Page 59 of Dark Truths

“You’re in love,” Rose summarizes.

I turn away from her and snort. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Everything you just said is exactly how I feel about Michael.”

“I can’t be in love with him, Rose.”

“Why not?”

“He’s in the Bratva.”

“So what? I’m an O’Leary and my father tried to kill Michael. You being in love with Dimitri can’t be any worse than that.”

She’s right. Compared to Dimitri and me, Rose’s family drama has us beat.

“Look, Gabriella.” Rose turns to me, and I mirror her gesture. “I love you and I want you to be happy. If Dimitri does that, then you should be with him.”

“What about my family? Michael isn’t Dimitri’s biggest fan if you haven’t noticed.” I saw the nice bruise on my brother’s jaw courtesy of Dimitri.

“Who cares?” Rose shrugs off my concern like it’s no big deal.

“Me,” I answer immediately. “I don’t want Michael to kill him.”

“Michael won’t kill him. Sure, he’ll be angry but when he sees how happy Dimitri makes you, he’ll have no choice but to accept it. And if he doesn’t, well, I’ll be there to distract him.”

“Distract him?”

“With sex.”

I shouldn’t have asked. Shaking my head, I sigh in exasperation. “I want to tell the family, Rose. I do. But Dimitrihas reservations. There’s something he’s hiding from me, and he won’t tell me what, but whatever it is, it’s keeping him back from really being together with me. From loving me, the way I…think I love him.”

“Go to him,” Rose urges me. “Tell him you love him. Take it from me. Life is too short to hold something like that back.”

Sharing my story with Rose feels like an immense burden has been lifted from my shoulders, allowing me to breathe again. I didn’t realise how much I needed to confide in someone until the opportunity arose. I trust Rose to keep her promise and not say anything to Michael or anyone else, but I know I can’t expect her to keep it to herself for long. Nor should I ask her to…that wouldn’t be fair to her. No, telling the truth is my responsibility and my time is running out. It won’t be long before someone else figures it out, someone less understanding than Rose, and if that happens…I can’t guarantee they’ll be as accepting as Rose. Or as forgiving for keeping the truth a secret for so long from them.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” the bouncer apologizes as he holds out a large hand to stop me. “We’re at capacity.”

I peer around him at the double steel doors, as if I can see through them to the crowd inside. Of course, thePlaygroundis incredibly busy tonight. It’s New Year’s. But I need to get inside. Capacity or not.

“I need to talk to Dimitri,” I say before correcting myself when I catch the way the bouncer stiffens at my casual use of his boss’s name. “I mean Mr. Volkov.”

“And who might you be?”

Not sure if I should be offended or relieved he doesn’t notice me, but either way, I need to play it safe.

“Angel.”

He scoffs, but still presses a finger to his ear and speaks inaudibly into a small mic hooked to his jacket collar. While he listens to whoever is on the other end reply, he studies me, his curious gaze roaming over my tights and loose tunic. Not at all the attire he’s come to expect to see entering the club.

“Yes, sir,” the bouncer acknowledges before he clears his throat and turns to open the door. “Mr. Volkov is in his office. He said you know the way, Ms. Angel.”

“Right, thank you.” I slip by him, trying not to think about how he probably assumes I’m there for Dimitri’s pleasure. An irritating and bothersome thought.

Stepping inside the club is like walking through the veil between normal and fantasy. A glamorous world opens up before me in a stunning display of shimmering glitter and mesmerizing lights. A mass of bodies moves in time with the bass of the music on the center dance floor. Suspended in the sky, women and men painted in gold and silver dangle from trapezes and giant rings. The atmosphere is intoxicating and addicting, but the scene is not what I’m here for.

As I approach the stairs, I smile to myself, pleased when the men guarding the steps move aside, allowing me to pass. Voices float through the air and come from the open door of Dimitri’s office.

“—hell, Dimitri?” a man’s voice shouts, his words growing more clear the closer I get. “You knew I liked her!”