Page 69 of Guarded Rebellion

“What did they say?” Lev demanded.

“I can’t recall all of it, word for word, but the gist of what I heard was that Eva was a target. That ‘the Baranov’ was the target.”

Well, that’s me. I’m the only Baranov here on campus.

Rurik and Lev both grilled her to explain all that she heard, but her limited story remained the same. Just that Irina—or the Petrovs—saw me as a target and that my presence here implied an uptick in drugs being circulated.

“So the rumor is that I’m the reason for more drugs on campus?” I rolled my eyes. “I’m not buying that. Yes, we deal with drugs. So do the Petrovs. It’s a fact of life.” I stared down Lev, who seemed to be analyzing all that Kelly said the same as I was. “But I’m not peddling anything. If I were here and trying to befriend users and dealers, if I were actively seeking out ways to further distribute,thenI’d be a player in that game. But I’m not.” I was a homebody, only befriending Kelly and minding my own business to study. I had gone to that frat party, but not to party or meet up with anyone. Just to see what they were like as a social observation.

“I agree,” Rurik said. “Tying you specifically to this increase in drugs makes no sense.”

Lev nodded. “It sounds like Irina can’t claim the same. Our men have noticed her at more parties and being more social.”

“Then what’s the connection they’re trying to make?” Kelly asked. As soon as she said it, she froze, wide-eyed. “Uh, forget I asked. I’m not trying to butt into, um, official ‘family’ business.”

I huffed. “You’re not part of the ‘family’ business, Kel. You were drugged, maybe even attacked in that shower room.Because of your association with me, that implicates you in whatever is going on.”

She hung her head, seeming upset about my explanation, and I hated that just meeting me and befriending me could be such a curse.

“And because of that, youwillbe protected,” I told her firmly.

“Absolutely,” Lev added.

Kelly smirked at him. “Because I’m a liability now? Thanks.”

“No.” I got up to sit next to her. “Because you’re my friend. And I care. And I hate that you were ever hurt, or could ever be hurt, because you took a chance to be my friend.”

She set her hand on mine and squeezed. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to sound so combative and rude. It’s just…” She sighed. “This is a lot.”

“I know. But you can rest with the knowledge that you’renotalone in this. In any of this. We will figure out who’s attacking women, who’s trying to distribute more drugs here.”

“Well, who was the… uh, man in my room?” She looked at Lev, then Rurik. “Wouldn’t you guys just know who he is and be able to go fight those guys?”

Lev cleared his throat. “No one has claimed him. No one knows who he is, and he has not been identified as belonging to any of our known enemies.”

I frowned.

“He could be an independent contractor,” Rurik said.

“A hitman?” Kelly asked, incredulous.

“An independent contractor,” Lev repeated for his friend. “When some families want to make a stand or strike out ambiguously, they sometimes hire outside of their organization to further throw everyone else off.”

They were throwing us off. I felt lost, confused to figure out how to manage this semester in school.

All I’d hoped for was a chance to live and study, to pretend I was a normal, independent person.

And too quickly, I had to be reminded that my family, my past, my life, would always preclude me from anything that could constitute as normalcy.

29

LEV

Having Kelly move in with us seemed like the best decision all around. Even though I hated to give up the privacy that I could share with Eva, it seemed like the wisest choice.

This beautiful woman who was sneaking deep under my skin had a bleeding heart. She was as tough and strong to tolerate violence with a level head as much as she was a softie deep down who worried about her friend.

Kelly couldn’t return to her dorm anyway because I’d trashed it fighting that man sent to get Eva.

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