Page 115 of Power's Fall
“I think we should at least begin to have the talk.”
Vadisk didn’t need to ask her what talk she meant. He had worried that part of their debrief would include giving their leaders an answer in regards to where they wanted to live and which society they would belong to moving forward. Fortunately, that had only been mentioned at the very end, when the Grand Master scheduled a follow-up call for a week from now, when they’d discuss their trinity’s future plans.
Montana nodded slowly. “We can table it until later, but I suspect… We need to know…”
Vadisk couldn’t interpret the look Montana gave Dahlia. It felt as if he was missing something. “Know what?”
“Vadisk…” Dahlia started, rubbing her palms on her thighs nervously.
What the hell was going on? How did they move from “I love you” to this sudden tension in mere seconds?
“Are you in love with Nikolett?” she asked so quickly, he almost didn’t catch the words.
“What?” Vadisk fell back against the couch, gobsmacked. “Why would you think that?”
“The way you talk about her,” Dahlia said, as if that was all the explanation that was necessary.
Actually, it was.
“She’s my admiral. She gave me a new life with the society and an important position within it, one that fulfills me, one that I love. She offered me her trust, which isn’t something she gives easily.”
“I get that,” Dahlia started, “but it just feels like?—”
“She needs me, Dahlia. She’s in danger,” Vadisk interjected. “She’s survived numerous assassinations attempts in just the past six months. It’s why I work so hard to protect her.”
Montana’s eyes widened in alarm. “Assassination attempts? People are actively trying to kill her?”
Vadisk nodded.
“Why the hell isn’t the Masters’ Admiralty doing more to protect her?”
Vadisk sighed. “Each territory is responsible for themselves. It’s our job,myjob, to keep my admiral safe. No one outside of the Hungary territory even knows about it.”
“That makes no sense. Why wouldn’t she tell the fleet admiral? Or ask for help from another territory,” Dahlia asked.
“Phone a friend,” Montana added.
“It’s a complicated situation.” Vadisk didn’t say more, his loyalty to his admiral still coursing strong through his blood.
“Complicated,” Dahlia repeated quietly.
“I care about Nik. It’s my job to…” Vadisk stopped talking, mentally replaying the things he’d said about Nikolett, the way he’d talked about her. He had a bad habit of believing his admiral walked on water. Because in his eyes, she did. Not because he was in love with her but because he respected her, because she stood up for the things she believed in, and because she put her people first, even if it meant putting herself in the line of fire. Keeping her safe these past couple of years had been important to him because Hungary needed her, desperately.
Then something else flashed through his mind.
Grigoris…with Nyx.
Vadisk had been worried for Nikolett while he was in Crimea because he’d known her safety would come second to Nyx’s when Grigoris was her bodyguard. That wasn’t because Grigoris was bad at his job but because his heart wouldn’t allow him to risk his wife’s life, not even for his admiral. Grigoris would stand against the entire world to protect Nikolett, take a million bullets to shield her, but if Nyx was in the line of fire too…
Fuck.
Vadisk ran his hand over his beard, tugging at it when he realized he was compromised the same way Grigoris was. As he looked at Dahlia and Montana, he knew there was nothing he wouldn’t do to keep them safe. They were his, and he loved them.
If he had to make a choice between Nikolett, or Dahlia and Montana, he’d choose his spouses.
And the admiral needed someone who would chooseher, put her first.
His silence must have lingered too long because Dahlia misinterpreted it.