Page 43 of Diamond Angel

“You’ll also be under the watchful eye of both his daughters,” Mila observes dryly. “Surely that will make things easier.”

“I can handle the Theron women.”

“Right. Famous last words.” Mila cackles. “Have you called Celine, by the way? She told me that she’s been trying to get through to you since yesterday.”

Speak of the devil.I wince as another call comes in. I decline it a second time. “She’s calling me now. I’ll talk to her later.”

“Not sure that’s the smartest plan, but you do you, brother.”

I grind my teeth. “We need to resolve the Bellasio threat fast,” I growl. “Especially with Taylor and Adam coming home.”

“Shit. Forgot about the little runt. I can’t believe it’s actually happening,” Dima breathes. “What’s he like?”

“You’ll see. He’s a great kid.”

“Despite half his genes coming from a fuckhead,” Mila mutters. “How’s your baby mama?”

There’s a certain terseness in her sarcasm when she mentions Taylor. I never expected Mila to take Taylor’s departure so personally, but apparently, I’d underestimated the connection the two of them made. Mila has always been one to hold onto a grudge.

“She’s…fine.” When I glance up again, I see she’s arrived and is seated across from Callan. He’s leaning toward her desperately. Even from here, I can see the puppy-dog earnestness in his eyes.

Every time it looks like he might reach out, I have to swallow angry bile to keep myself from walking over to the café and breaking every finger he’s daring to touch her with.

“When are you coming home?” Mila asks.

“Tomorrow.”

“Good, because we really need to sort this—”

“I got it, Mila,” I snap. “I’ll see you tomorrow. And when we get back, take it easy on Taylor, okay?”

There’s silence on the other line for a moment. “I don’t think it’s fair for you to ask me that.”

“I wasn’t asking anything; I was ordering. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Scowling, I hang up and check to see I’ve now missed a grand total of four calls from Celine.

I peek again towards the café, but Callan and Taylor are still talking. So I bite the bullet and call her back.

“Where have you been?” Celine asks the moment the line connects. “I asked Mila and Dima, but neither one of them told me anything. Just that you were off chasing a lead.”

“I was. I mean, I am.”

“For God’s sake, Ilarion, I was worried.”

My eyes are fixed on Taylor. She’s wearing her hair down today, exactly the way I like it. But if her hair was up, I’d find something to like about that, too.

Focus, asshole.

“I’ve been…caught up over here.”

“Where is ‘here’, exactly? I hate that I’m never kept in the loop.”

“We’ve discussed this, Celine. You said you preferred it that way.”

“I thought I did,” she admits. “Sometimes, I still do. Ugh…I don’t know what I want.” She’s silent for a moment. “There’s a gala coming up that I need you to be there for.”

“Fine. I’ll be there. Anything else?”

She sighs. “I hate this. Every time I call you, I feel like you’re distracted or trying to get me off the phone as fast as you can. Don’t think I don’t notice. I’m not stupid, Ilarion.”

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