“I still hate you. I can’t believe I sacrificed my freedom for you last week.”
“Seven.” I tilt my head. “And what do you mean, you sacrificed your freedom?”
“Did you really think Kill, Niko, and Gaz let you leave out of the goodness of their hearts?”
I narrow my eyes. “Don’t use nicknames. They have names.”
“Oh, please. Besides, that’s not the point. It’s that they thought you burned the mansion, and you were the most likely candidate, too, considering your closeness with the Elites, so to deflect the blame, I told them you were with me all night long. Naturally, Jeremy found out and put me on house and campus arrest.”
I place the utensils and the container on the ground. When I woke up back at the Elites’ mansion, Remi was being hyper, calling me his favorite spawn and asking me not to worry him anymore.
He also said that they got a call from the Heathens to come fetch me, so I thought Nikolai realized he’d made a mistake by knocking me out and they decided to let me go. Never would I have believed that Annika had something to do with it. The good girl Annika. The ‘conflict is evil’ Annika.
No shit, I actually heard her tell Ava that exact sentence once. Conflict is evil and should be avoided at all costs.
I thought Jeremy tightened the security around her and stopped her from coming to REU’s dorm due to worrying about her safety.
Turns out, he was specifically keeping her away from me.
“Why are you only telling me this now?”
She throws a hand in the air. “I didn’t think it was important.”
“It is. Didn’t I warn you against putting yourself in danger? I could’ve dealt with your brother.”
“And when would you have done that? Before or after the Heathens beat you to a pulp?”
“Doesn’t matter. I mean it, Annika. Stop sacrificing yourself for others. No one is worth it, me included.”
“I get to decide that, not you.”
“Annika,” I warn.
“Eight? Whatever.”
“Make it a nine.”
She releases a frustrated breath, but she eyes me with that innocence again. “Did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Burn the mansion?”
“You think I did?”
“I don’t know what to think. You have a history of arson at the Heathens’ compound. Why did you do that, by the way?”
“Nothing you need to know about.”
“Then how about showing up in my room? I think I have the right to know why you showed up there of all places.”
“I was trying to find an escape.” And I could’ve used any balcony, but I subconsciously jumped into hers.
It was easier to spot considering the purple cushions and girly Plushies in the patio.
Back then, I wasn’t sure why I made that snap decision to get into her balcony, but now I do.
Even when I thought I had absolutely no interest in Annika Volkov and her annoying, chattering presence, I still looked for her when she wasn’t around. I never voiced it aloud, but I noticed when she wasn’t there.
Despite myself.
Back then, she didn’t come to the girls’ apartment for three days and was confined to her brother’s mansion.
And a part of me wanted to see her.
Her shoulders drop at my answer, but she says, “Is that what the second fire was all about? You couldn’t finish the job with the annex so you decided to widen your scope?”
“And risk your life in the process?”
“Small sacrifices for the greater good, right?” Her whole body goes rigid and her fingers tremble. She doesn’t want to believe her words even as she says them.
“If that’s what you think, we’re done here.” I get up.
Annika jumps up with me and grabs my arm. “Is it true?”
“I don’t know. You tell me. Do you believe I would hurt you, then save you and your brother?”
She remains silent.
“Do you fucking believe that, Annika?”
“No,” she lets out in a small murmur. “But I want to hear it from you.”
“I would never hurt you.”
A long breath rushes out of her, and the light slowly returns to her eyes. She smiles a little and stands in front of me, close enough that I’m dwarfing her. “Outside of sex, you mean.”
“Outside of sex, brat.”
“What if it gets to be too much and I really can’t take it anymore? What do I do then?”
“Pick a word and say it. I’ll stop.”