Page 132 of No Longer Mine

“You think he did it?” he asked carefully.

I didn’t answer right away. My heart was a dull thud against my ribs, too loud in the silence between us. “I told him everything, Oliver. I told him about what happened there. What they did to me.” My gaze was glued to the flickering screen.

Oliver nodded as he watched the screen with me. “Seems about right. He cares about you. Maybe he was worried someone else would find out your secrets there.”

I nodded my head, but I was still unsure of how to feel. What did this mean? Was he simply trying to protect me?

“Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, when were you going to tell me you got shot?” His gaze cut to me. “And why doesn’t your name show up on any hospital records?”

I winced. “I didn’t go to the hospital.”

“Obviously,” he scoffed. “So how did you take care of a bullet wound?”

I licked my now dry lips. “Dimitri called in his grandmother to help me.”

He braced his hands behind his head and let out a deep breath. “Shit. Are you going to take this public or what? Seems rather serious. Does he know you’ve been targeting his father?”

I nodded my head. “He knows everything.”

Oliver let out a whistle. “Shit, this is serious.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know about that.”

“He answered your burner phone, I think that’s pretty serious, Red.”

I looked down at my lap, at a scar peeking from the edge of my sleeve. “Do you think it’s a mistake?”

Oliver was quiet for a beat, then shook his head. “No, but I do think it’s the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done.”

We both knew he didn’t mean physically dangerous. He meant emotionally. Strategically. Dimitri was tied to the man we were trying to destroy. Even though Dimitri wanted to destroy him too… It was slippery.

“I’m going to The Met,” I said, finally. “Tonight.”

Oliver’s brows lifted. “That’s a hell of a way to go public.”

“I pushed for it,” I admitted. “Told him I didn’t want to be hidden.”

He nodded slowly. “Then I guess it’s time for the city to meet its new power couple.”

I gave him a flat look. “Don’t start.”

“I’m just saying,” he shrugged with a crooked grin, “Dimitri and Scarlett, has a ring to it.”

My heart stuttered, but I didn’t let it show. I simply stood and grabbed my coat.

“Text me when you get there,” Oliver called after me. “And maybe don’t bring any burner phones this time. You’ve got a date with destiny.”

I rolled my eyes as the door clicked shut behind me. I walked out to the cold street and rubbed my hands together in front of me. I couldn’t believe I was doing this. I couldn’t believe I was going to actually put a willing spotlight on myself. I grinned as I pulled my phone out of my coat to call for an Uber.

The Uber dropped me off about five minutes from the Subway, just as I liked it. The chill in the air felt good, and I took a deep breath. I was going to need a dress. I had plenty, of course, but this time I needed something different. I needed something new.

A show stopper.

There were a few places in the city that could get me something today. I didn’t know how much I trusted them as I hadn’t done anything this last minute, but it didn’t matter. If they didn’t have something, I had a few dresses that hadn’t seen much action that still looked incredible on me.

I was too busy thinking about the individual shops I would go to that I didn’t notice the man on my heels until it was too late.

The hand closed over my mouth while his arm wrapped around my waist. Instincts kicked in, and I bit down, but it did no good; his hands were covered in thick gloves. I wrenched my elbow back and caught him right in the gut. He didn’t release me. I slammed my foot down on his shoe, but it didn’t do me any good either, as his boots were either just thick or steel-toed.

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