Page 124 of Toxic Temptation
I walk past without acknowledging him.
“Hey!” he calls, breaking off mid-sentence. “Wait up! See you later, Meg! Miss you! Love you!” He jogs to catch up, grumbling under his breath. “Would it have killed you to wait until I got her number?”
“She’s too young and innocent for you. Leave her alone.”
“Cockblocker.”
I can’t help smirking as I lead him toward the staff parking lot. But before we reach my car, Pavel suddenly grabs my arm and yanks me backward.
“What the hell?” I stumble against him. “What’s wrong?”
“Someone slashed your tires.”
I crane my neck around Pavel to see how bad the damage is. But before I can get a good glimpse, someone steps out of their nearby car and walks towards us. “All four tires,” a woman confirms somberly. “Definitely wasn’t an accident.”
Eliza Murphy, Luka’s social worker—Miss Trunchbull herself—approaches us with those sharp eyes already cataloging every detail and judging harshly. Of all the people to run into right now…
Those eagle eyes zero in on me, searching for weaknesses in my story. For proof that I’m not who I pretend to be.
And all I can think is that, despite everything I’ve told myself, there's only one person I want to call.
Kovan, I need you.
Now.
42
KOVAN
Some meetings make me want to put a gun to my own head.
Especially when Ihor sits across from me with that smug sneer, acting like he knows something the rest of us don’t. I’m busy doing the math on how satisfying it would be to wipe that look off his face permanently.
Maybe I should put a gun tohishead instead.
My phone vibrates against the conference table. Vesper’s name flashes across the screen. When I see that, I don’t hesitate. Don’t consider the dozen pairs of eyes watching me. I grab the phone and answer without regard to any other soul in the room.
“What’s wrong?”
Her voice is small. Scared. “Kovan…”
Every muscle in my body goes rigid. Another shooting? The Keres coming back for round two?
“Are you hurt?”
“No, no. But… someone slashed my tires. All four of them.”
Relief and rage war in my chest. She’s safe—but someone targeted her. No one touched her—but someone made her afraid.
I’m already standing, already moving toward the door. “Meeting’s over.”
Ihor’s smile widens behind his steepled fingers. His face might as well be a teleprompter, telling me exactly what’s going through his head. He thinks this makes me look weak. Thinks my concern for her is a liability he can exploit.
I dare him to try.
“Is Pavel with you?” I bark into the phone.
“Yes, but Kovan…” She pauses, and I can hear the worry in her voice. “Luka’s social worker is here, too. Eliza.”
