Page 73 of Dark Truths

“Dimitri was just leaving,” Michael says, tossing the man a look that could kill.

“No, I wasn’t,” Dimitri snaps back.?

“I swear to all things holy, Volkov. I will kill you if you do not leave—”

“Michael,” I shout. “I said enough.”

“I just want to talk to you,” Dimitri explains from the doorway. “And explain what you heard.”

"Explain? There is no explaining what she heard." Michael spits.

He ignores my brother. “Please. Trust me. If you’ll just give me the chance, angel.”

“Angel?” Michael latches on to the nickname like a bloodhound. “The fuck is that?”

The tension in the room is palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife, and it only grows more dangerous by the second. I need to talk to Dimitri about what I overheard—about the babies, about us, and Rose’s wild idea—but not right now. The atmosphere feels primed to explode, and none of us are thinking clearly. Emotions are running high, and having difficult, life-altering conversations in this state won’t do anyone any good.

“Not now,” I tell him. “Please. I’m tired and I just want to rest.” It feels like déjà vu. Asking Dimitri to leave and I hate it.

“Gabriella.” The pain in his voice tells me he feels the same.

“You heard her, Volkov,” Michael says, waving his hand in a shooing manner. “You can fuck off now.”

Anger spikes in my belly, and I lash out at my brother. “So can you.”

Michael turns to me with a look of surprise. “Wha-what?”

“You heard me.” I toss his sarcastic words back at him. “Go home. Both of you.”

“Are you sure?” Raphael asks.

I nod. “Yes.”

Raphael digs a phone out of his back pocket and hands it to me. “To replace the one you lost in the crash.”

“Thank you.” I take the phone and hold it like a lifeline in my hands.

“Mom came by earlier, but you were still sleeping. She said she’ll come back later,” Raphael tells me.

“Thanks. I’ll call her.”

“Gabriella?”

I shift my eyes to Dimitri. He stands with his hands in his pockets. One of his tells I’ve learned means he’s feeling uneasy and a little anxious.

“I’ll call you too.” His eyes fall, like he doesn’t believe me, so I quickly add, “I promise.”

He nods solemnly and I wish I could say more to ease his concern, but he leaves before I can try.

28

Dimitri

This is arguably the most insane thing I’ve ever done.?

But I’m desperate.?And a desperate man will do just about anything.

I didn’t want to leave Gabriella, but the only thing that helped ease my frustration was that she was safe with her brothers. But now it's a problem because they refuse to leave their sister’s side like a pair of fucking hell hounds, and I really need them to, so I can put my desperate and insane plan in motion.

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