Page 21 of Bratva Wolf

Tony, the guy who always sits next to me, leans in. “Is speaking in a dull, unmodulated way a requirement to be an instructor?”

I hold in the laughter that wants to bubble out. “You’d think.” I flick my wrist to notice the class is over in three minutes. Thank God. “He’s worse than Dr. Dreier.”

“Yeah.” He settles back against his seat. “Want to grab lunch after our next class?”

Thane’s broody face comes to my mind. “No. Sorry. I’ve got a date with my boyfriend.”

He offers a guttural noise. “Oh, a boyfriend?”

I shrug. “Yeah. He’s picking me up.”

“Okay. Will I see you this afternoon for practicum?”

I shake the memory of this morning’s sex with Thane from my mind. “Of course.”

The professor turns off the screen and we all collect our things to move on to our next class. Outside of the class, I quicken my pace and get out in front of the group, pulling my phone from my pocket.

My grandmother answers. “Hi.”

“Scarlet. I wondered when you were going to call me and tell me you’ve moved out.” She pauses. “It’s Thane, huh?”

I chuckle. “I’m sorry. It’s new and he’s so bossy.”

“Of course he is, honey. He’s bratva.”

I cringe and chew my lip. “I should have told you.”

“You thought I’d talk you out of Thane.”

“No. You couldn’t. But you’d try, and I don’t like to upset you.”

My grandmother pauses. “You’re a grown woman. I just hope you know what you’re getting into.”

“I love you, grandmother.”

“Love you, too.”

I end the call and slip the phone in my pocket feeling lucky that the little revelation went so well.

THANE

My phone rings when I pull away from the curb after dropping Red at the college.

“Yeah?”

“I’m in town.”

“Good morning, Marco.”

He takes a breath and softens his tone. “Ah, yes. I’m sorry. Good morning, Thane. This is Marco. I have arrived in New York.”

“Hi. I’m in Jersey.

“Ah. I can come to you.”

“Fine. Meet me at Billy Ray’s Diner near Newark Airport.” It’s a perfect location to see anyone coming from any direction.

“Sure. Twenty minutes?”

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