“Don’t pout, Pup, you know how to use just enough honey to be able to crack them down with your whip when they least expect it,” Carmen says with a mismatched little smirk playing in the corner of her mouth. “And look at it this way, this boy has loads of artistic talent no matter how raw.”

“Oh, don’t worry, Carmensita, he will see just how much I appreciate his talents, tomorrow.” He grins right back at her, wide and hungry, causing Carmen to throw her head back and laugh her familiar, warm, throaty laugh. She leans across the desk and ruffles his hair affectionately, then tugs at a handful of strands just because she can.

“Good boy,” she teases as she pulls back. “Just don’t go overboard or you might scar the poor kids for life.”

“These kids have spunk. Just today, one of them had the guts to come up to me and outright threaten me if you can believe it.” He feels his lips stretch further, nearly splitting his face as he thinks of that impertinent punk and the audacity he had when he pushed into his personal space and try to stare him down. Yes, the little shit irritated the hell out of him with his cheekiness, but at the same time, he admired his daring, even if it was foolish and way too conceited.

“Ohoho, and he lives to tell the tale?”

Dmitri rolls his eyes and pushes his chair back to stand up not that it does much good. Even at his full height, he has nothing on Carmen’s 6’6” in her five-inch heels. Or in flats really. Then again, even if she was five foot nothing, Dmitri would have nothing on her larger than life personality.

“I’m not that bad,” he says, offering his arm to her.

“Of course not,” she placates him. “Oh yes, I hope you haven’t forgotten what day it is today.”

“I could never forget our date night.”

“Good, be ready at seve—” The sharp ring of Dmitri’s cell cuts her off, a flash of irritation marring her face. Dmitri frowns at his pocket before he pulls his phone out of it and looks at the screen. An unknown local number. Could it be that his students already started their next round of pranks? But no, they would probably have enough brain cells to block their number. “Aren’t you picking it up?”

Shaking his head, he swipes his thumb across the screen and says, “Hello?”

“Dijmitri Armand?” Dmitri winces at the horrible butchery of his name. He doesn’t recognize the woman’s voice which makes him wary about how to answer, but before he can say anything, she goes on, “I’m Officer Valerian from NYPD.”

“Officer Valerian,” he repeats to check the name with Carmen but she shakes her head, not knowing the woman any better than Dmitri does. “How can I help you?”

“According to our records, you are listed as the current guardian of Thomas Prescott, and as Thomas is underage I have to ask you to come to the 40th Precinct in the Bronx so we can proceed with his interview.”

“Excuse me?”

“Do you need me to repeat it, Mr. Armand?”

“No.” His tone is flat. He isn’t overly fond of the mussor, and he really doesn’t like the edge in the woman’s voice. She’s not one of theirs, so he doesn’t need to play nice. “I heard you just fine. May I ask why Mr. Prescott has been detained?”

“Thomas Prescott was arrested earlier this afternoon, but I cannot give out more information on the phone.” He can tell that she’s getting impatient. “You will need to come down to the precinct in person.”

Dmitri feels his jaw clench, but he bites back the scathing remark that’s burning his tongue. Instead, he takes a deep breath and says, “I understand. Thank you, Officer, I will be there as soon as possible.” He disconnects the call and looks up at Carmen once again, lost.

“Who is Prescott?” she all but demands, her dark eyes dead serious.

“One of my students. They arrested one of my students.” He feels numb and has no idea how to react. If it was any of their men, he would call Carmichael and have him deal with the situation. But he cannot bring the Yuriev family’s lawyer with him as a representative to his student’s interview.

“And what does that have to do with you?”

“It’s one of the rules of the academy,” Dmitri replies, ignoring Carmen’s sharp tone. “During the school year, every Homeroom teacher has to take full responsibility and pseudo guardianship over their entire class.”

“That’s… I actually have no idea what to say. No, wait, I do. Quit your job, now.”

“That’s not your call, Carmen,” Dmitri grits out, ice cold. “And I don’t want to hear you say anything—”

“Okay, no,” she cuts in, just as frigidly. Her gaze is cutting and lit up with outrage. “None of us said anything about you choosing this… hobby, Pup. Not even your great-grandmother. Because we thought it was just that. A hobby. This? This is insanity that can bring some serious problems to our family. Do you want that?”

“I’m not fifteen anymore, Carmensita, trying to guilt me into giving up something that doesn’t have your seal of approval won’t work anymore.” He holds her gaze without flinching, sneering at her audacity. “Not about this. If you have a problem with my chosen profession, take it up with the Grand Mistress. Otherwise, mind your own business and do your own job.”

“Careful, Young Master, there might come a day when you will have to give up your naive dreams about getting the best of both worlds,” she spits. “And believe me, your grandmother will not be as tolerant as she is now if you cause the slightest harm to our family.”

“You think I would let anything endanger our family.” It’s not a question. Deep down he knows they should stop now before either of them say something they will definitely regret, but he can’t. Not when Carmen, his grandmother’s closest confidant after him, or maybe even before him, has the gall to question his loyalty. “Me.” Carmen just glares down at him, not taking her words back. “Get out of my sight,” he snarls, the metal casing of his phone digging into his palm as his fingers start squeezing it to stop him from lashing out physically as well. “And take Chie with you tonight.”

His last words get the desired reaction. Carmen’s eyes widen while her expression turns stricken even as she steps back into his personal space, trying to intimidate him with her sheer size alone. Dmitri just lifts a mocking brow at her, earning a sneer in turn. “Chie is too green, there is no chance—”

“You forget something, Carmen. You refused my offer to take my place as the Heir.” He doesn’t need to continue even though it’s tempting to set fire to the supposedly indestructible bridge between them. To make her feel just an ounce of the humiliation and hurt she caused him with her accusations.

But he doesn’t. He just takes an obviously unnecessary step back and then walks around her, leaving his office without another word but leaving the door open.

He has wasted enough time as it is.