“OMG you’re totally blushing,” Davis noted, closing the small distance between us on the booth seat to peak at my phone. “Is it from Niko Hottie McBillionaire Ivanov?”
My stomach sank when Niko’s contact info popped up on my screen. Not Max.
Are we still on for this weekend? I can pick you up at six on Saturday.
“Okay, wait a minute,” Davis interjected, immediately reading my disappointment when he glanced from the text to my crestfallen expression. “Why do you look like you just bit into an actual lemon? Did Niko do something to piss you off?”
I pressed my lips together, holding in my suspicions that the Ivanovs had ties to the Bratva. I couldn’t stomach the prospect of seeing Niko again, not when I thought he might manage a hedge fund that was steeped in blood money. I still didn’t have clear answers about his family’s possible criminal ties, but I’d learned enough to make me feel sick at just the thought of the handsome billionaire.
Isabel leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table as her dark chocolate eyes studied my face. “Yeah, what’s up? You were kind of on the fence about Niko when we talked a few days ago. Has he done something to upset you?”
Charlie’s perfectly penciled brows drew together, and her sapphire gaze flashed. “You have enough douchebag energy to deal with in your life already. You’ve had to plaster on a smile for work every day with Gavin circling like a nasty shark. You finally don’t have to tolerate him anymore now that Mike fired his ass. If Niko is being douchey too, we’ll make sure to freeze him out at your dad’s next fundraiser.”
My heart warmed at my friends’ fierce protectiveness. I hadn’t told them yet about Gavin showing up to threaten me at my house last night or how Max had saved me again. Isabel had needed to blow off steam about her diva costar in her off-Broadway play, and Charlie was stressed after a hellish day at her Vogue internship. I’d spent way too much time talking about myself lately, and I was more than happy to support them instead of monopolizing the conversation with my problems.
Now, it seemed I couldn’t dodge their incisive questions. They could read my expressions too easily for me to brush off their concerns.
“I’m not interested in dating Niko,” I admitted. “He didn’t do anything wrong,” I added quickly before Davis could get indignant on my behalf.
His brows rose to his pale blond hair. “So, you’re saying I don’t have to throat punch New York’s most eligible billionaire?”
I huffed out a laugh, more of my tension draining away. It was impossible to be upset when I was surrounded by my amazing friends.
“No need to throat punch anyone,” I replied with a wry smile. “I’m just not interested in Niko.”
Charlie rested her delicate chin on her hand, her eyes intent on me. “He’s totally gorgeous, and it sounds like he was nice on your dates. What’s not to like?”
“Is he a bad kisser?” Davis prompted, always quick to dive into the juiciest details. “Sometimes hot guys are terrible at the physical stuff. They don’t have to put in any effort, so they’ve never learned.”
My cheeks warmed as I remembered his skillful mouth on mine. “No, he’s perfectly fine at kissing.”
Isabel tapped a red-lacquered fingernail against her pouty lips, considering. “Perfectly fine doesn’t sound great. You deserve to be totally swept off your feet, Allie. If Niko doesn’t do it for you, there’s no need to force it. Unless this is about the articles about the two of you showing up in the Times? Because if it is, I’d hate for you to give up on a relationship because of some nosey paparazzi.”
My shoulders tensed at the reminder. “No, it’s not that. But it will be a huge relief to not worry about any more invasive articles.”
Davis frowned at me. “If it’s not the articles and he’s not a terrible kisser, what’s wrong with him?”
I tried to picture Niko’s handsome face and come up with some plausible reason I was rejecting him, but all I could see were Max’s dark, hungry eyes.
“He isn’t Max,” I said before I could think better of it.
“Wait, are we talking about scary Max?” Davis insisted. “The angry guy who totally tried to grab you away from us outside the bar the other night?”
I shook my head. “He just looks kind of scary at first. He can’t help that he’s scarred.”
“Honey, I’m not worried about his scar,” Charlie said, her southern drawl soft with concern. “He had a seriously dangerous vibe. Like he was really possessive of you. That’s what we’re worried about.”
Possessive. It probably wasn’t healthy that the word thrilled me when it should’ve been unsettling.
“Oh my god, you’re totally falling for his bad boy thing,” Davis accused. “Don’t do it, Allie. Those guys always end up hurting you.”