Archer
“Have you heard the news?” Luca asks, looking smug. The kid is more annoying than me and that’s saying something. Ever since he started after Spring Break, he’s been driving most of the staff mad.
“What news?” I ask.
He smirks. “Adrik Volkov murdered Hernandez Estrada last night. The entire city of Chicago is in chaos.”
It feels like my body turns numb as that means Adrianna’s deal with them is over. And if anyone had any record of it, it may come back to bite her in the ass. “Why do you look so happy about that?” I ask, as it makes no sense. If the city is in chaos, it’s not good for the Sidorov family.
He runs a hand through his dark hair. “It means there’s an end in sight to the war.”
My brow furrows. “You are literally speaking in oxymorons. Chaos doesn’t bring an end to anything.”
Luca shakes his head. “Now that is where you are wrong.”
I sigh heavily, unsure whether I have the time or patience for this. My feelings for Adrianna have been consuming my every waking thought. I followed her and made sure that things didn’t go wrong with her father. Thankfully, she was wrong. They had a peaceful conversation and he left within thirty minutes.
“Did you hear me?” Luca asks.
I blink twice and shake my head. “Sorry, I was in my own world.”
He rolls his eyes. “Adrik Volkov has created enemy number one in Chicago, which means there are already talks of our family sitting down with the Callaghans and Volkov Bratva to broker a truce and work against Adrik.”
“So you mean it is going to unite you against the cartel?” I confirm.
Luca nods. “Yeah, and three against one is good odds.”
I don’t mention the fact that the Estrada Cartel is one of the most powerful in the world and neck and neck with the Vasquez Cartel, Adrianna’s family. The Sidorov family, Volkov Bratva, and Callaghan Clan may well be formidable opponents but not for the Estrada Cartel.
“How does it even work?”
“What work?” he asks.
“A Russian running the cartel’s operations in Chicago.”
Luca shakes his head. “Don’t ask me. I’m not sure Adrik is right in the head, to be honest. I doubt he’s hashed out the details.”
Bly comes into the staff room then, and I’m glad, as I am not interested in discussing Chicago mafia politics with Luca Sidorov. Especially not as it throws Adrianna’s chance of escape out of the window with Hernandez out of the picture.
———————
I stumble out of Bly’s cabin as drunk as hell, knowing that if I don’t speak to Adrianna, I’ll lose my mind. It’s been one week exactly since I told her I love her in bed. And we’ve just gone on as if nothing ever happened.
It’s hard to believe that Bly is actually dating a student, but right now, I can’t focus on that. All I can focus on is getting Adrianna to see reason. She belongs to me and I don’t just want her for this year. I want her indefinitely.
She wants a way out of her life with her family and I can offer her it here at the Academy with me.
Oak has hidden me from my family for enough years, which means he can hide her, too. I walk up the path from Bly’s cabin in the woods toward the lights surrounding the huge stone building I call home. Instead of heading to my apartment, I unlock the door onto the courtyard and make my way through the corridors toward the girl’s dormitories.
Once I get to Adrianna’s door, I try to stop myself from swaying and knock on it, waiting impatiently for her to answer.
The moment she opens the door, she tries to slam it in my face, but I block it with my foot and force it open. Even in my inebriated state, I’m still quick enough.
“You need to listen to me.”
Her nose wrinkles in disgust. “You are drunk.”
“And whose fault is that?”
Her brow furrows. “Not mine. You are the idiot that drank too much.”
I step inside and grab her throat. “You are the reason I’m drinking, Adrianna. I told you how I felt and you blew me off.”
“And?”
Pain claws at my chest as I stare into her eyes, wishing she weren’t so cold. “How can you say you feel nothing?”
She sets her hands on her hips. “How could I feel anything for a man who blackmailed me into sleeping with him?” There’s a glint of amusement in her eyes, as if she is enjoying my torment.
“You are as stubborn as a mule.”
Her brows furrow. “I think you are talking about yourself.”
I force my way into the room and slam the door behind me. “No, I’m talking about your stubborn instance that this means nothing to you, when clearly it means more than you let on.”
Her jaw works. “I can’t be dealing with this right now.” The way she says it, it’s clear something other than my turning up here frustrated her.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask.
Her brow furrows. “About what?”
“Whatever’s bothering you.”
She bites her lip before nodding and stepping to one side. “Yes, but only talk.”
I arch a brow suggestively before taking a step.
She puts her arm out in front of me to block my path. “I mean it. Talking only.”
I hold my hands up. “Okay, you got it.”
And then she lets me into her room, glancing each direction of the corridor before shutting the door.
“What’s up, baby?”
She grits her teeth together. “It’s getting close to graduation.”
“And?”
She releases a shaky breath. “And my father says he is going to attend, which means I need a clever plan to slip away before he can take me.”
I smirk, as she should have come to me with this sooner. “I’ll get you out.”
“No, I can’t rely on anyone but myself.”
I walk toward her and cup her cheek gently in my hand. “You can keep telling yourself that, but the truth is you can rely on me.”
She looks up into my eyes. “How can I rely on a man who blackmailed me?”
“I’m telling you that you can rely on me. Why the fuck would I screw you over?”
Her lips purse together. “I don’t know.”