“There has to be something I can do,” I said, “it’s so frustrating to be sitting here when everyone I love is in danger.”
“There is something…” he allowed. “I’m sure your brothers wouldn’t want you to put yourself in danger. But the families of some of the students there are likely involved. Is there anyone who’s aggressive toward you? Seems to hate you for no reason?”
My first thought is Mateo, though I suspect he’s just an equal-opportunity asshole. As for everyone else, it feels like the standard indifference. “I’ll keep an eye out. I haven’t had a chance to get to know anyone outside of my circle while I’ve been training so much.”
“This is a good time to put those spy skills to use, then,” he encouraged. “Just be careful.”
“I will,” I promise. “Are you all right, Lev?”
“Me?” He seems surprised. “Of course.”
“It feels like this has to be frustrating for you. You’re on the outskirts, not able to protect me directly, not able to help my brothers.” I hesitate. “I feel guilty, you should be protecting them.”
“I’m right where I’m supposed to be,” he says warmly. “You keep your focus on your studies, all right?”
“I will,” I promise. “Please stay safe.”
Currently…
After class, Mariya drags me into her suite.
“Tell me.” She has a tight grip on my arm and I’m pretty sure she’s ready to beat the information out of me if necessary.
“I… we…”
While I’m not promised in marriage like she is, we both know that Bratva princesses are expected to keep their virginity. Sucking in a deep breath, I meet her gaze. “We had sex. And it was amazing.”
Smiling tremulously, she said, “I’m happy and sad, if that makes sense. This is such a serious choice, Tati.”
“I know.” Sitting down on her bed, I pick up her ragged stuffed bunny by her pillow, gently straightening an ear. In many ways Mariya has far more life experience than I do, even if she's two years younger than I am and still took her stuffie to college. “This is one of the very few choices I’ve ever been allowed to make,” I said. “I wanted it to be with Lucca.”
“What if Roman makes an arrangement for you?” she said, her worry is clear and touching. It’s been a long time since I’ve had someone to talk to like this.
“If it happens, I’ll tell him the truth.”
“How do you think he’ll react?” Mariya asks.
“Honestly? I don’t know,” I admit. “My virginity, this thing- this relatively insignificant bit of tissue was still in my body. It still belonged to me. I decide who I give it to. So, they’ll have to live with it. If not being a virgin makes me unmarriageable, maybe I can help the Bratva as a spy.”
Studying my expression, she finally smiles. “You’re so confident in your decision. I’m happy for you.” Then, her grin turns sly. “So, it was amazing, eh? Tell me more! Does the inhumanly-sized man have an equally inhumanly-sized dick?”
“Bozhe moy, my god, woman! I’m not talking about his equipment!” I laugh, and she scoots closer to me on the bed.
“Oh, yes you will, moy drug, my friend and there will be details!” Mariya demands, laughing with me. “I must live vicariously through your sex life and I already know it must be spectacular, so talk to me! Besides, with the BDE Lucca radiates like a beacon of sin, I knew he had to be legendary in the sack.”
I’m laughing too hard to answer for a moment and she shoves me. “Tell me something! Anything!”
“I know I’m going to regret this but okay. One thing! One, and then you promise to change the subject?” I ask.
“It depends on how juicy it is,” she says unrepentantly.
I lean forward, blushing uncontrollably. “He’s got a piercing.”
“Get. Out!” she screams. “Where? What! Like a barbell, or-”
“I looked it up,” I said, “it’s called a reverse Prince Albert? It’s a silver ring on the top of his… you know.”
“You can say penis,” she says, rolling her eyes, “or dick, or cock, or whatever. But if you fucked it, you can say the word.”
“Shut up!” I’m laughing so hard that I’m wheezing, “Stop the dick talk, please!”
“Whose dick?”
Camilla is Mariya’s roommate and she bounces eagerly into the room. “Seriously, catch me up. Whose dick are we talking about?”
“One I saw in a porn video,” Mariya lies flawlessly, “we were wondering how a piercing would feel during sex.”
“Oh, s'il te plait, oh please! If you find a man with one of those, you’ve got a professional cocksmith in bed!” Camilla said. “I would let a man like that do anything he liked with me.”
“Except for butt sex,” Mariya says wisely, “you should definitely talk about butt sex first.”
I wonder if it’s possible to dislodge an internal organ from laughing too hard.
Chapter Seventeen
In which there are sexytimes.
Lucca…
“Welcome to your first challenge of the year, gentlemen.”
There was a not-so-quiet snort from the woman sitting next to me. Lauren Birch is the firstborn from a crime family settling into a position of power in southern California. She’s one of only six women in the Leaders program. I may have just transferred into this major but I can already tell every one of them is sick of the stubborn misogyny of teachers like Professor Fukumoto.
He ignores the provocation and continues. “You’ll pick a team of nine men. And… women,” he adds an afterthought. “They must be evenly selected from the other three divisions. You know I’m not allowed to give you advance notice of what to expect, but you will need students with qualities like strength, strategizing, and a strong knowledge of firearms.” He looks around the room before his gaze settles on me. “This challenge is a crucial part of your scores for the first semester here. You do not want to fail.”
“Who are you picking for your team?” Konstantin reaches over and takes half my sandwich.
“I’m not telling you, asshole!” I said, watching him bite into my lunch.
“Yeah,” he muses, mouth full. “It’s going to be hard to have to keep secrets from each other now that we’re both in the same major.”
“No problem, since I’ll never tell you a thing,” I said pleasantly, “who are you selecting for yours?”
“I was thinking maybe Tatiana,” he grins, “she’s a hell of a shot, right?”
“You know, there’s a high possibility that I’m going to punch you in the throat.” I smiled back, showing all my teeth.
“So wrong,” he said with faux shock, “so very, very wrong to hurt your best friend. We better get to it right after lunch, are you noticing that Mateo and Aleks are already making the rounds?”
He’s right. Mateo, that little bastard, is already heading across the room to Tatiana and Mariya’s table. Shoving my chair back, I get there seconds after he does.
“You can’t say no when you’re selected for a Leader’s team, bambina,” he leers at Tatiana, who looks mildly nauseated.
“She can when she’s already been selected,” I step in, interrupting her. “She agreed to be on my team right before lunch.”
“Is that right,” he sneers, looking her up and down but his gaze never getting higher than her breasts.
“Yes,” Tatiana says firmly.