Page 28 of Facing the Music

A sigh falls from my lips as I settle in my chair, content with my last conversation with her. There was more I wanted to say and during every shower since, I’ve reconstructed what I should have said or how I should have delivered it. Regardless, Ada knows where I stand, that family is more than blood and I don’t need her love to be happy.

I never watched the trial or listened to any of the news despite the numerous texts from the twins and other classmates wanting information. I all but turned my phone off when it kept vibrating every few seconds because I’ll have to face all of that chaos again when we return to campus.

Paval coughs and I turn to him, wide-eyed searching his face for any kind of distress. “Are you feeling okay? What was that?” I place my hand to his forehead, worried that he’s fading again. The doctors said he had a mild concussion and any further excitement may deal him permanent damage during this healing period. Paval wasn’t excited that he had to forgo certain sexual activities but I made sure he had plenty to watch.

Who knew that Cairo and I were exhibitionists? Because I didn’t.

Paval snorts and removes my hand before bringing it to his lips. “I’m fine. It was just a cough. Grams brought over thosepatchouli jarred things and it makes my nose itch.” He’s not wrong. I love my grandparents but some of the smells that my grandmother adores make me want to wretch. “What are they even doing? I’m hungry.”

Everyone has been cooking all day, the three of us madly studying for finals as the entire semester has been thrown out of whack. When I was sure that my career was in the trash, the dean offered up a statement that I should have seen coming. Apparently, with so many hands in that little underground ring, no one wanted to take the blame for it.

So, they didn’t.

I’m still laughing at how awful the wording was. Anyone could see through it, except those who had no idea the fights existed. We were suddenly ‘coerced’ into fighting for a ‘traitor of the country’, the dean’s words, not mine. All of our fragile growing minds had succumbed to the pressure to please and would be allowed to continue our studies so long as nothing else popped up. Security would be strengthened, and we would have to finish the year out with no further incidents.

It also halted all bets, my little black book destroyed by the fire in the pit outside. I made sure to pay out anyone who was due, as some of that was their money but there's no longer any evidence that the book existed. Paval managed to bring the site down as well, nothing left other than the memories of those nights.

With all the excitement of last week, I don’t mindnothinghappening for a while.

Cairo squeezes my hand under the table and stands, peeking into the kitchen for clues. His eyes widen and then he plops into his seat as everyone files into the room, gazes focused on the three of us. Rhys winks at me, his smile wider than I’ve seen in a while. “You take after me, Tia. Is it just two or are there more hiding somewhere?”

Both Paval and Cairo growl at me as if they’re some kind of wild animals rather than respectable adults. “No more men and please don’t set them off. Paval is still healing and Cairo is horrible at letting him rest.” I realize what I’ve said after I said it, my cheeks heating as everyone takes up their places. Rhys is very obviously laughing at me, Paval’s other fathers hiding it much better. My grandparents look horrified but that’s on them.

The evening delves into conversation and talks about our futures. I have a few firms I’m looking to work with but that all rests on me passing the bar. Paval is going to work with his fathers at their security company which I know is code for something that is a mix of actual work on a computer and handiwork that Rhys doesn’t approve of. It’ll give Paval the outlet he needs and I know he’ll be safe with the original Kolas crew.

Cairo mentioned something about training or a gym but hasn’t figured out the details. With the way Paval starts tapping on the table, I already know he’s trying to plan for Cairo’s future. Discreetly as possible, I reach for their hands and drag them into my lap. Maybe my family is unconventional but they’re mine.

A fighter, a statistician, and a lawyer meet on campus…and fall in love.It’s just the beginning of our story and I’m ecstatic to see where it goes.

When Paval coughs again, I glare at him but he just shakes his head and points at the little patchouli jar sitting next to the turkey. Then the fucker leans over to me, whispering into my ear so that only I can hear. “I promise you that if I’m still coughing when we leave, it’ll be because I’m choking on Cairo’s dick.”

My face heats, Cairo catches on, and then everyone else starts laughing.

If this is what I have to look forward to, I’m not mad about it.

Chapter twenty-seven

Epilogue – Three weeks later

CAIRO

This is the most terrifying day of my life—the day when I officially tell my father that he doesn’t own me or my future. Well, second to finding out that Tia’s mother was on campus and supposedly had us trapped before Paval’s fathers rescued us. I still can’t wrap my head around that shit or the fact that it was all just swept under the rug.

Mostly.

There are a lot of new faces in the admin office and many of my favorite professors from my freshman and sophomore years no longer walk the halls. Valentyn mentioned that there were way more hands in the ring than just Ada’s and instead of prosecuting each and every student involved, they just swept it under the rug and had us all sign an agreement not to restart it. I miss the freedom that comes with stepping into that ring butknowing that I’ll be able to finish my degree and figure out my own path is nice.

Because today is also the day when I tell my father that my plans outrank his and that the love I have for Tia and Paval isn’t just some fling. He’s been waiting until I graduate to fully own me but that changes.

Especially after the call I just had with the gym owner stationed across the street from Tia’s new firm. How Paval managed to drag up the connection, I’ll never know but I’m grateful for it and I love the fact that I’ll be doing what I love. Teaching and sparring sound like a fucking dream to me.

I just have to get past this conversation with a man who believes I’m nothing more than a placeholder. I crush my phone to my chest, sitting in the middle of the couch as I wait for my father to arrive. It would have been easier to speak with him over the phone and tell him that I wasn’t going home for the winter break but this works too. He always arrives on campus, drags me home, and beats into my head what I’ll be doing after graduation and who he has in mind for me to marry.

Not anymore.

Paval and Tia are finishing up their last finals and I hope and pray this conversation will end before they show up. They don’t need to know anything more than the fact my father exists. Meeting him won’t be good for anyone.

I jump when the knock comes but take a few deep breaths to calm myself before opening the door. As always, he steps inside, surveying the damage to the apartment he’s paying for. I’ve never been a partier, though, so I never know what he expects to find. Unfortunately, the added décor of Tia’s things in the kitchen and the statistics textbook on the coffee table give me away.

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