Page 118 of Graves

“So? Is that too long to be around me?”

He clears his throat, squares his shoulders, and faces me. “You’re the one who pushed me away. I really thought there was something between us, but I guess I was wrong. You can’t just act like nothing happened.”

“I honestly don’t know what your problem is,” I say. “It was clear from the start we were just having fun. If you want to turn it into something big… fine. I’m not interested in that shit anyway.”

Without blinking, I turn around and head home.

Maybe the drugs are still working, because for how complicated things have gotten with Koh, I feel way too good.

There’s a voice in the back of my head, but I shut it down. Showing vulnerability, worrying about Koh, or thinking about what Luke means is out of the question. The risk of breaking is too high.

24

—

Koh

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” I mutter in disbelief as I follow my brother across the parking lot toward the warehouse.

“You love me, Aniki, and I appreciate it. They keep speaking Japanese even when we’re standing right there. It’s rude as hell. That’s why I need you.”

“Have you already negotiated anything?”

“Pretty much, but after last Saturday nearly ended in bodies, we don’t have much choice but to go over it again.”

“Bodies?” I ask, horrified.

Levi stops in front of the door and sighs. “Damian and Nikos almost got killed.”

“What? When Olena sent them to the container depot?”

“Yeah. There was a shootout.”

“Are they okay?”

“Of course. They’re already inside waiting for us—along with the Japs.”

I roll my eyes. “As long as they haven’t killed each other yet.”

“Let’s hope not,” Levi replies, smirking as he opens the door. “They don’t know I’m bringing a translator, so try not to say anything at first.”

“That’s not how you build lasting relationships,” I murmur. “Besides, it’s pretty obvious I’m Asian. They’re not that stupid.”

We walk past a few shipping containers and reach an office. It’s been a while since I was last here, but I know plenty of illegal shit goes down in this place.

Levi knocks and steps inside.

I feel the tension in the room before I even close the door behind me. I’m also surprised by who’s present.

Right by the door, two steps away, Damian leans against the wall with his arms crossed, eyes dark like he’s plotting exactly how he’ll make his enemy suffer. In his black suit and with his dark hair falling deep over his forehead, he radiates a menacing aura.

If it’s true that Damian and Nikos nearly died last Saturday, I don’t even want to imagine how much he raged afterward.

A fire burns in Damian as hot as the Earth’s core. He’s a volcano that erupts under the right conditions and calming him down afterward is almost impossible.

I wonder who managed it.

Nikos, maybe?