Page 89 of Twisted Prince

“For… having to come get me. For needing to risk your life to help me again.”

Swallowing my emotions, I turn my gaze back to the road, clenching the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white. “I’m not mad for having to come get you.”

“But…?” she presses when I cut myself short—because expressing my feelings is not something I excel at.

“It does seem you only have a use for me when your life is on the line.” I shake my head. “And, of course, I would rather you ask for help than not. But I just thought—I’d hoped…” I clench my jaw and shake my head again.

There’s no sense in talking about wants and wishes. I need to face reality, and the reality is Mel doesn’t want what I want.

“I’ve gotten the message loud and clear,” I assure her, casting my eyes in her direction to see her watching me intently. “I’ll see you and Gabby to wherever you think you’ll be safe, and then you never have to see me again.”

“Gleb, I…” Mel starts, then turns away from me as she bites her lips. And in the split second before her eyes dropped, I caught the guilt there.

She doesn’t like hurting me.

And I can appreciate her empathy, even if it won’t fix anything.

“I think it’s best for us both if we go our separate ways,” I state.

Then she won’t be faced with seeing my pain when I see her every day, and I can pretend like my cold, lifeless heart wouldn’t bleed over being near her and not getting to be with her. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Only I never stopped thinking about Mel, not really. The thoughts just grew less frequent over time.

Hopefully, I can eventually make it back to that state of existence.

Silence greets me from the passenger seat—Mel doesn’t argue, which only confirms that my assessment is correct. She knows it, too.

Then, finally, when she speaks, it’s little more than a whisper. “I have no clue where to go. I don’t have any family. Kieri… she’s the closest thing I’ve had to family since my mom died. But I can’t go back there now.”

My heart wrenches at the confession.

Part of the reason Mel ended up staying under Veles protection in the first place was because she didn’t have family to return to—well, the uncle who sold her to the Zhivoder clan in the first place. But he’s just lucky I haven’t hunted him down and murdered him.

“We can speak to Pyotr. He’ll know what to do.”

38

MEL

The hour-long drive is excruciating, with the tension roiling off of Gleb. Though his face is calm, his eyes on the road, and Gabby has fallen asleep in her car seat, I still feel the heightened emotions crackling in the air.

Yes, he came to save me again.

And yes, I think he’s done with me for good once we’re back in New York.

I ruined any chance of establishing a relationship like we had after the first time he saved me—definitely the one we just barely began before I fled to Boston.

Watching the trees slip by out my passenger window, I pretend like the yawning chasm between us doesn’t bother me. And when we finally enter the City, I feel the breath of relief creeping into my lungs.

Pyotr and Silvia’s Brooklyn brownstone home is as big and beautiful as I remember it being.

Two men stand out front, dressed in black suits and looking very formidable. But I don’t recognize either of them. The thought triggers my memory of Gleb mentioning that they lost so many in their fight against Mikhail, and my heart skips a beat.

It would seem Val and Efrem might both be included in that number.

My heart sinks when I think of Dani, the girl who took such stunning photos for me. She and Efrem had such a sweet relationship, from what I recall. I wonder how she’s doing. If she’s as lost and confused as I am.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, I push the thought from my mind and unbuckle my seat belt. I glance shyly toward Gleb, and his green eyes are on me. My pulse flutters nervously, though I can’t quite say why.

“You ready?” he asks.

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