Mine by Stacey Kennedy

making her happy. Do not doubt that.”
    Dmitri lifted his head, staring at his closest friend. Presley had done this to make a statement. To make it clear that she wouldn’t allow Dmitri to shut her out. Yet little did she know he hadn’t been pushing her away to hurt her; he’d done so to protect her. “This whole fucking thing is exhausting,” he admitted.
    “I know.” Kyler crossed his ankle over his knee. “Are club matters resolved now?”
    “Most of them.” Dmitri ran his hands over his face, hating the shake in his hands. “I should have some definite news in a couple of days.” He dragged his fingers through his hair again, wondering what in the hell to do now. Of course, he could go to Presley and explain all that had happened. But the damage was done—he
had
put her second. Even if Dmitri couldn’t have stopped it or controlled this mess, he had put others before her.
    That could never happen again.
    For so long, Club Sin had been his life, and he’d accepted that responsibility. Just as Sawyer had seen with Chloe, Dmitri saw now that to get Presley back, he had to change. Things had to change. And they
were
changing—the knowledge that soon the club would be a responsibility shared between him and Miles, and not just his alone, lifted a huge weight off Dmitri’s shoulders.
    “Good. I’m glad this shit is over,” Kyler grumbled, drawing Dmitri’s gaze. “What are you going to do about Presley?”
    Dmitri paused, considering. Ideas rushed through his mind, everything from going to Aidan’s right now and bringing her home to groveling until she forgave him. But deep down it wasn’t enough. “I need a week to fix all this.”
    Eyes tight, Kyler warned, “Dmitri—”
    He raised his hand, unable to think of the now, thinking only of the future. Seven days was a blip in time compared to a lifetime. “I need a week,” he repeated. “Please watch over her until then.”
    Kyler’s stern gaze burned into Dmitri’s for a moment before his expression softened. “You know that I will. But take this as the warning it is.” He leaned forward, dead serious. “You might not have her if you wait any longer to make this right between you.”
    Heart aching in his chest, Dmitri sighed with the longing he felt not having her close. “I am well aware of that. But this is the right thing to do.” He stared at his friend, willing him to understand. “Whatever you need to tell her to get her to understand, please do that. I need time.” Time to get everything under control. Time to get his fucking priorities straight. Time to right all these wrongs, so that Presley would never feel second again.
    He had made mistakes.
    He wouldn’t repeat them.
    Kyler regarded Dmitri curiously as the glow from the lamp cast a soft light over the side of his face, then he gave a firm shake of his head. “I don’t pretend to understand your play here.”
    “My only play is keeping this from hurting her further.” Dmitri rested his arms on his legs, lacing his fingers. “I haven’t found a new home for Club Sin yet, and you know Presley—she’ll think it’s her fault that the club closed.” Until he and Miles sealed the deal by buying a club, this remained an open wound. “She knows what this has done to me. Christ, she experienced my loss of control.” He realized how she’d interpret all of this. “She’ll think that the reason I haven’t been talking to her is because I’m angry at
her
.” He leveled a hard look at Kyler. “Will she understand? Will she believe me that that is not the case?”
    Kyler drew in a long, deep breath and gave a slight nod. “But you need to be aware that this time you’re taking could put more distance between you two, a distance that you might not be able to reverse.”
    “That’s not a situation I’ll accept,” Dmitri growled, possession rising within him. “If I go to her now, before this is all settled, she’ll take the blame on herself, and she doesn’t