Page 101 of Savage Empire

“No apology because you added another word after your obnoxious nickname for me and for all I know it’s vulgar.”

I chuckle, tilting my head down at her. “Selvaticameans feral, and I think it fits you perfectly.”

Rayna huffs, crossing her arms. “If I apologize for assuming, will you leave?”

“It’s all right,” I say slyly. “What kind of fiancé would I be if I didn’t forgive you?”

She gasps, smacking my stomach with the back of her hand. “What if he heard you?”

My eyes roll as I turn to leave. “He didn’t. I’ll be back soon.”

“I won’t hold my breath,” she mutters.

“I need to talk to you.”

I look up from my desk, finding Leon staring down at me seriously. I hide my surprise with ease, not reacting to his unexpected visit. But I won’t deny my curiosity. When he left the hospital, I was under the impression that he would be going home to his territory. Instead, here he stands in my office with his hair disheveled and eyes almost cloudy.

He looks…defeated.

I set my pen down and tilt my head. “About?”

When he doesn’t answer, I sit up straighter, watching his unblinking expression closely.

“I’m leaving again for the hospital soon. Now would be the optimal time to speak, brother.”

Nostrils flaring, he takes in a measured breath, and his eyes drop to the floor.

“Rayna—” he begins.

My shoulders snap straight, all illusions of calm gone in an instant. “This is about Rayna?”

“Jumpy much?” Leon exhales, shaking his head with a frown. “Are you going to let me get a word in? I came to you instead of Dad, Apollo. I’d like to think you know how big of a deal that is for me.”

My hands flex under the desk, and my teeth grind. “The Todorovs are my responsibility. When something concerns either one of them, I tend to get touchy. Say what you need.”

Especially after today. Yordan is already hurt, I don’t think I can handle anymore bad news in regard to either of the siblings.

“Don’t flip out before I finish speaking,” he warns. “Rayna and I?—”

“There’s a ‘Rayna and I’now is there? What did the two of you get up to, exactly?” I bite out, interrupting again. The memory of Rayna hugging Leon—leapinginto his arms—hours ago plays on a demented loop in my head, taunting me. I suspected they’d become friends, but…“If you touched her?—”

“Jesus Christ, Apollo,” he groans out, wincing. He leans forward, hands resting on the top of the chair across from me, his shoulders turned in. “You’re making this harder than it already is. I’m trying to talk to you here and you’re acting like I’m some kind of villain. I’m your brother, remember? You always say you’re here for us. Has that changed?”

“No,” I reply, taking a beat. “It hasn’t.”

This is Leon, I remind myself. My first brother. No matter what he says, I can’t throttle him. If something happened with Rayna, I need to digest it reasonably.

“Start over,” I suggest, gesturing to the chair opposite mine. “Sit.”

Leon drops into the chair like he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. “This isn’t easy to explain.”

“Try.”

He sighs and then swallows. “Rayna’s my friend, you’ve noticed that. I know you have. We’ve bonded a bit, and become closer.”

“I’ve noticed.”

“Before Yordan got hurt, after his party we were cleaning up at the apartment. We were alone for a few hours. Dad had Leo.”