Iwasan ass.”
“I know.”
A hint of amusement intertwined with resignation where she could have cheerfully crowed at me. “Kotyonok…why did you tell the—” I bit back the description and even if it gritted between my teeth, I used his name. “Why did you tell Milo?”
“Because he deserved the truth,” she said, meeting my gaze as I returned to the chair and refilled her water before setting the bottle between us. “He didn’t deserve to have you pick a fight with him, cutting at him with a comment.”
