Kingmakers, Graduation

35. Sabrina

35

SAbrINA

A drik pulls into the driveway. I leap out of the car, storming toward the house.

A moment later I hear Jasper pulling in behind us, the tires of Adrik’s bike crunching over the loose gravel.

I spin around and march right back again, shouting, “Back me up, Jasper! Tell Adrik we need that product, you know I’m right!”

Jasper stops, still straddling the bike.

He gives me a look—half guilt and half apology—before saying, “What Adrik says goes.”

I could fucking kill him. After I just saved his ass! After he agreed with me this morning that we should get the deal done!

“This is what you want?” I sneer at Adrik. “A lapdog who agrees with everything you say? Even when he KNOWS it’s the wrong choice! But no one will call you out because they also know you’re a stubbo rn fucking DICTATOR who won’t listen to anyone but himself!”

“I should string you up by the ankles for what you did,” Adrik snarls, his voice low and vicious.

“You HUMILIATED me!” I scream back at him. “I made a deal, I gave my word, and you carried me out like a toddler! You think Kovalenko’s gonna keep that to himself? He’ll tell the whole fucking city! No one will respect me, because my own partner doesn’t!”

The memory of Adrik throwing me over his shoulder makes my whole body burn with a heat that’s painful, that feels like it’ll swallow me whole. I wish it fucking would. I’ve never been so embarrassed, or so hurt.

I see the tiniest flicker of shame on Adrik’s face—acknowledgment that what he did was wrong. But he won’t fucking say it, he won’t admit it or apologize.

I’m so tired of the lies. Tired of the bullshit.

I want the truth, once and for all.

Pointing my figure at Adrik I say, “Are you going to treat me as an equal or not?”

Adrik looks at me, his jaw flexing.

“I’m always going to do what I think is right. For all of us.”

“So that’s a no?”

“I’m not going to go against what I know is best for me and my men. ”

“THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT IN DUbrOVNIK!” I scream at him. “I was honest from you with you from the beginning! I told you exactly who I was and what I wanted! And you deceived me! You let me think things were going to be one way when I came out here and they’re not, they never have been!”

Adrik pauses. His jaw works, his narrow blue eyes little more than slits against the cold winter sun. In a quieter voice he says, “I had to have you—can you blame me?”

I wanted him to admit it, but now that he has, it only makes me angrier.

“I knew it! You fucking lied to me! You NEVER planned to make me your partner! You just said what you had to say to get me out here!”

“You wouldn’t come any other way. And it’s good—we’re doing great together!”

Adrik spreads his arms as if to indicate all we’ve achieved. It’s meaningless to me when I own none of it, when it all belongs to him.

“It’s good FOR YOU! You don’t care what I want! You don’t care what I feel! You think you’re smarter than me, stronger than me? You’re fucking NOT! If we went head-to-head you’d learn a thing or two about what I can do.”

Adrik tosses his head contemptuously.

“You wouldn’t last one day out there without me.”

“Fucking try me!”

“You’ll be crawling back here. ”

I think I loathe him in this moment. I look at his handsome face and all I see is a liar and manipulator who played on my emotions, who found my weaknesses and exploited every one.

“I wouldn’t come back to you if you crawled over broken glass to beg me. I’m promising you that Adrik … and unlike you, I never break my word.”

“Calm down,” he says. “You’re being ridiculous.”

I am a human torch of burning rage. Every word Adrik speaks is pure gasoline poured on the flames.

“I’m not gonna FUCKING calm down! It’s fucking OVER between us! Do you understand me? OVER! We’re not lovers, we’re not even friends!”

“Think about what you’re saying?—”

“I’m saying exactly what I feel—not like you, you fucking liar! I ALWAYS tell the truth. And I’m telling you we’re done.”

Adrik makes a scoffing sound. He really doesn’t think I’m serious.

He stands there, arms crossed over his broad chest, while I march into the house. He’s still standing there a minute later when I stomp back out with my backpack slung over my shoulder.

It’s not until I jump on my bike that he looks mildly concerned.

“Now don’t go roaring off in a tizzy?—”

He thinks I’m blowing off steam. He expects me to, at most, drive around an hour and then come back again.

Well, he’s gonna be waiting a long fucking time.

“Sabrina—” Adrik calls, while I rev the engine. “Wait?— ”

I’m already peeling out of the carport, spraying Jasper with gravel as I pass.

Adrik tries to chase after me, but Jasper’s still straddling his bike. By the time I hear the Ducati’s engine sparking to life, I’m flying away down the road.