Page 106 of Volatile

But he’s known for being an asshole and it’s no different now as we drive. “Most people say thank you when someone does them a favor.”

“Did I ask you to do it?” I snap back.

“Calm the fuck down, I don’t know why you’re sniping at me like I’m Tali that you can shit on, but I won’t take it.”

“I don’t shit on him.”

Why am I arguing with the idiot when I know that I treat Tali like shit. I ignore him, run from him, hurt him. Even when I have no intention of doing it, I end up doing it.

Val laughs, shaking his head. “Fucking hell, if that’s you being nice to him I need to tell my brother to run.”

I fall silent, staring out of the window and pushing away the self-loathing. There isn’t an argument that I can make that would be believable when he’s right and it would be useless anyway.

Turning to the asshole, I ask, “What would be something he thinks is nice?”

Everything I can come up with is sexual and I don’t want to do any of them right now. Some nights I don’t even like Vitali’s arm brushing mine and I have to clench my jaw while he holds me.

“From you?” Val shakes his fat fucking head. “Probably giving him the slightest bit of attention and if you both stopped fucking other people.”

“You’re a dick.” I stare out of the window again. “And who is he sleeping with?”

It would be wrong of me to hurt someone innocent but the thought is already there. Tali forced himself into my life and made me think that I have importance, now I’m going to have to make sure it stays that way because even on the nights when I don’t want to be touched or the days I need to be alone, I crave his presence.

We stop at the donut shop that Tali loves instead of driving straight to Kristi’s and Val parks beside the doors as he says, “Caramel custard is his favorite.”

“I know that and I’m going to spit in yours,” I argue back as I get out, slamming the door behind me as a punishment for pissing me off.

The guards who have been relieved of their duty pull up at the same time as I enter the donut shop and I hate how uncomfortable I become. They’re going to see me getting into Valentin’s car, adding fuel to the fire of the rumors and then Dani will hate me too.

I can see them in my periphery as I order two boxes of donuts for Vitali, a box for Kristi, and the drink that we got her last time. They stop beside Valentin’s door, talking shit and laughing, while I break out in a sweat and try to hide myself. Why the fuck do they even need to talk to him? They spent all night outside of his house, guarding the mighty Vartanov manor, so they could have spoken to him then instead of ruining my already shitty day.

As soon as I’ve got my order, I turn and lift my chin, squaring my shoulders. I don’t have my usual armor to protect me and there’s a difference now too. I don’t want Vitali to hear the rumors, I don’t want to lose him or have him ever associate me with them.

But they don’t give a fuck because they snicker to each other when I open the door, stepping out into the sun and walk to Val’s car. The nudging is next and one of them is incapable of hiding his smirk as he coughs, “Hat trick.”

Val smiles, his wrist lazily on top of the steering wheel as he turns, blocking the sight of the fuckers, and asks, “Do you have a cold?”

The guard shakes his head.

“Allergies?” he offers.

Another head shake.

“Good.” He nods then abruptly reaches through his open window to grab the guard’s T-shirt, pulling him through as he puts the car in reverse. The tires squeal, burning rubber kicking up behind us, and my arms whip out to stop the donuts flying off my lap as the fucking psycho drives his elbow into the guard’s screaming face. All while he spins the steering wheel with his other hand then drives straight with his foot down to the floor.

Blood stains the bottom of Val’s T-shirt and I’m flung into my door as he erratically drives in circles, still beating the guard with the widest smile on his face. Once he’s satisfied and the screaming has turned into a murmur, he lifts his arm, allowing gravity to pull the body out of his window.

“You have anger issues,” I say evenly and slide back into the correct position in my seat.

“And you have insecurities,” he fires back, reaching over to take a donut from the box I got for Kristi. “Do you know why they talk shit?” He looks over at me, taking an ungraceful bite like someone’s about to steal it from his hand. “It’s because you let them. If you’re with my brother, you’re one of us and we don’tallowanyone to do shit to us.”

“I thought I wasn’t good enough for him?”

“That’s when I thought you didn’t care about him,” he shrugs and begins driving at a normal speed. “One thing you need to know about Vitali is that he’s not a puppy because he’s happy. He’s a puppy because he’s loyal. And you were pissed at the thought of anyone else being with him, so show him your jealousy, let him see that you’re afraid of losing him too.”

I don’t understand him. Or anyone who has Vartanov DNA. They’re fucked up, violent, and terrifying. Yet they all have this bizarre ability to set people at ease and welcome them in with insults.

“A coke whore wanting him won’t mean anything,” I mumble.

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