CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE ⇆ ANGELINA
"This tastes like toothpaste that's all I have to say." Rowan hands me back my ice cream, i glare as i bite down on it, "It doesn't." I protest.
"It does, even the same color." He gestures at the mint chocolate ice cream in my hand, my glare just thickens and I take complete offense, "You're one to talk with the lame vanilla ice cream." I actually am enjoying how childish our interaction currently is.
It takes a lot of the weight on my chest away, after we landed back in LA I was hungry, and all my cravings aimed at ice cream, so here we are, in the nearest ice cream shop, bickering back and forth.
Those friends of his will supposedly meet us here too since Rowan saw this as a great opportunity since they're here, "Are you just trying to be different, Angelina? It tastes delicious at least." He defends and I gap.
"Sure." It's tasteless, i sigh exaggeratedly and go back to eating my toothpaste of an ice cream and ignore him, and try to do the same with my erratic heartbeats, Nicholas called again when I landed.
Confirming my suspicions and telling me that he indeed was stalking me, because the last text was one that said New York is dimming without you.
It's fucking clingy but it still made terror fill my bones at the fastest pace ever, "They'll help, I promise." Rowan assures when he notices my worry.
I nod, over and over, legs bouncing under the table with anxiety, that's currently prickling its way through my stomach but it vanishes when Rowan's phone rings, he answers it and moments after he ends the call he meets my eyes.
"They're here." He says, shrugging as he looks outside, sure enough, moments later, three men come into view, each one of them is different yet they all look like they belong to one place.
Jail.
Or Hollywood Movies.
The first one that comes inside is the most approachable out of them, which compared to normal people isn't considered approachable at all.
His black hair is perfectly tousled over his head, black eyes filled with something that looks like boredom, full lips, and a couple of tattoos peeking through his casual clothes, he looks like the models I work with on daily biases. Just more scary, later on I learn that he's the Ezekiel Petrov Rowan informed me about.
The next one that follows looks the most judgmental out of all of them, looking down at us through his arrogant nose, like we're bellow him, black hair messed on his head, finger raked, giving off the same vibe he gives, some kind of frightening Aura, but at the same time his features melted it away, with the sharp cutting jaw, high cheekbones, gray eyes, but most of all I felt in the air was that he radiated some kind of charisma, i both respected and was disgusted by it, the asshole's name is Alexander Romanov.
Oh, did I add that he can't stop glaring too?
Finally, the cherry on top, is one who looks quiet at his finest, but after a second, it seems as if he's mostly calculated, that's the only thing I get out of him, on the looks radar, he isn't less striking, his face is logically stunning actually, equally symmetrical, with the same high cheekbones and sharp jaw, but his eyes are glistening with bold dark blue, the last and the coldest one is apparently Romero Volkov.
All three men exceed six foot three, filling the colorful place with darkness I definitely didn't need today, they all take their seats beside us, "You need to make an entrance, don't you?" Rowan arches a dry brow.
Ezekiel raises a brow, "it's unintentional at this point." He shrugs nonchalantly, "It's not." Alexander says, With calmness that I didn't expect, I settle my eyes on the third guy, who's just watching all of us quietly, no emotion in his empty eyes, Jesus, who are these men? And where the hell did they come from?
Rowan rolls his eyes dramatically, "Yeah let's keep that for later, did you find anything important about what we discussed?" He gets right to the point and I could kiss him I swear.
"First off, I need your phone." Ezekiel extends his hand to me and I place it in his palm just as another notification comes through, I read it from the screen.
Nicholas: you brought men to help you, darling? All you have to do is call me.
I grit my teeth, "Lovely, he just made everything easier, your phone is hacked." He states nonchalantly and my eyes widen, "It doesn't take a genius to figure, if he's stalking you he wouldn't know why we're here." Alexander intercepts, informing me as if I'm extremely stupid.
His lips twisting, and I swear I feel myself being judged flat out, full on, internally, emotionally, and physically, Jesus Christ, However, Rowan seemed at ease actually.
"Where the hell do you know these people from?" I bite my tongue after I speak, Rowan shrugs, "Twisted connections." He says smoothly, very twisted.
I turn to look at them, Ezekiel is typing effortlessly on my phone, at an extremely fast pace, he then calls someone from his phone, "Amara, darling, open my laptop for a moment, and tell me the code that comes up." He says, a sudden change in his tone, softness I realize.
He stays like this for a moment before putting the phone on speaker, lots of voices are clear through it and my brows furrow as I look at them for explanations, but no one offers any.
"Ekaterina is burning down the house, a moment!" The earlier Amara I assume speaks, so nonchalant, Alexander's expression changes now, his lips tip upward almost as if he's proud? These men need jail, asap.
"And Eleonora is watering the plants and wants more water at the same goddamn moment! My patience, I have a fucking limit." She continues yelling.
A smile is now shockingly toying with Romero's lips, if I'm smart enough at the moment, then those are their girls? God help them, I can't imagine living with those men.
"Okay, 5607." She finally says, then adds in a hurried tone, "Tell Ekaterina to stop baking if she sucks at it since she won't hear me out." She adds and I don't know who she's exactly directing her demand at but then it makes sense when Alexander speaks.
"My wife can do whatever she wishes, Amara." He says coldly, my brows rise, his face is filled with pride, and some sudden softness that melts his hard edges, she says something in a completely different language before ending the call.
Then she calls again, the mood swings, "Goodbye, Ezekiel, I love you." She says with a softer tone, "You're on speaker, darling, but I love you as well." Ezekiel says, eyes sparkling with a shimmer, "Great then, for Alexander, fuck off." She adds.
"Oh and to Romero, my garden is full of numerous plants, Eleonora can stop growing them out, I need space for myself." She explains, my brows furrow, "Tell her that I'll make her a whole garden if she ditches your girl's night and comes back to me." Romero finally speaks, Alexander rolls his eyes but understanding fills his features.
Oh, so they're some kind of a friendship group? Yeah they don't seem like the type at all, at all, "She's telling you that she has all week to spend with you." Amara adds, the Call ends moment later, "This is all fun I can assure you." Rowan exchanges a look with me, "But what the fuck is happening?" He adds in a gruffer tone.
"I'm gonna hack in your phone, I'll need it with me for a couple of days." He says casually as if the earlier scene is the normal and my brows jump; "That's the only way I'll be able to track him down, maybe give some life lessons." Romero speaks, his voice is cold and icily, not matching the fire that his words erupt in my stomach.
Not in the good way, I'll need the phone, "She can use my phone for now." I can buy a new one, but I won't need it when I get mine back, so this actually seems like a great idea, "Okay, yeah." I add.
Nodding, "Okay then, I'll work into breaking the hacking he already did on it and getting through the security system, before they track him down and find some informations that will keep him away." Ezekiel explains, I nod, thankfully.
"Is this out of the kindness of your hearts or what exactly? Cause you don't seem like the type, no offense." I ask after a beat, unable to hide my feelings, "You have such a bold mouth." Alexander points out, i arch a brow, "Am I supposed to be scared?" I ask, slightly unsure, avoiding Rowan's eye contact.
"Yes." Alexander protests.
"Maybe." Ezekiel intercepts.
"Yes." Romero confirms.
"Lovely." I breathe out, "Very." Rowan adds, this days is a fucking roller coaster, "It's not, it's business, i owe them one." He explains, and i nod, gulping.
They leave moments later and I'm left again with Rowan, who doesn't seem like the best company at the moment.
A vote is really appreciated 🩷.
If you're interested to read about any of the characters who appeared here, their books are on my account.
Ezekiel & Amara << Our forgotten past.
Alexander & Ekaterina <<< Our hidden wounds & Our broken souls.
Romero & Eleonora <<< Our darkest secrets.
Every book can be read as a stand-alone, only 'our broken souls' needs 'our hidden wounds' to be read before it.
Thank you, babes. 🫶