Page 114 of Facing Off
I grip the guardrail as my neck cords, because here comes the warning. His wife is Sonya’s best friend, so of course Lokhov is going to tell me that I’m not good enough?—
“Okay,” nods Lokhov.
I don’t get it. “Okay? What’s okay?”
“Don’t do that. Don’t make me say it.”
“Say what?”
Lokhov’s chest reverberates with this agitated noise. “Fine. But I’m only repeating this once. Yeah, she’s Kavi’s friend and Quinn’s sister, but you’reyou. My…friend.”
My mouth falls open. “Best friend?”
“I said friend.”
“But you obviously meant best friend?”
“Friend.”
“Remember I was a groomsman at your wedding.”
Lokhov sneers. “I can’t recall that.”
“I have pictures. One is framed very prominently in my house.”
He groans. “Look, you want my advice? Tell her the truth, that you’ve stopped going out with other women a long time ago.”
My heart stops. “How do you…? I never said anything.”
“I see the way you look at her. It’s how I look at my wife.”
“How do you look at your wife, Lokhov?”
“Like she’s the answer to everything.” His eyebrows are turned downwards as if this conversation is some sort of torture, but his voice betrays another emotion. It’s amused exasperation. “You’re not as good at hiding things as you think you are, Adrian. That’s including the fact that you’re stressed about Jung. They’re trying to trade him and you’re trying to stop it, right?”
My mind blanks, panicking. “I’ll figure it out. As soon as I find him.”
Lokhov inclines his head. “Not that I think you shouldn’t be helping, but most captains don’t get so worked up over the fate of a rookie. What’s so special about Jung?”
“I need to save him,” blurts out of my mouth.
My teeth clench. That answer popped out from somewhere deep inside me. That I need to save Jung, unlike how I…
My expression contorts.
Before I can say anything else, Lokhov’s hand lands on my shoulder. “It’s okay. Quinn and I will find him tonight.”He takes a deep breath as if his next words are also difficult for him to admit. “You can count on us and focus on something else.” Lokhov points down, towards the right edge of the dance floor below. “You can decide what you want to do about that.”
It takes a second to see her.
When I do, I think I’m dying.
My chest starts to burn as if I’ve been hit and can’t function properly. It’s all I can do to act natural, like my knees aren’t about to hit the ground. My fist comes up, rubbing my chest. I swear to God, the air in my lungs is gone. It’s left, all stolen by Sonya.
She’s wearing this sexy, slinky, completely unique black dress. It’s gorgeous.She’sgorgeous. The most wildly beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, in ways I don’t have words to explain. Anything I say will always be an understatement.
All I know is I have to go to her.
Then I see that she’s talking to someone else.
