Page 21 of Sadistic

"I know."

"Rev, baby, I'm so sorry. I fought so hard?—"

"I know you did." I lean closer to the screen. "This isn't your fault."

"Isn't it? I'm your mother. I'm supposed to protect you."

"You did protect us. You do. Every day." I force a smile. "I'm okay, Mom. Doran's... he's not what I expected."

"What do you mean?"

"He's giving me my own room until the wedding. Letting me finish school. He's... I think he’s trying to not make me hate him, maybe he’s traditional."

Mom's laugh is watery. "Traditional. A traditional Bratva prince. That's new."

"I'm going to be okay," I tell her, willing us both to believe it. "We're going to be okay."

"Take care of each other," she says. "That's all I ask. Take care of each other."

After she hangs up, we sit in silence.

Eira's moved on to decorating Dalla's nails with tiny stickers.

"We should get ready," Dalla says finally. "Face the music."

"Wait," Everly says. She disappears, returns with three items. "These are important."

She hands Dalla a small silver compass. "This was my grandmother's. She gave it to me when I married Regnor. Said it would always point me home."

To me, she gives a worn leather bracelet. "This was Dylan's. I kept it as a reminder that I survived him. Now it's a reminder that you'll survive too."

"Everly—"

"And this." She pulls off her own necklace, a simple chain with a small pendant. "Is mine. So we're all connected. All tangled up together like those roots."

We stand there, three women bound by circumstance and choice, exchanging jewelry like warriors who exchange weapons.

The rest of the afternoon passes too quickly. We pack, we plan, we pretend we're not terrified.

Regnor pulls me aside as we're loading the car.

"He's not Dylan," he says quietly. "Remember that. Doran Volkolv is dangerous in completely different ways."

"Meaning?"

"Dylan wanted to break Everly. Doran wants to own you. There's a difference."

"Is one better than the other?"

"Depends on how you play it." He hands me something—a small knife in an ankle holster. "Just in case."

"Regnor—"

"No one has to know. But you should never be without the option to protect yourself."

I strap it on under my jeans.

The weight is comforting.