Page 45

“Boys,” Tucker said quickly as Alexio’s voice began to rise. “Is this really the time or the place?”

Everyone froze, and the mood shifted to a bunch of scolded schoolboys.

After a second, Vanya clapped his hand over my shoulder. “Is okay. Alexio and I have to leave. But promise you call me, yes? Or text? Can send emoji?”

“You can send me whatever you want,” I told him quietly.

“Maybe not GIF.” He pronounced it “jif.”

I burst into laughter. It was mostly nerves, but also, it was that I liked him. “Sure. Probably notGIFs.”

He shook me gently, then let go, and I followed the trail of Brut as Alexio breezed past me. For a moment, I thought he was going to go without a fight, but then I heard his steps falter.

“What?” I snapped.

“Why are you here, Jonah?”

My brows shot up. “What the fuck do you mean? He’s my dad?”

“That never mattered before.”

“Dude,” Tucker said, his voice a low growl of warning.

“What? Is it a lie? You spend all this time giving zero fucks about what your dad’s going through, then suddenly, people are watching, so you?—”

I lunged. I didn’t really mean to. I didn’t even really think. The stress and anger and guilt were like a volatile cannon, and the fuse was lit. It exploded through my fists, and I made contact, though I wasn’t sure with what part of him. He grunted and tumbled back, and I lost my footing, landing on his chest.

His hands immediately went to my hips, like it was instinct.

I could smell his breath—coffee and something spiced, like cloves. He swallowed heavily, and the moment between us stretched out. I was too aware of the silence around us, everyone watching.

So I did the only thing I could think of.

I headbutted him.

“Ow! What thefuck!” His impossibly strong hands threw me, and I tumbled backward, entirely lost until Tucker’s hands gripped my arm and hauled me to my feet. “You motherfucker.”

I could hear Vanya cackling. “Is good move. Good aim for blind guy, yes?”

I was shaking as I swiped the back of my hand over my forehead. The fucker had a hard head. “Why are you still here?” I demanded. “I thought you had a meeting.”

Alexio’s voice trembled when he answered, “Fuck the meeting. Unlike everyone else in his fucking life, I actually give a shit about Peter, so I think I should stay.”

I deflated. All the energy drained out of me, and I suddenly realized I didn’t care. “Whatever. Fine. Just keep your mouth shut while I take care of this interview.”

Alexio said something as I turned and made my way back to my dad’s apartment, but I missed it over the drumming heartbeat in my ears.

Fuck, if it hadn’t been for the headbutt, I think I might actually be hard right now.

And that was a goddamn problem.