“She looks fine,” he says to Larissa, not meeting my eyes. His phone rings again, and he curses, taking the call and stalking out of the room.
Larissa must note my hurt, because she puts an arm around my shoulder and whispers in my ear, “He’s just concerned. Don’t think too much of it. He hates the idea of you being put into danger.”
But no. There’s more to it than that, and I know it. When we get into the hall, some of Demyan’s men, the ones who brought us to the compound the night before, wait for me.
“Abram is in place,” one of the men says to Stefan.
“He your mole?”
“Yes. He’ll help swap out your woman with the other.”
Your woman. As if. I want to roll my eyes and stomp my foot. I hate that I don’t know where I stand with him. Demyan enters the room and walks to Larissa. Without a word, he draws her to him and kisses her.
“All well, my love?”
“Yes,” she says, taking his hand. “She’s ready.”
Their brief gestures make me feel bereft without Stefan’s support. I want to know that he cares. His aloof attitude makes my heart ache. But I have a job to do.
I get into the car that waits, Demyan’s men joining me.
“I’m going, too,” Stefan says.
“Bad idea, brother,” Demyan warns. “If anyone sees you, you’ll draw suspicion.”
“I’ll make sure no one sees me.”
“And I don’t need his help anyway,” I interject. “I’m totally fine not having his help.” I don’t miss the way his eyes widen in surprise then narrow. He’s not happy with me at all.
“Like hell you are,” he says. “Are you out of your mind? I’m going.”
Demyan holds up his hands in resignation, and I huff out an angry breath. He slides in beside me and slams the door.
“Go,” he orders the driver, then he turns to me once we take off. “What the fuck was that about?”
“What?” I say, turning away from him. I don’t look at him, because a lump has risen in my throat and I don’t want to cry.
“What?” he repeats. Trees whiz by our windows as we speed toward the Thieves location. “What? The sudden ice show,” he says. “You’re freezing me out. Why? What the hell is your problem?”
“I don’t have a problem,” I say through gritted teeth. “Seems like you’re the one with the problem.”
Asshole.
“My problem is there isn’t enough space in the back of this car to haul you over my lap and spank the truth out of you,” he growls.
I roll my eyes. “Naturally.”
He grips my leg and squeezes it. “Taara, you talk to me.” But I don’t know what to tell him. I want his attention? I want some affection from him? I’m sick of wondering if I matter to him at all? I’m questioning why I ever let myself fall for him in the first place?
And even if everything was just peachy, where does this leave us? If we take down our rivals like we’re planning. How will his group ever welcome me as one of their own? I shake my head. There’s so much to say, that I don’t say anything at all. It pisses him off, but I’m almost beyond caring.
Almost. My heart aches. I long to lie my head on his chest and let him comfort me. To feel his arms about me and know that I matter to him. But the time has been too short, his actions toward me inconsistent. And I can’t take the whiplash.
“We’re here,” one of the men says. Thank God.
“Stay here,” the guy in front says over his shoulder.
“You wait until Abram gets you,” Demyan insists. “Do not get out of this car.”
I sigh and wait, until the door opens. “Come with me,” a man says.
“Are you Abram?”
He nods politely. “I am.”
He’s the one supposedly on the inside with the Thieves. “It’s lunchtime,” he explains in a hushed whisper. “Though it isn’t the safest place, lunchtime makes it easier to avoid notice. The surveillance is a bit more lax. And the girls are hidden in the back, so it will be easy enough to swap you.” He sighs. “It’s dark in there.”
I nod. I can feel the other men surround us, though they quickly make themselves scarce in the woods surrounding the compound. They’re here for one reason only, to be sure to protect me.
Though it’s still daytime, it’s dark where he takes me. Devoid of both artificial and natural light, he has to shine a flashlight beam from his phone just to see where we’re going. The air is heavy with anticipation, the stench of body odor permeating the air. My stomach clenches with nausea. This is the place where they take the women they sell for auction. It should come as no surprise to me how disgusting it is.