I’m not suggesting for a moment that Ilya’s a saint and is just waiting to forgive Demyan or pick up where they left off. But Demyan’s the one who lost his mind trying to protect me, and he has to make up the difference, to put in the work.
I know it won’t be as much as he thinks because Ilya will do what it takes to make things good with my brother for me.
But Demyan can stay in purgatory a little longer.
He sits then swears as his phone starts to buzz again, and this time he answers.
“What is it?” he says in Russian and puts his phone on speaker.
“I’ve got some reliable information for you,” Pavel says. “It’s from a snitch in Santo’s bratva.”
Demyan looks at me. “Go on.”
“Apparently, they’re going to target Antonio and Simonov with Ilya.”
Demyan’s eyes flash. I hold his gaze steady.
“And Melor?” my brother asks.
“They’re hoping to get him, too,” Pavel says. “But the snitch thought you’d be interested in the fact that Santo wanted to bring you down, too.”
Darkness settles over him. “I see?—”
“That’s not the part I thought you’d want to know. I know you and Santo don’t see eye to eye. But it seems Ilya threw a wrenchinto that. He demanded you be left out of it and not one person from our bratva be touched. Santo agreed.”
He thanks Pavel and ends the call.
I raise my brows at Demyan.
“See?” I say. “Even after everything you’ve said and done to push him away, he’s remained loyal.”
“And?” Demyan asks.
I sigh. “And he’sstillloyal. Isn’t that enough proof that Ilya’s the same guy who’s had your back for most of your life? That the friendship’s success or failure will be your choice. Ilya made his. Long ago.”
When he doesn’t answer, I close my eyes.
“Where is he anyway?” I ask.
“Erin spoke to him or left him a message,” he says. “She texted a while back and said he should be on his way, and that Albert’s good.”
“I miss them both.” I open my eyes. “Go wait in the lobby for Ilya, and don’t come back until you’ve worked things out with him.”
I breathe in, preparing myself for a fight, but Demyan just nods and leaves.
As silence settles over the room, I wait for my nerves to settle. They do a little, but it’s going to take more than sleep and tests and rest to make me better.
My brother and Ilya working their shit out is the only cure.
And I hope they do because I’m not sure how much more I can take.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
ILYA
I racetoward the doors of the hospital, like the world’s crashing down.
Inside this building, it is.
