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“If I send you my location, will you please come fetch me?”

“Girl, what’s going on?”

“Just come fetch me,” I say tightly, my head spinning.

“I’m on my way right now,” she replies, sounding worried.

My hands are shaking as I slide my phone back into my pocket and close my eyes as I lean against the wall. What is wrong with me? This is so strange.

Ulyana reaches me in twenty minutes, and she arrives with two bodyguards.

“You brought backup?” I smile weakly.

“I was really worried. What are you doing out here?” she says angrily.

“I got really dizzy and I panicked, but my car is just down the road. I don’t think it’s safe for me to drive, though.”

“Get in, we’ll drive there and one of the guards can drive it back for you.”

I’m so grateful for her help, and on the way home, the dizziness fades and my heartbeat slows. It must have been from panic. I don’t know what I was thinking, going into the back of that coffee shop alone.

Ulyana stops outside the entrance and narrows her eyes at me. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the door.”

“No, don’t be silly, I’m really fine now.”

“Shut up and get out,” she laughs.

We’re on the top step when Ulyana pulls me into a hug. “I’m so glad you called me. Don’t hesitate to call again if you need me, okay?”

“You needed help?” Nestor’s voice is low and full of concern. It makes me jump and spin towards him.

“It’s okay. She called me,” Ulyana smiles.

“But why didn’t you call me, Lara?” Nestor sounds upset.

“Oh-kay. I think that’s my cue. I’ll see you later, guys,” Ulyana says quickly, and practically runs back to her car.

“What happened?” Nestor demands.

I bite my lower lip and take a deep breath. “Can we talk inside?”

***

Nestor is furious. I mean, scary angry.

“What the hell were you thinking, following Miron? Do you have any idea what that man is capable of?” he shouts, the tendons in his neck taut and his eyes narrowed towards me with singular focus.

I’m sitting on the edge of the sofa, listening to his lecture, shaking my head.

“I was trying to help,” I say defensively.

“By getting yourself killed? How would that have helped anything?”

I’m watching him pace up and down, his fists clenched, his shoulders squared. I don’t recognize him.

And all I can think about is how he’s been avoiding me lately, and now I’ve made it worse by making him so angry that he looks like he hates me.

Chapter 21 - Nestor