46. DMITRI

46

DMITRI

My arm stops her from passing me in the kitchen. I have her by the waist. Maybe my approach should be softer, but I need to know. "What's wrong?"

She wouldn't tell me what was wrong last night. And now it's morning.

Kavi shakes her head.

"I'll fix it." Point me in the direction. Set me loose. Tell me what to do.

"Nothing for you to fix, I promise," she whispers, before pulling away. "Just—I have to go. Read an email."

I follow—but the door to her room locks behind her.

Detouring, I go to the home gym.

An hour later, my clothes are plastered on me. My knuckles complain from going at the punching bag the whole time. I wipe myself down with a towel, then do something I never thought I would. If you had asked me before, I'd say nothing could have driven me to this. I would have rather gotten tortured.

But she's sad.

And she won't tell me why.

Another hour later, he's at the door.

"Have you called me to confess your undying love?" Hughes holds a furry muppet. "Too bad I love pussy too much to give it up."

"How do women let you near them?" I genuinely wonder.

"I'm hot," says Hughes, as if the answer is obvious.

"What is that?" I ask, pointing to the muppet.

"Diana. I couldn't leave her behind."

The thing moves. It's breathing. "But what is it?

"A cat." Hughes whistles. Behind him, a chocolate Labrador rushes inside, his tail wagging.

I go on my knees. The adorable puppy drools all over me, and then shoots past me to the living room.

"He's staying with me until we can find him a permanent foster home," Hughes explains as we watch him pick up speed, yipping and running into my couches.

"What's his name?"

"Mayo Benedict."

"Seriously?"

"Mayo for short."

We watch as he sinks his teeth into a pillow. Hughes moves to stop him from ripping it apart, but I block him.

That's because I hear it. The sound of a door opening.

Footsteps.

She's following the barking.

Kavi comes into the living room and squeals. Mayo lets go of the pillow and runs into her arms.

When Mayo licks her face, Kavi giggles.

The sound?—

Every muscle in my body goes lax.

Hughes goes wide-eyed. "Are you… smiling?"

I press my lips together.

"Fuck, you were!"

"Any chance you'll leave?"

"Not a chance. Me and the pets roll together."

Kavi lifts her head. "Oh, hey. Sorry, I got distracted by?—"

"Mayo," supplies Hughes. He lifts the Lovecraftian creature he's holding up. "And this is Lady Diana. Isn't she adorable?"

The fur-ball hisses.

Kavi looks at me. Her eyes are puffy. She was crying earlier. Fuck no. I'm brutally tense again. I need to spend a lot more time with the punching bag.

"Poor D had no one who wanted her," continues Hughes. "I had to take her home. And we've been bonded ever since."

There's fur shedding on his sweater. "How many allergy pills are you on?" I ask, trying to distract myself from the leaded weight in my gut. She can't cry. I need to do something now.

"So many." Hughes brings the demon back to his shoulder, cradling it like a child. "I think she deserves a tour, since D has never been here before. I'm going to walk around."

I say, "Don't touch my shit," at the same time he coos to the creature that they should carve their initials into all my furniture.

"I never know if he's being serious or not," Kavi says to me after Hughes has left to wander.

I scratch Mayo under the chin. "With Hughes, assume the worst."

She gives me a mouth-pressed smile. "You are doing it, you know. Inviting him over totally counts as team building."

I did it for you.

"There's something else." She sighs. "Um, before I forget, I have to say this."

My muscles brace. Finally. She's going to tell me what's wrong.

Her eyes are on Mayo. "Dmitri, I'm really proud of you for inviting everyone over yesterday. I know it all started as a bet, but the team loves and respects you. It's obvious you've earned it with who you are as a person—and who you are as a man."

The words fight to sink in. "Proud?"

"Completely. I totally am."

I freeze. My whole body can't move, as if she's taken over all controls. And yet—why does it seem like I'm flying at the same time? With much effort, my hand rubs at my chest.

Kavi raises her eyes at me. "Oh. Sorry. You look?—"

Ruined.

"There's a lot of frowning," she stammers. "Have I broken you?"

Yes.

Mayo barks. He's sniffed out the tote bag I had delivered after Hughes agreed to come over. His nose nudges it open. Out comes an arsenal of dog toys.

I don't know who is more excited. Kavi or Mayo. They dive immediately into a game of ferocious catch. Mayo treats the living room like an obstacle course.

"He's doing parkour!" Kavi chases after him and I can't help but join in. We play-wrestle him, have him tag us, and then go after him. Mayo's tail is a blur in the air.

Time passes so easily. I can't say how long it's been. Kavi catches him again, bundling him up in her arms on the couch. She's petting Mayo, whose eyes are now closing. Pretty soon, his eyes flutter shut.

Kavi hugs him close, as if she desperately needs to.

"What is it?" I ask quietly. "Will you finally tell me what's wrong, Princess?"

There's an audible inhale. Slowly, she nods, closing her eyes, as if finally ready to face whatever is going on. Kavi won't meet my eyes, but speaks softly. I learn Smith guessed she's staying with me and told her parents. My fingers curl, the more she tells me.

Hughes approaches from behind, meets my eyes, and retreats, heading towards the gym. He's giving us privacy.

I ask Kavi if her parents have reached out. They have. Her dad sent her an email. It reminds her she didn't go to college.

"Why the fuck does that matter?" I snarl, unable to help myself. I swear and scrub my hand over my face. "Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. Go on."

She cuddles Mayo again, but her eyes are bigger. "He never thought I would become something, and that was fine because I had Tyler."

I absolutely don't get it. "Does your dad not realize how great you are?"

"He thinks I'm staying with you to play mind games on Tyler to get back at him." She glances down at her lap. "Or if it's not that, it's because you're rich like Tyler, so I moved in with you because you'll support me, especially if I don't plan on taking Tyler back." The corners of her mouth tighten. "He said he's hurt, because the obvious solution is to move back in with my parents instead. That I don't understand the position I'm putting him in."

"What position?" I'm being blunt. I need to temper my voice. "How is the fact that Smith cheated on you and then your landlord kicked you out about your dad?"

"He's under a lot of pressure to succeed as the first South Asian head coach. He's sacrificed a lot to get there."

"And you?" I demand to know. "Doesn't he want to know what you're going through?"

She laughs, a watery sound. "How would I answer? I moved here to figure out my life—Shouldn't I have figured something out?"

"You are."

"I have no real savings. If you kicked me out tomorrow–"

"I would never do that."

"It's not about trusting you," she croaks. "It's about me. My photography doesn't pay the bills?—"

"Message Tim." Stay.

Her brows pull down. "I will, but there's also another job. I got an email from them last night. It's… in Seattle."

My heart crawls into my throat. I have to go back to the punching bag.

"I've been fixing up my resume and applying for jobs," she admits. "Because that was the original plan. I didn't want to move back in with my parents, and I had to afford rent that wasn't subsidized and—well—" She glances at me.

"I'm not kicking you out." Ever.

"I know." Kavi's eyes soften on me.

"But?"

"Shouldn't I be jumping at this chance? The job in Seattle is full-time and permanent. It has benefits and pays well. Turns out all those times I've helped my dad and Tyler taught me a bunch of marketable skills as an admin assistant. I've gotten really good at it. The Seattle firm wants to interview me."

She strokes Mayo, lip quivering. "And if I get it, I won't need rescuing anymore. I'll become my own first responder. And sure, photography could work someday. But this job proves I can make it now. Because my dad is wrong." Her lip curls. "I didn't move in so you could support me. I want to make it on my own."

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

How can I argue with her growing confidence? How can I put myself in the middle of that? If I try to influence this decision, doesn't that make me as bad as Smith? As her parents?

Her hand reaches for mine. "Please don't tell me I'm wrong for thinking this way. I've been told that a lot. That I don't know what's best for me. I don't think I could handle it if you told me that."

"I won't. I could never. You're brilliant. Incredible. Absolutely amazing." And I'm losing it, imagining her living back in Seattle.

My words were scarcely proper sentences, but her eyes fill.

I'm about to pull her against me when Hughes returns.

"Sorry—" he interrupts. "But your assistant is messaging me, Lokhov. Pat needs to get in touch. She says it's an emergency."

I pull out my phone. It was on silent.

Hughes and Kavi ask me if everything is okay.

It's not.

It's my dad.