Page 85 of Daniil
“He’s been a lot more serious lately,” Lennox adds.“Like he has something on his mind.”
“You think it has anything to do with me?”I ask worriedly.
“No, but there’s no way to be sure.I’ll mention it to Sandor, see if he’s noticed anything.”
“I don’t want to cause trouble,” I say quickly.
“Youaren’t the one causing trouble,” Elen says.“I’ll skin him alive if he tries to come between you!I mean, he never had a problem with Daniil and Eddie or any of his other girlfriends.”
I wince.
I hadn’t realized Eddie was someone Daniil actually hooked up with, but Elen spots someone she recognizes and excuses herself to go say hello.
“You okay?”Lennox asks softly once Elen is gone.
“Yeah.I just have a lot to think about.”
“Don’t worry about Jesper.Or Eddie.Neither of them is competition, even if Jesper is having some kind of jealous episode.Daniil has had years to be with either of them and chose not to—you’re the only one in his life.”
“It’s more about Micah’s safety than anything else.”
“The danger isn’t as acute as you think it is,” she says, her gaze pensive.“I know you saw something traumatic.Leaving me behind that day…I understand how that must have made you feel.But bad things happen all the time.And as we already discussed, I could give you a dozen examples of ways you and Micah will be safer here than back in the U.S., but at the end of the day, it boils down to how much you’re willing to risk to be with a man you love.You said it’s too soon to know, but I knew the first time Sandor kissed me.And I think you know too—you’re just afraid to admit it.”
“There isn’t much that scares me,” I say after a moment.“But loving a man like Daniil?It’s terrifying.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s royalty.Because he and Jesper had two children and he didn’t think twice about walking away from them once the marriage ended even though he said that’s what Jesper wanted.I know some of it is my own insecurity, but when it’s all said and done, I don’t want him to change into the man hethinksI need him to be just so he can be a part of Micah’s life.That’s the last thing I want.”
“Thentell him,” Lennox says firmly.“Everything you just told me.”
“Once I tell him how I feel, there won’t be any turning back.”
“Find out how he feels first,” she whispers.“Once he bares his soul to you, you won’t want to turn back.Trust me.”
I can only hope she’s right.
Chapter35
Daniil
The next weekis a huge pain in my ass.I spend mornings with Micah and late nights with Courtney, but most of my day is spent either working on revisions for the pipeline bill and trying to figure out what else might be going on behind the scenes.It’s strange how reluctant some members of Parliament are to do something that has so much potential to bring economic stability to our country.
The excuses are ridiculous.
Türkiye shouldn’t getanyof our oil profits, much less forty percent.
When I counter by asking who’ll pay for the pipeline, the most common response is: the royal family.
It’s frustrating feeling like there’s someone—or a group of some kind—working against us.
And when I find out who it is, I’ll make sure they go to prison for the rest of their lives.
“There’s definitely something going on,” Erik says in a closed-door meeting between him, Sandor, and me.“An old CIA colleague of mine is trying to find out what’s happening, but the rumblings are always the same.Bojovnik Bratthis, possible rebellion that, the same bullshit.”
“I don’t have time for another god damn revolution,” I snap.“I’m getting too old for this shit.”
“You’re getting old?”Sandor arches a brow.“I’m older than you.”
