Page 56 of Dark Truths

Glancing back at the man, I catch what he really means in his expression. It seems I wasn’t the only one who saw the knife after all.

The house is dark when I arrive. While I wait for the garage to open, I glance around the street, taking in the quiet, softly illuminated homes all spaciously spaced apart on larger thannormal lots. Of course, I know everything there is to know about her neighbors.

Like how, for example, to her left is an elderly snowbird couple from Michigan. Both retired doctors, one cardiac and the other pediatric. A lovely pair, with excellent credit scores and ample enough money to live lavishly for the rest of their lives. To her right, the house is owned by a lawyer who spends more time at his office in the city than his home.No one on the street concerns me, but it’s not who lives here that concerns me. But rather the strangers who visit the residents.

Parking my bike inside, I turn the beast off, and the silence of the garage envelops me. I wait to take my helmet off until the door shuts behind me. The house is quiet inside and the only lights come from the small night lights illuminating the halls as I walk through the space. Making a quick stop in the kitchen to get an ice pack, I wrap it in a towel and place it on my sore face before continuing through the house.

Nestled in the covers like they’re clouds, my sweet angel rests inside the master, peacefully sleeping. Her textbooks, notebooks, and folders litter the bottom of the bed, and I’m honestly surprised she didn’t fall asleep with her face in a book.

I clean up her mess and then climb into the bed behind her, wrapping an arm around her middle to pull her snug against my chest. Even asleep, she registers my presence and turns toward me. I run my hand up and down her back, enjoying the solid feel of her in my arms. Her heat permeates through my armor to wrap around my cold heart, like a warm hug. Maybe I’m being greedy and maybe I’m taking advantage here, but I have no desire to leave. Not anymore. Not after I nearly lost her in November. The day will undoubtedly come where we’ll face a mountain of truths and be given the choice to either overcome them or be buried beneath them. But that day is not today.

Gabriella stirs and with a deep inhale, looks up at me with sleepy eyes. “Dimitri? You're here? What time is it?”

I know the moment she sees the mark, because her brows furrow and her frown deepens. Reaching out, she grasps my chin to move my face for a better view.“What the hell happened?”

I reach up and take her hand in mine. “It’s nothing.”

Wrong thing to say to a woman with hot Italian blood in her veins who is also studying medicine.

Gabriella sits up and turns the side lamp on. Groaning at the bright light, I try to avoid her probing hands but fail. When she’s determined, the woman can do anything. Including forcing me to explain who hit me and why.

“You have your brother to thank for the damage to my handsome face.”

Gabriella flashes me an exasperated look before going back to examining my face. “You’re going to have a black eye, but at least the cut won’t need stitches. A little liquid bandage and it should be alright.” She grabs the ice pack and shoves it back on my eye, bringing my hand up to hold it there. “Now, why did my brother hit you?”

“Alexei and Sophia were at his club acting like fools. And let’s just say he said some things that upset Michael. I stepped in before things could get too far and took a punch to the face.”

“What did he say?”

“It’s nothing to worry about.”

“Dimitri.” She tries to sound and look serious. It’s kind of cute.

“Gabriella.”

“I’m serious.”

“That’s nice.”

She shoves my shoulder, and I fall to my back dramatically. When Gabriella climbs on top of me, I suddenly find it difficult to remember my reasons against telling her when her warmth is right there above my aching cock.

“Please.”

“Fine.” I cave and adjust my hips, purposely pushing against her core for fun. She’ll need the distraction for what I say next. “He compared Sophia to a diamond and Rose to a rhinestone, essentially saying Michael traded down.”

Something dangerous crosses her face. “I’ll fucking kill him.”

My little angel has claws and my cock twitches at the thought. Alexei is arguably my closest friend, but I would give nearly anything to watch her take him on.“There’s more.”

She sits back with an exaggerated sigh. “What now?”

“I also hit your brother.”

For a second, I think she’s going to be mad at me too, but then her lips twitch and she laughs. “I hope you got him good.”

“Solid punch across the jaw.”

“The idiot. He’s still recovering and shouldn’t be getting into fights. I hope Rose beats him senseless for his stupidity. If not, I will.”

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