“You take no jobs and guard this girl. If she dies on your watch, I’ll be fucking pissed with you.” When I nod, Alexei adds, “Just lay low for a while.” I hate that he has to clean up the mess I made, but it will give me precious time with Hailey. Even if I have to let her go at some point, at least I’ll have more memories of her. There’s a sudden burst of excitement in my chest, and Alexei immediately picks up on it. “You’re fucking in love.” He shakes his head. “I really hope this works out for you.”

