Damn him!
But really, damn me for wanting him.
I sighed and rubbed my eyes. “We didn’t fight. I was just really sad about Fallon.”
“Fuck that Russian dick canoe.” Levin snarled, his body tensing. “Wait until I get my fucking hands on him, bumblebee. Stella told us he’s back with the lords. It’s creating a whole host of new problems.”
“What are those?” I asked, the nausea snaking through my guts. I put the muffin down, my appetite gone.
“He knows Stella is doing Dom’s bidding. He also knows we’re in league with the horsemen. If he decides to be a fucking turncoat, which wouldn’t surprise me, he could really fuck us here. Ivanov thinks we’re on the run from the horsemen. It’s making him sloppy. His sloppiness is working in our favor because we’re creeping over the boundaries for his territory. He’s just too stupid and cocky to realize it. If Fallon talks, everything could crumble. Shit with Matteo could even get worse because Fallon even knows about the gun deal Dom got with Vander Veer. He knows too much. That’s a problem in our world.”
I swallowed hard. “So what are you going to do?”
“I honestly don’t know. We’ve been discussing it. Dom isn’t set on killing him, probably because he knows it’ll hurt you. Same with Vin.”
“And you?”
“I have no problem doing it if it’ll save you. You’re my priority, not that Russian cunt slab.”
“I’m hoping he’s just playing along and will come back. You know, some weird way to prove himself like Dom wanted.” The words sounded ridiculous as I said them, but I had to believe in something. I couldn’t bear the thought of Fallon really being gone after everything we’d been through.
If he’d been acting, he deserved an Oscar for it.
“Do you think he’ll come back to us?” I asked softly.
“I honestly don’t know. I know I’ll be sad if I do have to kill him. But I’ll kill him just the same. So know that right now. If it comes down to you or him, he’s going out. If he goes down and you hate me, I’ll be OK with that because I’ll know you’re safe. I’ll know the kings are safe.”
“He won’t,” I whispered. “I trust him.”
“He’s fucking other girls. Stella told us.”
His words were a knife through my heart.
I nodded slightly, my eyes prickling with tears.
“You’re too sweet, bumblebee. I love that you are, but I hate that it’s going to get your heart shattered even more than it already is.” He gathered me into his arms and hugged me. When he released me, he reached over and picked my muffin up and handed it to me. “Eat. Please. You’re wasting away on us. Too much stress isn’t good on anyone. When you’re done, we can finish that book, or I can teach you how to play poker.”
“Poker?” I bit into the muffin, my appetite still gone.
“It’ll keep your mind busy. Plus, I’ll laugh my ass off if you can beat Dom and Vin. It’ll be great for both of us.”
I smiled at him, grateful I’d gotten him back. His hard exterior had fallen away the moment I’d held him again.
I prayed Fallon would be the same, and that the things we’d heard were just rumors.
* * *
Dominic didn’t say a word to me about us having sex. He remained quiet and withdrawn. I didn’t push it or go to him. I wasn’t even sure how. Things weren’t great with us right now and maybe we just needed a little more time to fix it.
“How are classes?” he asked as he walked beside me after classes the Monday after we’d slept together.
“Fine. How is… stuff with you?”
“Could be better. Dealing with the fallout of the F-Word. Worried about how that might affect Stella.”
“Screw her,” I muttered, the hurt of what she’d probably done with Fallon tearing into my heart.
“She did what she had to do. She’s on our side. We look out for ours.”