Chapter 37 Nova
NOVA
The unease that had been swirling in my stomach when I noticed the imprints in the grass intensified when I entered the cool, still interior of the barrow. Someone has been here.
If I hadn’t seen the boot treads outside, I still would have been able to tell. The cushions were strewn around the tiny space, as if someone had been searching for something in a hurry. I didn’t keep anything important in here, so what had they been looking for?
Then I noticed that the metal box where I kept my art supplies was cracked open, my sketchpad lying on the floor instead of on top of the chest where I’d left it, torn and crumpled pages surrounding it.
A shiver ran down my spine, goosebumps erupting all over my arms. What if someone was still out there? It was all open, rolling hills around me, but someone could be watching me from a distance.
Why hadn’t I listened to my brother? After what had happened yesterday, I’d been so careful.
I’d only come here because I’d been certain it was safe and hidden; I needed my sanctuary after everything that had happened.
I needed time to process it all, to come to terms with the fact that I’d voluntarily stabbed a man, with no qualms, as soon as I’d seen Jay gaining on him.
I didn’t know what the man was capable of, and while rationally I knew Jay could handle himself, something inside me panicked, and I couldn’t just sit there.
I’d never have forgiven myself if anything had happened to him and I hadn’t even tried to do something.
Regardless, I shouldn’t have come here. Not when I knew it wasn’t safe. I didn’t even have my phone with me, and I’d given the burner phone back to Ryker when he’d dropped me off after Daniel had been taken to the clinic.
For the first time, I was truly scared. Gathering up the loose pages and grabbing my sketchpad, I left everything else as it was and made my way back up to the prison wall as quickly as I could.
When I was back inside and the library came into view, everything hit me at once. I stumbled inside on shaking legs, collapsing onto the closest seat. My breaths were coming hard and fast, and I buried my face in my folded arms in the futile hope that no one would see me this way.
“Nova.”
No. Anyone but him.
“Nova.” This time, Anton’s voice was commanding, and I had no choice but to raise my head to meet his gaze. I sucked in a shuddering breath, hiding my trembling hands beneath the table as I pasted on a smile. Every single one of my instincts was screaming to get away.
“Hi,” I whispered.
He stared down at me, his eyes narrowing. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Folding his arms over his chest, he held my gaze. “I will escort you to my game tonight.”
It wasn’t a request.
Fuck. No. No, no, no. “Um, thank you for the offer, but I have plans with Liana. I’ll see you at the rink, okay?” Forcing my legs to work, I rose to my feet and fled from the library, ignoring his calls after me.
Inside the safety of my room with the door locked behind me, I yanked my phone from its charger, hit the power button, and then threw myself onto the bed. I needed to text Liana so she could cover for me.
Before I could do that, a string of unread messages lit up my screen. I had two new threads, the first from my twin.
Ry:
Got confirmation guy was hired by one of the Volkovs’ underlings. Doesn’t know much other than that. Disposable goon
Meeting Dad & other syndicate members after the game with J and D. Be careful. Something big is going down
Don’t go anywhere alone. Keep someone else with you at all times. Stay away from the Volkovs. Act normal
Text me when you’ve seen this
I texted my brother back, assuring him I would take all necessary precautions, and then opened the message thread with Jay.
Jay:
DON’T GO ANYWHERE ALONE WITH ANTON OR VOLKOV SECURITY
I’m meeting the Thorpes tonight after our game. We’re taking the evidence to the syndicate and my dad tonight
Please stay safe
When I quickly tapped out a message to let him know I wouldn’t go anywhere with Anton or any of the Volkovs, he replied almost instantly.
Jay:
If you need me, just say the word. I don’t care about playing nice with the Volkovs anymore. Not after yesterday
Me:
Please don’t do anything rash. Let my dad handle it. I’m worried about you too you know
Jay:
Wish I could be there with you
Me:
Me too
My phone lit up again with another notification from my twin.
Ry:
Just spoke to Des and arranged for him to pick you up and take you to the game.
He’s got some stuff to do for Dad so he can’t hang around, but one of our security team will stay and take you to the manor after the game.
Dad won’t let you in the meeting but I’ll catch you up afterwards.
I don’t think anyone will ask you about Dan at the game, but if they do the official line is he’s down with flu
Me:
OK. I’ll see you back at the manor tonight
Ry:
We’ll be there as quick as we can. Keep your fingers crossed that me and J can act normal with all this shit going on. We don’t want the Volkovs getting wind of it before we’ve had a chance to talk to Dad
Me:
You can do it. I’ll see you after the game. I’ll be sitting with Vesper. BTW if you see Anton, I told him I had plans with Liana
Ry:
Got it. Stay safe. Keep your phone charged
Me:
I will. Love you. Stay safe too
I exited out of the chat but paused, thinking. I should tell someone about the barrow, and Jay was the only one who was aware of its existence.
Me:
Someone was in the barrow earlier. I don’t know who or why but they were looking for something. I don’t have anything important there so I have no idea what they would be looking for
My phone rang almost instantly, and I lay back on my bed, accepting the call.
“Someone was in the barrow? Are you okay?”
The clear concern in Jay’s voice was such a juxtaposition with Anton’s cold, impersonal tone that it brought an instant lump to my throat.
“I’m… No, I’m not,” I said honestly. “But I will be. I’m going to stay in my room now until Des comes to pick me up for the game.”
He sighed. “I wish I was there with you.”
Me too. But I couldn’t say it aloud. “I’ll be okay, I promise. I won’t go anywhere until I know it’s safe. Please don’t worry about me. Just concentrate on the game, and I’ll see you after the meeting if I can.”
“Fuck the game,” he said roughly. “I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you. You’re the only thing that matters to me.”
“You matter to me too,” I whispered. I knew I shouldn’t have said those words, but I wanted him to know.
“What’s with all the secrecy?” Liana immediately asked when I’d let her into my room and locked the door behind us.
I gave her a quick rundown of the events of the previous day, leaving out what had happened at the barrow.
I couldn’t let myself think about how my private space had been violated, and I still had no idea what they were even looking for.
Every time it crossed my mind, nausea rose in my stomach, and I couldn’t allow it to take hold.
I had to get through the rest of today, get to the manor, and find out what the hell was going on.
“Wow.” Shuffling closer to me on the bed, she wrapped her arm around my waist. “My girl is badass. I can’t believe you stabbed someone. Well…actually, I can. I always knew you had it in you.”
A smile tugged at my lips. “Thanks? I think? It still feels like a weird dream. I just reacted in the moment.”
“You did a good job. How’s Dan now? Have you spoken to him?”
“Jay’s dad said he’d be fine last night, but I haven’t spoken to him myself.”
She jumped to her feet, heading over to the small shoulder bag she’d dumped on my desk. Taking out her phone, she tapped at the screen, and a few moments later, ringing sounded from the speaker.
“Daniel,” she said as soon as the call connected.
“My favourite Lazovsky. What did I do to be granted the pleasure of your beautiful voice?”
Liana rolled her eyes, flopping back down next to me. “I’m here with Nova, and she told me what happened yesterday.”
“Oh… Are you calling to offer to nurse me back to health? That position has already been filled…although I could make an exception for you.”
“Ugh. I don’t want to hear about whatever poor woman you’ve coerced into waiting on you hand and foot. Be serious for a minute. I just wanted to see if you were okay. Do you need anything?”
Daniel exhaled loudly through the speaker.
“Yeah, I’m okay. Got a fucking massive lump on my head, but all I can do is wait for it to go down a bit.
There was no way I could put a helmet over the top of it, so I told your dad I’m down with the flu.
Keep the story straight if he asks you about me, yeah? ”
“There is no danger of my dad asking me anything about you. Ever,” Liana said drily. “I’m glad you’re okay, though. If you do need anything, text me.”
“Or me,” I added. “Dan…thanks for everything you did yesterday. If you hadn’t managed to get rid of one of their bikes and sabotage that one I stopped… I don’t want to think about what might have happened, but I know the situation would be a lot worse.”
“I did what I had to. I just wish I’d managed to stab one of the fuckers. You and Jay got to have all the fun.”
“Not sure I’d call it fun,” I murmured. “Anyway, thank you. I’m glad you’re okay.”
Tuning out as he flirted with Liana, I stood, crossing to my desk and opening the top drawer. Something had occurred to me.
The sketchpad I’d left in the barrow was identical to several others I kept in my room. I always bought the same brand.
What if the thing they’d been looking for was in one of my other sketchpads?
I opened the top one, flipping through it until I reached my latest set of drawings.
They were all of Jay.