Page 77 of Craving Dahlia

“Dimitri—”

“I’ll talk to Vik now. I’ll let you know what he says.” Dimitri taps his fingers against the desk, looking at me for a long moment. “We need to talk about the rest of it, Alek. And soon.”

“We will,” I promise him. “I need to deal with this, first. I need to know she’s safe.”

“She will be.” Dimitri looks at me. “I’ll make sure she’s safe. But it’s better she stays here.”

I’ve known my brother long enough to know when he’s putting his foot down. Arguing with him further won’t change anything, but I’m not convinced that leaving Dahlia here is the safest option.She’s my wife, I want to say.I’ll decide where she’s safest.But I can see from the expression on my brother’s face that he’s acting aspakhanat the moment, and not as my brother.

“Tell me when you have security arranged for her,” I say, standing up abruptly. “I’m going to go check on her.”

Dimitri gives me a wary look. “Let me help you with this, Alek,” he says, letting out a sharp breath. “Don’t go off on your own.”

I nod, but I don’t say anything. I don’t want to lie to him, and I’m more than willing to accept his help in tracking Gregoriy down. More than that, Ineedhis help with it. But when it comes to protecting Dahlia, I intend to have the final say. And when it comes to taking out Gregoriy, I refuse to put my brother in danger.

I’ve handled gangs of men on my own before. With enough weapons and enough stealth, I can take out Gregoriy without having to put Dimitri or anyone else in danger.Besides,that old, small voice in my head whispers.He didn’t come for you all those years ago. He didn’t put himself in danger then. No need to start now.

I know he wants me to lean on him for help. To trust him fully again, just like Dahlia wants me to trust her completely. But it’s not something that changes overnight. And I want to finish this. I want to take care of it, and be done, so I can put it in the past.

When I go up to Dahlia’s room, Evelyn is sitting in there with her. Dahlia is dressed, the bed made, and the bruises on her face look fainter than they did last night. It’s a relief to see that she’s healing, and the smile she gives me softens something in my chest. For once, I don’t fight it.

“I’ll see you later,” Evelyn says, getting up and giving Dahlia’s hand a squeeze before leaving us both alone. Dahlia looks at me, tucking her legs under her as I sit down on the bed.

“Are you okay?” she asks softly, and the question feels as if it hits me right in the chest.How long has it been since someone has really asked me that?

“I will be once I know you’re somewhere safe. I asked Dimitri to let me take you to one of the safe houses while I deal with Gregoriy. But he thought it’s better for you to stay here.”

Dahlia frowns. “Well, if Dimitri thinks it’s safe, I’m sure it’s fine. And I’d rather stay here with you, anyway. And Evelyn. I don’t want to go somewhere else, alone.” She presses her lips together. “I didn’t even know you were considering that.”yo

“I’d rather have you somewhere that Gregoriy doesn’t know about. I don’t agree with Dimitri that it’s safer here.” I hesitate, unsure if I should mention the man who attacked me in the barn.

“There’s already been some attempts to breach Dimitri’s security,” I say finally, and Dahlia’s eyes widen. “It might be harder to get onto the grounds now, but if you leave the house at all—” I see her instantly tense, and I nod. “See? You don’t like the idea of not being able to leave the house. At least at a safe house, you’d have a little more freedom?—”

“Out in the middle of nowhere? That’s where a place like that is, right?” That stubborn look that I know so well is already on her face. “I don’t see how that’s better?—”

“It would be safer for everyone. You, and Evelyn, too. Then she won’t be in harm’s way if anyone comes for you. By the time he has a chance to figure out where you are, I’ll have killed him.” I reach for Dahlia’s hands. “Trust me? It’s safer if you’re moved. You’ll have plenty of security, and he’ll be scrambling right now, trying to figure out what happened to his men and what to do next. This is the right move, I’m sure of it.”

Dahlia bites her lip. “You want to go behind Dimitri’s back?”

“I want to keep my wife safe.”

That softens her—I can see it. She chews at her lower lip, clearly uncertain. “What would you tell him and Evelyn?”

“I’ll tell them I made a decision for my family. I’m the other Yashkov son, I have access to the safe houses and security asmuch as Dimitri does. He wouldn’t want me making a decision for Evelyn?—”

“So you’ll make a decision for me?” She raises an eyebrow, but there’s no bite in her voice. “You feel like this is the best choice?”

I nod. “It’s not a guarantee. But I think you’ll be safer there. I’ll feel better if you’re there, while I deal with this.”

She hesitates for a second longer, and then she nods.

“Okay. We’ll do it your way, then.”

27

ALEK

Itell Dahlia to pack, while I wait for Dimitri to let me know that he’s found men to keep an eye on her. I don’t say anything to him about the safe house—he made it clear to me how he felt about that, but what I said to her was the truth. I have just as much right to use the family’s resources as he does, and as the time ticks past, I feel more and more that I’ve made the right decision. I don’t want my problems coming down on my brother’s family—on my family. This is a part of my past, a part that I want exorcised and gone, and I’ll deal with it myself. Then I can start fresh, on my own terms.

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