Page 229 of Eternal
He hung up and turned back to me, that same faint smirk lingering, he pulled a key from his coat pocket, along with a slim black card.
“I know Voron rides,” he said simply. “One of my friends is a sick bastard when it comes to vintage bikes. There’s one downstairs, tuned, blacked out, yours while you’re here.”
I took the key, and smiled, “Thank you, I will take care of it.”
He then left with a smile.
I pulled out my phone and dialed Kat’s number.
“Visha!”Her voice was soft, warm, and just a little too concerned. “We’ve been trying to reach you with Vik, woman. You need to learn to keep us updated.”
I collapsed into the couch, the warmth from her voice felt so familiar, she sounds so motherly and protective over me. “Just landed, mom,” I mumbled, staring at the ceiling.
I’m so drunk that I think even my voice sounds different.
Kat was silent for a moment, and I could practically hear her exhaling. “Good. Put your camera on, we want to see you! I’m glad you’re safe. We miss you already, come back home quickly, okay?”
Home.
“I will,” I said quietly looking at them through the screen, “I hope I find what I’m looking for here.”
Vik’s gaze flickered across the screen, soft but analyzing me. I knew he could see through me, knew that he could sense the alcohol swirling inside me, the way I was trying to bury everything behind a smile that didn't even feel real.
“Kroshka. I hope Nikolai’s taking good care of you. If not, you tell me.”
I managed a short laugh and my head dropped back against the couch like my neck had given up. I felt... heavy, but not sleepy, just full. Like something was pressing down on my chest, and I couldn’t name it, couldn’t claw it out.
It’s not even physical, but it hurts, in the middle of my fucking body, a dull and stupid ache that won’t shut up. I closed my eyes, swallowed hard. “You can’t fight the Don. And he’s... sweet. In his own way.”
“Jokes on you. I'll fight them all for my family. So just tell me.”
His family.Me.
Kat’s voice softened, and her smile felt so warm. I miss them, I think I missed them all my life, I could’ve been a happy person if I had them beside me growing up.
“I’ll help him get the Don if needed.” Then, after a pause, she added, “Oh, and Damir came by a few minutes after you left, he was asking where you were. I don’t know how bad he fucked up or how angry you are, but he looked desperate to talk to you.”
I froze, my stomach twisting… He found a way out of my apartment. I knew he would, stupid me was still thinking about his kiss, about what he was saying.
“Was he still bleeding?”
Kat laughed lightly, but it was halfhearted. “Nope. Why would he be?”
“Stabbed him before sleeping at your house yesterday.”
Vik chuckled from the other end of the line, his voice a bit more amused than I felt. “Good job,Kroshka. That’s how you should react if a man angers you.”
Did he really ask for me?
Fuck I need to stop thinking about him.
“Alright, good night, you two,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady even though it felt like a damn lie.
“Good night,Visha. Vik, come on, tell her goodnight.” Vik leaned into the phone, his voice soft, his gaze reassuring, and he smiled at me. “Sleep well,kroshka. You call me whenever you need me. Love you.”
“Who else if not you?”
“Who else if not me?” he replied with a wink.
