Page 207 of Juliet & Her Romeos

We’re alone with this.

Swan and I need to stand up to Dimitri ourselves.

“Do you think that I’m an idiot?” Dimitri’s hand is shaking, as he keeps Swan’s face crushed against the wall. “Dancers bused out of the academy. Mom sidelined from meetings, while I’m no longer in charge of choreography. Is this some kind of takeover? Are you behind this because I…?”

“Beat me? Oh, like you’re doingright now?” Swan snarls. “Keep threatening to break my legs?Tried to force me into a bond?”

“I love you.” The words break from Dimitri in an agonized whisper. “Truly, deeply love you.”

It startles me enough to freeze me in place.

Dimitri becomes ashen like he wishes that he could take the words back. He drops Swan and steps away from him.

I shove past Dimitri, tracing my finger down Swan’s sharp cheekbone.

Dimitri looks shocked at how red Swan’s cheek is, despite the fact that he’s the one who made it that way. “You always makeme do these things. I forget that you’re so much smaller than me. I didn’t mean to…”

“You never do.” Swan’s voice is hard.

“I love you,” Dimitri repeats like he’s only now realizing how much that’s true.

“You really takelove hurtsto another level,” Swan says. “I’ve learned that love is about happiness, protection, and care. It means that you’d do anything to keep them safe and smiling. It doesn’t mean bullying them to get their attention.”

Dimitri’s cheeks pink. “What’s it matter? You’re bonded. And it’s clear that you’re winding up to have Mom and me demoted. Or are you going to send us into exile?”

“Don’t you think that you deserve it?” I challenge.

Hell, I’ve waited all my life to be able to talk to an Alpha like this.

It feels fucking amazing.

“Deserve?” Dimitri rubs his hand over his beard. He looks broken. “Would any of us have been raised in this hellhole if that was true? Do it. Send me to Siberia. I’ve already lost the one thing that I loved. I have nothing left now.”

“I’m not athing,” Swan snarls. “You can’t own me.”

Dimitri looks confused. “The Romeos own all of us, even me. Does the virtuous Mr. Romeo pretend that isn’t true? I fucking hate hypocritical Alphas like him. I’ve dedicated my entire life to this academy. Do you think that I’m free?”

Bewildered, we stare at him.

“But you’re an Alpha,” I venture.

When Dimitri slams his fist into the wall, I wince. “Mom sold me to the academy as part of her contract. In the country we come from that’s permitted.”

Swan and I exchange a glance.

Ambrose has already decided that as soon as we gain control of the academy, we’re firing Katerina and Dimitri.

But it looks more like we’refreeingDimitri.

He’s still an Alphahole who I won’t forgive for how he’s treated Swan. But I understand him more now. He’s a captive, under the control of Ambrose’s mom and Katerina.

He’s been alone without a pack or healthy models of how one should work.

He’s fucked up.

“Hate him or not,” I narrow my eyes, “Amby is fair. Look, the performance is about to begin. Why not go and watch it?”

Dimitri’s eyes glitter with tears. “Take my home, job, andlife. But at least I get to watch you dance one last time, right?”

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