Page 89 of Dance of Defiance

“Your level of meaningless, empty sex with strangers,” Bane says dryly.

“See? You’re learning already,” Laz grins.

“And yet, here you are…”

Laz scowls, jerking a thumb at Evie. “Because I’m a chivalrous fucker,dick.”

“Sure,” Bane snickers.

Laz shrugs and leans back in his seat, his fingers laced behind his head. “For the record, I’ve got some irons in the fire.”

Bane chuckles. ”You have avividimagination?—”

“No, since you’re so interested,” Laz mutters, “I’ve been eying that punk chick who dances with Evelina. The blonde with the pink streaks? Dove Marchetti?”

Without warning, the car screeches violently to a stop at a red light. I brace Evelina and myself in time, but Laz goes flying forward, barely catching himself before he slams his face into the dashboard.

“Dude!” he roars, whirling on Bane. “The fuck, man?! Watch the fucking face!”

I'm about to tell Bane to pay the fuck attention. But then I see the dark, livid look on his face and the viciousness snarling behind his eyes, and I reconsider.

“Yo, Antonov,” I growl quietly, trying to catch his attention in the rearview mirror. “You good?”

“Light changed faster than I thought,” he growls, looking dead ahead.

“Well, watch the fucking road. Jesus,” Laz sighs, rolling his neck. “Anyway, Dove.Greatass. And that mouth?” He groans. “Fuckingmadefor sucking?—”

The car lurches forward, slamming Laz back into his seat.

“Motherfucker! Theroad!”

Bane and Lazare still bickering about God-knows-what as they drive away after dropping a now-sleeping Evie and me off at our father’s house. The guards out front are visibly concerned about my sister’s condition, but I tell them she’s just tired as I lift her into my arms and carry her inside.

“What the hell happened?” Stepan frowns, standing quickly from his seat on the couch. He closes his laptop and rushes over to where I’m paused mid-step on my way past the library—Stepan’s “office space” of choice here at the house.

“She’s fine,” I grunt. “Just tired.”

Stepan’s brow furrows. “I can smell the alcohol and vomit from here. What the fuck happened?”

“Step, it’s seriously nothing. She just drank too much.” My eyes shift. “My father?—”

“—doesn’t need to know, got it,” Stepan says with a small smile.

“Thanks,” I mutter.

“He’s not here, anyway. He’s with Mr. Antonov at the safe house.”

I nod my chin at the stairs. “I’m going to put her to bed.”

Stepan smiles. “You’re a good brother, Roman.”

Upstairs, I get a semi-conscious Evie to at least gargle some mouthwash. I’mnotchanging my own sister into a nightgownor pj's, though, so I start to tuck her into bed in her club dress before she groggily opens her eyes.

“Rome…?”

“I’m here,” I smile down at her. “You’re home safe. Just close your eyes.”

“I…” she frowns, her eyes falling shut. “I puked on you.”