Page 48 of Eternal
But honestly? It pulls me back in, like it’s too ridiculous not to laugh at, I'm about to lose it, but the whole damn thing's almost funny.
Vik doesn’t even flinch. “You trust me, don’t you?”
“Barely,” I snap, though we both know it’s a lie because he’s probably the person I trust the most on this earth.
He grins, sitting back in his chair like the smug, arrogant brother he is to me. That cocky, knowing look on his face says it all, he doesn’t even believe what I just said, because deep down, he knows it’s a lie too. “Well, trust that I don’t make mistakes when it comes to your life.”
“That’s debatable,” I reply, glancing back at Damir. He’s still standing there, calm as ever, his blue eyes flicking to me like he knows I’m watching. “He’s strange.”
Katarina sets her glass down with a soft clink, the sound of crystal meeting wood pulling my attention back to her. “You say that about everyone,Visha.”
Okay, maybe she’s right. Everyone is indeed strange. I don’t make the rules.
But I don’t want to get into my issues right now. My brain’s already at full capacity, and honestly, I'm simply trying to get through the night without blowing someone’s head off.
I shoot a quick glance at Vik, and I start, arms crossed. “What’s the deal with your little Russian Boy and why is he that irritating already?”
Vik raises an eyebrow but doesn’t flinch. “That’s a very diplomatic way of putting it.”
“You’re not the one who has to work with him.”
“True,” Kat says with a shrug. “But if I were, I’d probably be planning ways to get him naked instead of plotting his death.”
I freeze, a horrified expression twisting my face. “What the fuck, Kat?”
She grins, clearly enjoying this far too much. “What? He’s hot. I mean, you could do worse. At least you’ll have someone hot to look at, or to strangle, remember?”
“I don’t need anyone’s dick near me, thank you very much,” I snap.
“Gross,” Vik mutters, pinching the bridge of his nose like he’s trying to scrub away the mental image. “Can we not talk about dicks while I’m in the room? Or ever again? Seriously, how old are you two? Aren’t you twelve?”
I roll my eyes. “We already talked about this.”
Katarina laughs and approaches her brother to sit next to him and put her head on his shoulder. “Relax. I’m just saying he’s easy on the eyes. Might make this whole partnership thing less miserable and awful in my opinion.”
I scowl at her, my arms tightening across my chest. “He’s still strange. And I don’t truststrange.”
“Then get to know him,” Vik says, his tone calm but firm. “Ask your questions. Interrogate him if it makes you feel better. You can punch him and torture him too if that’s what you want. But don’t write him off before he’s even had a chance to prove himself.”
“Fine,” I mutter, though the idea of interrogating Damir is more appealing than I’d like to admit.
Vik raises an eyebrow, clearly amused. “You’re not going to stab him, are you?”
“Depends,” I say, though it’s mostly a lie. I wouldn’t waste the effort.Yet.“It could be a good team moment, though."
Katarina leans in closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “You know, he’s still watching you. If you’re not careful, you might actually catch his attention.”
I glare at her, but there’s an uncomfortable heat crawling up my neck. “Let him watch. It’ll give him something to think about before I take his eyes out.”
“See?” Vik says, his grin turning wolfish. “This is why I picked him. You’re impulsive; he’s calculated. You balance each other out perfectly already.”
“I don’t need balance,” I snap. “I’ve been doing just fine on my own.”
“And yet,” Vik says, his voice taking on that infuriatingly calm tone that makes me want to throw something at him, “the Pakhan insists, so here we are.”
I hate when he pulls rank. It’s not like I can argue with the Pakhan’s orders.
“Fine,” I say again, less irritated. “But if he gets in my way, I’m not responsible for what happens.”
