Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 70489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
I huffed. “If I thought that was all it took, I could go find someone. It’s not going to fix things.”
“What’s going on with you? I mean, other than the Alex thing and nearly dying?”
“Like that’s not enough.”
“Not in this family.” He applied the new gauze and secured it.
“I don’t know. I wanted out of the family business. I wanted away from all of this. I thought I could be a regular person, but the second there’s a threat, I’m right back in the middle of it. I can say Lorenzo forced me or Remington forced me, but it’s not true. There’s no way in hell I wouldn’t have been there to take Ivanov down, and I want to help find him. I want to make him pay. But I also want to be a professor, except now I’m fucking a student. Apparently, I can’t be a regular person.”
“We weren’t brought up for that. And do you really want to be boring?”
“My research isn’t boring.”
“That’s not what I mean, but you know Alex sensed you were a lot more than a mild-mannered professor.”
I looked away, not wanting to admit it, but my lack of answer did it anyway.
“So why not do both? Be a protector of the city at night and a well-loved professor and star researcher during the day.”
“Fighting the Russians over weapon contracts isn’t protecting the city.”
“Chasing Ivanov is though. You don’t have to participate in the shit with our family that brings in the money, but you can be a protector. You can do the stuff that is actually making people safer. But you know someone else would buy those weapons if it wasn’t us. They’re a hell of a lot of people far worse than we are.”
That was true. “I’ll think about it.”
“Dante.”
“Let me do this in my own time, okay? If you hear anything about Ivanov, call me.” He glared at me, and I glared back. “How many times have I kept secrets for you? How many times have I said you were making the wrong choice but let you do it?”
“Fucking older brothers.” He was furious, but I could tell I’d won. “I’ll let you decide when, but don’t wait too long.”
“Have you talked to Renzo today?”
Rafe nodded. “He’s doing all right. Niko is too despite everything he’s been through. I guess it’s really no worse than what he’s been experiencing at home.”
“God, that sucks. I’m so glad Dimitri is gone.”
“Me too.” Rafe insisted on hanging around a little longer, making sure I had something to eat for lunch and promising to check in on me in the evening.
I told him I would rest and be a good patient, but only because I truly didn’t have the energy for anything else.
32
ALEX
Ihadn’t been alone with Dante for a week. I’d seen him in class, but other than acknowledging me when I raised my hand to ask a question, we hadn’t spoken.
I knew better than to confront him at school. I didn’t want anyone figuring out we were involved, but I was over not seeing him. I thought about him constantly. He usually responded when I texted him, but that wasn’t enough. I needed to touch him. I needed to see how he was healing, and I wanted to know if Adenine had become an inside cat.
I’d pretty much kept my distance from everyone else. I didn’t know what the other Chi Rhos thought was going on with me, but people had stopped asking. I hadn’t even seen Mitch in a few days. I’d texted him last night to check in and hadn’t heard back. He was probably with some girl wrapped up in a sex haze. I sure as hell wished I was.
I got breakfast at a coffee shop on campus to avoid talking to any of my Chi Rho brothers. When I left, I saw the tall, thin blond man I’d seen near the house when I was headed out this morning. He was older than most students, and I was fairly certain he was following me.
Had Dante sent him? I’d expected he might have a guard watch the frat at night, but the guys who’d been at his house were very discreet. There had been a few other times I’d been sure I was being followed. I should’ve asked Dante about it, but I figured I was just being paranoid.
If he really thought I was in that much danger, he would do something about it, right? This man must have been sent to follow me. I wanted to be safe, but I didn’t like Dante keeping tabs on my like that. I looked for the guy as I went into class and saw him down the hall, filling a water bottle at the fountain and acting overly nonchalant.
You’d think these mafia guards would be better at this.