“What did you do?” I ask, even though I think I already know.
“I stopped tolerating him,” Kolya says, his voice practically a growl. “I promised Adrian a long time ago that I would always protect him. But I never thought I’d have to protect him from himself.” He strokes his chin, lost in memories. “That was the first night I realized that I might not be able to save him. That maybe what he needed was a reality check. I grabbed him and threatened him right back. I told him that if he moved against me, then I would no longer grant him my tolerance or my protection. In response, he tried to take a shot at me… and then he ran.”
My heart is hammering so hard that I’m worried I’ll miss the rest of this story. “H-he came to me…”
Kolya nods. “He picked you up believing that I wouldn’t pursue hi
