Page 109 of Volatile

There’s barely any force behind her fist as she punches me. “Don’t call me that.”

I punch her back and she digs her elbow into my ribs, sniping, “Don’t punch me. You’re not supposed to hit girls.”

“You’re not a girl,” I laugh weakly. “You’re Crusty.”

As soon as she has more force behind her swing I know that she’s fine to talk and turn my head to look at her. And for once she doesn’t try to hide behind her tough, sarcastic bullshit personality.

“I’m scared, Tali,” she whispers as she stares at the ceiling, “I don’t think I’ll be able to stop this time. I don’twantto stop.”

“That’s okay, I’m here. I’ll stop you.”

Her smile is weak, yet filled with gratitude and she nods once.

“Who’s Viktor?” she asks, searching for a distraction. “Your chef?”

“My nephew, he’s a little shit and snitches on me all the time.”

“Oh, that’s good, I think we’ll be friends.”

Fuck that. If she befriends that little snitch I’ll be fucked since everyone in our family thinks the sun shines out of his ass.

Vlad’s words spring up in my memory about the horses, how they’re good therapy animals, and I know that the only thing that will help Kristi is a distraction, so I sit up and clap my hands together like she’s a toddler. “Let’s go.”

She glares at me, her eyes and cheeks red, but I hold my middle finger up as I say, “I can drag you out by your hair or you can move yourself.”

With a huff, she stands and her eyes narrow as I push my hands through the pocket inmyhoodie. “Did you steal my clothes?”

“I guess you’ll have to stay alive to get it back. Put some shoes on.”

I throw one of her shitty hoodies at her and she just stink eyes me as she does as she’s told instead of arguing with me. When she’s ready, I hook my arm around her neck and drag her out of the pool house to the stables. She looks around at it all like she’s on another planet then scoffs, “You’re so fucking weird.”

“Just for that comment I’m not getting you a horse.”

She looks up, still glaring at me, so I lower my voice and add, “You can have a donkey so you have something in common.”

Viktor is in Thunder’s stable, making patterns in the horse’s fur as he turns to look at us and asks, “Who are you?”

“Tali’s only friend,” Kristi points at me. “I’m guessing you’re Viktor?”

My nephew is an asshole, it’s a family trait, and he smiles. “Tali doesn’t have friends. Does he have to pay you?”

It makes Kristi laugh though and she isn’t looking for anything sharp.

“No, I like to think of it as good karma.”

“Does he talk about me?” Viktor asks as I pull the brush out of his hand then throw it over the stable wall.

“Vik, meet Crusty,” I say, taking an elbow in the ribs.

They both stand there, taking turns in giving me their insults until they run out and Viktor gives his rules about his horse.

“This is Thunder, you can’t touch him unless he walks to you first. But you can have any of the other ones, my brother’s is in the stall at the end and it’s calmer.”

The click of heels gives away who’s entering the stables and I step out of the stall as my sister-in-law walks towards me. Inessa can hold a grudge like no other and she doesn’t smile at me like she used to. But I need her help so I step into her path and lower my voice so the other two don’t hear.

“You can be pissed at me, but I need one of your doctors from Steorra to do something for me.”

She thaws slightly and asks, “Stasi?”

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