Page 44 of Wreaking Havoc
Jay turned his attention to Kai again. “May I see your wings again?” he asked politely.
“No.”
“Okay.” Jay nodded amiably before tucking himself up against Alexei again. He was wearing a highlighter-yellow sweatshirt with a tie-dye heart on the chest. It was disconcertingly hideous.
Alexei wrapped an arm around Jay’s shoulder and stared at Sascha, an unreadable look on his face. “That one said you were dying,” he said, his eyes darting to Kai and back again.
“I just had the flu. He misunderstood.”
Alexei’s lips twitched just the slightest bit. “So you really did summon a demon by accident?”
Did he think it wasfunny? After dismissing Sascha’s phone call and treating him like a child? Sascha sniffed, crossing his arms. “I told you, didn’t I?”
“Right. Guess you wouldn’t call one on purpose.” Now Alexei did smile. “Unless you were looking for a shopping buddy?”
It wasn’t an unfair assessment. When they’d both still been in New York, Sascha had spent the majority of his time shopping or club-hopping. Alexei had even joined him every now and then. Still, Sascha couldn’t hide his wince. Frivolous, spoiled Sascha.
Kai’s fingers twitched on his shoulder. “He needs me to find the ones who had him stabbed,” he said coolly.
Well, shit.
The color drained from Alexei’s face. “What?” He rose from his seat. “You werestabbed? Where? Show me.”
Sascha held up a hand, but it landed on Kai’s back. He’d blocked Sascha again. Sascha pushed impatiently at his hip until the big lug stepped aside. “It’s fine, Alexei. It’s all good. Kai healed me. I don’t even have a scar anymore.”
Alexei looked no less stricken, although he hadn’t come any closer. Jay was hanging onto his hand, keeping him from getting in Kai’s face. “Why didn’t youcallme? I would have come.”
“I know,” Sascha said firmly. “I know you would have. But Ivan said not to.”
Alexei’s face turned thunderous. “Fucking Ivan.”
Sascha shrugged. It was a familiar refrain between the two of them. “I didn’t want to give him any reason to hurt you.” He cocked his head. “Canyou be hurt now?”
It was Jay who answered. “Not for long.” He looked earnestly at Sascha. “So if you’re stabbed again, please call.”
Kai cut in, his voice harsh. “He won’t be stabbed again.”
Alexei gave him an appraising look. “You’re going to find them?”
“Yes.”
“Kill them?’
“Yes.”
“Good.” Alexei sat back on the couch, some of the tension in the room finally dissipating. He sighed heavily. “Ivan was supposed to be protecting you.”
Sascha shrugged. “Well, he pissed someone off. He’s been more careless than usual.”
“He’s not over it yet?”
Sascha knew the “it” Alexei referred to. Alexei leaving. Alexei costing Ivan millions. Alexei thwarting Ivan’s plans and his iron grip over all of them.
Now it was Sascha’s turn to sigh. “Are any of us over any of it?” He could only hope Alexei knew the “it”hereferred to. Their father. Their childhood. The violence in their blood.
“Do you have a lot to get over?” Alexei asked him, not unkindly. “You were away for most of it.”
And there was Kai growling again. “Are you that oblivious? Your brother is not without trauma.”
