Page 4 of Demitri

“Maybe I should be asking you how you know him?” I fire back, defense always my best offense.

“He’s a friend of mine,” she assures. “And these guys, they just want to make sure he’s safe. Do you know where he is?”

It hits me then that they don’t know how to get in touch with him, or that he’s living here under a different name. I have the power here, which makes me both happy and worried.

Daniel comes to stand next to me, putting his hand on my shoulder. When I flinch, he immediately drops it, and I can see in his eyes that he understands why he shouldn’t touch me. Victoria whispers something in his ear, and he grimaces before giving me a knowing look. Victoria knows, and now it seems Daniel does, too. Maybe I should get a fucking shirt that announces ‘Hi, I’m Mia, and I was in a horrible abusive relationship where he beat me and raped me for two years before I could get away when he almost killed me’and make it easier for everyone to know my trauma.

“You’re family, Mia,” Victoria quietly says, squeezing my fingers, somehow knowing that touch is okay. “Lizzy is my sister.”

I nod, the memory of the trial coming back. “You’ve always known it was me.”

She winks in response and takes her seat again.

“We need to find Demitri,” Daniel tells me again. “He might be in danger and not know.”

“So call him,” I hedge.

“We would if we knew his number,” Aiden replies. “He disappeared after the last mess he had to get involved in, and we’ve lost all contact.”

“What you say next will determine if you ever get a drink in here again,” I tell them, my voice stronger than I feel. “What kind of danger is he in?”

“The kind that involves his family,” Aiden replies. “And I’m not trying to be vague or obtuse or anything. We don’t know the danger, we just know thereisdanger.”

I stare at the man, deciding he’s being completely honest with me. His face is wide open, his eyes shining with an earnestness you don’t see often, and I nod.

“You don’t even have to give us the number,” Daniel offers. “Can you get ahold of him and see if he can meet us here tonight? And if he can’t tonight, sometime soon?”

“I can do that. I’ll be back.”

I turn away before I lose it, grabbing my phone from under the bar and sending a text.

Mia: There’s a group of men here who need to talk to you. Claim to be friends.

Demitri: They give you a name?

Mia: Daniel, Aiden, Grady, Nate, and Daniel’s wife, Victoria.

Demitri: What the fuck do they want with me?

Mia: They think you’re in danger.

Demitri: And how are you wrapped up in the middle of this?

Mia: I heard your family name and dropped the drinks. I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry.

Demitri: Don’t apologize. They were talking about me?

Mia: Yes.

Demitri: Did you get a little protective over me, Mia?

Mia: Not talking about that. What do you want me to tell them?

Demitri: We’re going to talk about it, eventually. You know this. Tell them I’ll be there soon.

Mia: Come in through the back.

Demitri: Yes, ma’am.

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