Page 34 of Demitri

Aunt Linda: Working on it. What’s the idiot doing, anyway?

Source: He wants back what he thinks he lost.

Aunt Linda: It’s going to end badly for him. This kind of thing always does.

Source: He thinks he’s better than us. He thinks he’s better than all of them.

Aunt Linda: What’s his endgame?

Source: I think you know. But you also know he’s not working alone. And that’s one tough bitch to bring down.

Aunt Linda: Do we know where she is right now? Has she been in touch?

Source: She’s lying low right now. Not making any moves on her own.

Aunt Linda: This has to end. How many times will this family have to die before they stay dead?

Source: I’m afraid to answer that.

Aunt Linda: Yeah, I know.

Source: Go see your girl. Tell her the truth. See what happens.

Aunt Linda: You know your little game today is throwing everything off.

Source: Have to have a little fun every now and then.

Aunt Linda: By terrifying everyone?

Source: They have to know.

Aunt Linda: But they don’t, and I can’t say anything.

Source: Sure you can. I’ll say it again. Go see your girl. Make her understand.

Aunt Linda: Is that an order?

Source: Even I know better than to do that.

Aunt Linda: That’s what I thought. Talk soon.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

DEMITRI

The meeting room is full.That’s the only word for it. And there are some faces I’ve never seen before. Before the meeting could start Aunt Linda came in and took Mia, saying she needed a word. I don’t like when that woman needs a word. It’s never good.

I look around at everyone, waiting for someone to say something, but it’s like everyone is waiting for Mia to return. She’s somehow become the center of everything, and it makes my skin crawl. I don’t want her anywhere near this shit, and no matter what I do, she keeps getting drawn in. There is the very real fear that if my family is trying to make a comeback, I know they will hurt her to get to me. It’s the entire fucking reason why I’ve been hiding in the shadows. If they get her anyway, it’s all been for nothing. And now there’s a new fear after this morning. The man on the screen seen breaking into her bar was one of my father’s soldiers—and my uncle. One who dealt in pain and blood. One who relished in the selling of young girls to old men with money. After he broke them.

It feels like forever when Mia and Aunt Linda come back into the room, Mia looking a little green around the edges and Aunt Linda looking like she’s just out for a daily stroll. Mia walksdirectly over to me, sitting down in the chair reserved for her, and drops her face into her hands, rubbing them up and down before sighing in exasperation.

“What’s wrong? What did she say to you?” I whisper as I watch the woman in question claim her seat across the table from us.

“Nothing I hadn’t already thought about. Just drop it for now, okay? Let’s figure out what’s happening and we can deal with everything else later.”

“As long as you’re sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine.” She gives me a closed-lipped smile, but we both know she’s full of shit.

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