Page 51 of Inked Athena

“Grams, Hope… they’re the only ones who understood my relationship with my family. I don’t even know how my grandmother is doing since she found out she lost her son and grandsons. Do you know how horrible I feel that I can’t even check on her?”

“I know it’s not easy?—”

“Don’t tell me you understand, because you don’t. Grams is the only family I have left and Hope is my best friend. Unless you’re going to tell me that you’ll find a way for me to talk to them, I don’t want to hear it,” I snarl fiercely. “You and Samuil get to do what you want, and I’m the one left to deal with all of the rules.”

“Have mercy!” Myles throws up his hands. “Stop beating me over the head with reason and logic. I get it.”

“Do you?” I ask, sensing weakness for the first time.

He stares at the puppies, who have gone back to romping in the grass. “Samuil would never approve of this…”

I inch a little closer, determined not to look too eager. “What Samuil doesn’t know won’t hurt him. And I’ll never tell.”

Myles gives me a nervous scowl. “Is one phone call to Chicago worth it for you? You’re asking me to go behind my friend’s back and keep a secret from him.”

“As secrets go, it’s a small one. And he’s keeping plenty of secrets from me.”

“That’s different.”

I shouldn’t push my luck—not when Myles is my only shot at contact with the outside world. But still, I roll my eyes. “Because he’s the big, badpahkan? Give me a break.”

Myles chuckles. “You really are something, Nova Pierce. Samuil met his match the day he met you.”

I nudge him in the arm. “Is that a yes? Will you let me talk to them?”

“Fuck me,” Myles mutters.

That’s a yes.

19

NOVA

My victory becomes less satisfying the longer Myles’s list of conditions goes on.

“… less than five minutes. Don’t tell them where we are. Don’t tell them where you’ve been. Don’t tell them where Samuil is. Don’t?—”

“This would go faster if you told me what Icantalk about,” I grumble.

I’ve been bouncing from foot to foot like an impatient child while he prattles on, waiting for him to wrap it up. I’m a few button pushes away from talking to Grams, and my chill disappeared right around the same time he agreed to this plan in the first place.

“Feelings and shit,” he concludes. “That’s what’s allowed. Isn’t that what women like to talk about anyway?”

“Don’t forget our periods. We love talking about our monthly cycles.” I roll my eyes and hold my hand out. “Give me the phone.”

He pulls it out of his pocket, but doesn’t hand it over. His eyes remain suspiciously narrowed. “There will be hell to pay if Samuil finds out about this, Nova.”

My heart kicks against my ribs at the mention of his name. Even now, after everything, the mere thought of him sends electricity dancing across my skin. I force myself to focus.

“You’re a good friend, Myles.” I soften my voice, letting a hint of suggestion creep in. “I’ll mention just how nice you are when I talk to Hope.”

With that, his eyebrows zoom upwards in the purest expression of giddy joy I’ve ever seen. I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing at him. Joke’s on me, really—I’d probably already be talking to Grams if I’d led with that. Let that be a lesson for next time.

“Tell her the only thing nicer than my personality is how nice I look without a shirt on,” Myles adds with a cheeky grin.

“I’ll work that in between the feelings and period talk. It’ll go: sadness, your rippling abs, Hope’s period cramps, and then we’ll wrap up with a lengthy discussion of your stamina in bed.”

Finally—finally—he extends the phone. “Work in that I can bench two-fifty, and I’ll give you fifteen extra minutes.”

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