Infini by Krista Ritchie & Becca Ritchie

Author:Krista Ritchie & Becca Ritchie [Ritchie, Krista]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: K.B. Ritchie
Published: 2017-01-29T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

Sergei and I walk down the single aisle of red vinyl booths and a bar counter with retro stools. The diner is small and open-faced to the casino floor, so I easily spot my family in the back. And chances are, they’ve already spotted us.

Timo slides out of a circular corner booth, his effervescent grin on me. He used blue glitter to line the bottom of his eyes, and he pinned a tiny disco ball to his leather jacket. “We waited for you to order food,” he says as I greet him with a hug.

“Thanks, dude.” I slide in next to Kat.

She scoots a glass-bottled soda to me. “We got you a Fizz.”

I reach into my pocket and slyly hand her a packet of Starbursts. (Yeah, I have to do this beneath the table like it’s a drug deal. Nik lectures me every time I supply her candy because she’s prone to cavities.)

Timo takes a seat beside me—all without acknowledging Sergei, who loiters uncomfortably. An awkward second ticks by before he slips into the booth next to Nik. Knowing how much Sergei wants to mend things, I almost feel badly by the cold-shoulders.

Nik clears his throat, his terrible attempt at breaking the tension. “I ordered you water,” he tells Sergei.

In Russian, he replies, “Thank you.”

Now that they’re side-by-side, I realize Sergei looks young: clean-shaven, hair short. In contrast, Nikolai appears older: unshaven jaw, dark hair long enough to curl around his ears. Nik also sits like he has a stick up his ass.

I smile. It’s just who he is. Twenty-six going on seventy-five. Life aged him—we aged him. My lips falter, and I take a swig of Fizz and check my cell.

I miss Baylee.

With fire being added to her juggling act, the tempo change in mine, and Infini’s premiere in sight, we haven’t had time to see each other outside of the Masquerade. Not since Two Kings. We would be with each other more if we snuck around somewhere in the hotel, but it’s clearly more dangerous.

Which is why I asked her in text: you up for meeting in the hotel, krasavitsa?

It’s her choice, but it’s been a few hours and she still hasn’t replied.

I push the thoughts back.

Timo hums a song and taps his drink. He beams at me, and I drum the table to the tune. Kat clinks my bottle with a fork—

“Stop,” Nik says.

Timo sing-songs, “Someone sucks the fun out of everyone.”

I laugh with Kat, but the humor ends when Timo expels a resigned breath, giving into Nik’s request.

“What are we supposed to talk about?” Timo asks. “The weather?” He leans forward. “I heard it’s nighttime.” He wears real enthusiasm. “Such a revelation. Night.”

Sergei rolls his eyes.

“You don’t like the night?” Timo asks, his grin turning bitter. “That’s too bad.”

“Why?” Sergei says

Timo swings his head to me. “I own the night.”

Smiling, I put my arm around his shoulder and nod to him. “From two to five a.m.”

“Damn right.” He mimes grabbing a star from the sky.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.