LEVIN
Ijogged across campus to Dom’s room. Bianca had split and hadn’t even bothered to tell me where the hell she was going. Not that she would. She liked to piss me off like that. I knew she was upset about Celeste talking to me, but she needed to understand it was just business.
We’d been trying to find an in with her old man to secure a large supply of weapons and had been unsuccessful so far. Celeste approaching and showing interest in me and Vincent was a sure-fire way to slide our asses into her old man’s good graces and get the deal I knew the Ivanovs were sniffing for.
When I reached Dom’s door, I knocked and got no answer. I pounded on it, not wanting to burst in. When no one answered again, I sighed and pulled out the key. It was empty of people, but Bianca’s stuff was everywhere. Seeing how seriously Dom was taking this made me sick deep in my soul. Stealing moments alone with Bianca would not be happening with her living with him. I loved Dom, but fuck was he irritating.
This whole moving thing must have been what he’d been talking to her about. I’d seen the angry look on her face when he'd approached her earlier. The little crease between her eyes. The pout to her lips. The way her shoulders had tensed.
None of that mattered though. She wasn’t here, which meant I’d fucked up and lost her. Again. I slammed Dom’s door shut and fired a message off to Vincent.
Me: Have you seen Bianca?
He answered seconds later.
Vincent: Don’t tell me you lost her. Find her before we get back. We’re going to see Snoopy.
I frowned at his message. Who the fuck is Snoopy?
I didn’t have time to dwell on it. I pulled Bianca’s number up on my phone and hit talk. It went straight to voicemail. Snarling, I ended the call and stuffed my phone into my pocket before heading off in the direction of her dorm. It was as good a guess as any, but I couldn’t get the niggling thought out of my mind that she’d gone somewhere to meet up with Fallon.
Part of me wanted it to be true so we could finally just kill him. But another part of me prayed it wasn't true because it would hurt too damn much if she was kissing and touching him in a dark corner. Again.
I shook the thought off, hating how it made my chest ache. I was done dealing with her shit. She wanted to hate me, then fine. I wasn’t going to kiss her ass. If she couldn’t see how much I cared by sticking my neck out for her, then whatever. I’d move the fuck on.
At least that was what I kept telling myself in an attempt to dull the pain I felt over her withdrawing from me. It didn't matter that I'd earned it from her though.
I bounded up the stairs to her room and banged on her door. When she didn’t answer, I inserted the key and threw the door open to find her curled up in a ball on her bed, weeping softly.
Relief flooded me before concern took the wheel. I hated that I fucking cared so much. It didn’t make sense since she hated me regardless of anything good I did.
I shut the door softly and shuffled to the side of her bed, staring down at her.
Clearing my throat, I said, “You’re supposed to be in Dom’s room.”
She remained silent except for her soft sniffles.
“Bianca, we need to go. Dom will be back soon. If we’re not there, he’ll get pissed. I don’t feel like dealing with a pissed-off mob prince.”
When she didn’t react, I sighed and sank down beside her.
“What can I do?” The question had so many meanings to it. How do I make this right? How do I earn your forgiveness? Do you even give a shit anymore? How do I get you to smile again?
She sniffled for a moment longer before sitting up.
“Nothing,” she finally whispered.
“You’re not OK. Talk to me,” I said, hating the desperate tone in my voice.
“There’s nothing to say. You’re right. I have to return to Dominic’s before he gets back. I have to be the good, little wife and do as I’m told.”
“Bianca—”
“It’s fine, Levin. You don’t have to fake it with me. I haven't forgotten what you said to me at the dance.”
“I was trying to get you to run,” I said sharply. “I didn’t mean that shit.”
She shrugged listlessly. “Doesn’t matter, I guess. I listened in a way. The only problem was you guys decided to chase me down and shoot at us before putting me on my knees in the woods to murder me.”
“When we were chasing you down, you weren’t the target. We were trying to get you back from the prick who stole you from us.”
“I was still a target because my heart would’ve been shattered if you’d killed him. You put me in danger with your anger. And even after firing at the car, you held a gun to my head,” she choked out.
“I didn’t pull the fucking trigger, did I?”
She wiped her eyes. “No. I guess you didn’t. The idea of torturing me must have been far more appealing.”
“How the hell am I torturing you?” I demanded. “What am I doing to you that’s so fucking bad, Bianca? Tell me. I want to know.”
“Nothing.” She stood and grabbed the pink throw blanket she’d been lying with before going into her bathroom and rifling around in her cupboards.
I got up and leaned against the doorframe, watching her as she slammed cabinet doors.
“I told you how I felt about that shit in the woods. I didn’t want you to die. Please fucking believe that. If I did, you wouldn’t be slamming doors and acting like a spoiled brat right now.”
“Spoiled? Me? Spoiled?” She approached and shoved me hard in the chest, sending me off the doorframe. “Go to hell, Levin. The last thing I am is spoiled. Trapped. Broken. Angry. Pissed off at you and your merry band of assholes…those are things I am. Not fucking spoiled!” her voice rose as she glared up at me, her chest heaving.
“What do you want me to do? I already asked, but you ignored me. How the fuck can I fix anything if you won’t tell me?”
“You don’t need to fix anything. Unless maybe you can go back in time and finish the job because then you could sit around and flirt in the courtyard with some bitch who has guns up her skirt.”
I stared at her in disbelief. “You’re jealous.”