Chapter 16 #3
I know out of everyone Sasha is closest to her, so having her approval means the world to me.
I return her smile, hoping I can get to know her better at some point.
I wish I could share this moment with Sav.
God, she’d love this. Looking over at Niki, I’m tempted to ask him what he thought of her and why the hell he doesn’t ask me for her number, but I don’t.
Sav would hate it if I meddled. She made me promise not to, so I resist the urge, even though it kills me to do so.
Right when we’re all trying to decide if we can stomach even more dessert, someone’s phone starts ringing from across the room.
Danil, the man who was introduced as Niki’s dad, answers it, and then says something in Russian that has his wife jumping up with an excited squeal and huge smile on her face.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Sasha kisses my neck and says, “Talia just went into labor. They’re about to get their first granddaughter.”
Niki’s brother, Max, is the only cousin I haven’t met yet, but Sasha explained that they live here for half the year, so I’m sure I’ll meet him and his wife and baby when they come back for their six months.
“Max said Talia’s doing great. They’re on their way to the hospital now with her parents,” Danil says, pulling his wife in for a big hug while his brothers all congratulate them on becoming grandparents.
I look over at Niki, the internal war obvious enough for Sasha to say, “We’ll be fine, Niki. You can keep searching while you’re there and still call to let us know if you find anything.”
He nods, but it’s clear he’s still debating about whatever it is he’s been searching for and whether or not it’s okay for him to leave.
“You know Max and Talia would want you to be there,” Luka tells him.
“Yeah,” Mia agrees and then nudges his shoulder. “Besides, I can poke around while you’re gone, too. Maybe I’ll find something.”
Niki raises a brow at her.
She shrugs. “What? I do know how to Google.”
“Jesus Christ,” Niki groans. “I’ll just wait and fly out once we’re done here.”
Sveta tosses a couch pillow at him while everyone else jumps in with a lot of comments that pretty much boil down to him getting his ass on that flight or they’ll tie him up and toss him onboard themselves.
He finally relents with a “Fine, but if you need me to fly back, you better let me know.”
“We will,” Sasha assures him. Then he adds, “When this is all over, we’ll treat you to Bean Me Up again. I’m sure Cyn’s friend could be persuaded to join us.”
I turn my head and kiss his stubbled cheek, because him matchmaking for Niki and Sav is one of the sweetest things he’s ever done. Mia says something in Russian, and whatever Niki says in return has her shaking her head at him like he’s lost his mind.
Without me even having to ask, Sasha whispers in my ear, “Mia asked about your friend, and Niki said she’s far too beautiful and way out of his league.”
Now it’s my turn to look at Niki like he’s off his rocker.
I know my best friend is beautiful, but so is Niki, and I can’t imagine a man as good looking as he is feeling insecure about anything.
I always assumed the beautiful people knew they were, even if they weren’t stuck-up jackasses about it.
Sav’s the sweetest person on the planet, but there’s no way in hell she looks in the mirror and thinks Yuck.
Even though I promised I wouldn’t meddle, I tell myself it’s not really sticking my nose in where it doesn’t belong. It’s correcting an egregious error that needs to be nipped in the bud, so I say, “She felt the same way about you,” and leave it at that.
The smile he tries to fight is proof enough that I did the right thing.
I hear the soft laugh Sasha gives before he kisses my neck and murmurs, “My sweet little Cyn” against my skin.
Excited about the idea of my best friend with Sasha’s cousin, I watch as he leaves with his parents, already making plans in my head to invite them both over for supper as soon as Niki gets back.
Since it’s already late, it’s not long before I start yawning, and as soon as I do, Sasha pulls me close and announces to everyone, “We’re leaving. She needs to get some sleep.”
Jolene laughs as she walks over to say goodbye. “I’d tell you he’ll learn to not be so domineering, but I’m afraid they’re all like that.”
“It’s in his blood,” his Aunt Alina says with a smile. Her husband Matvey looks at her like he never wants to let her out of his sight, so I’m guessing she has firsthand knowledge of just how domineering and possessive the Melnikov men can be.
“I don’t mind it,” I say while I look up at Sasha. “It took a little getting used to, but now I think it’s sweet.”
“You didn’t think it was sweet before?” he asks.
I laugh and say, “A hidden camera in my dorm room? Yeah, that’s sweet wasn’t my first thought when you told me about it.”
His mom shoots a horrified look to her son. “You didn’t. Please tell me you didn’t do that.”
Unfazed by her reaction, Sasha says, “How else was I supposed to know she was safe?”
“The phone?” she asks with a definite duh tone to her words.
“I didn’t know her number yet,” Sasha says without elaborating and telling his mom the gory details of our meet cute.
Jolene gives me a sympathetic look and says, “I swear he means well, and I couldn’t be happier that he found you.”
She gives me a big hug while I try not to cry and make a fool of myself, and then we’re hugging and saying goodbye to everyone else.
When we finally get to the hall by the elevator, I stop to look at the family photos that line the walls.
I’d been too nervous to notice them on the way in, but now I take my time and look at every image.
I see Sasha at various ages, and I grin when I look over at him and say, “You were such a cute kid.”
He reaches out to drag a finger along my jaw. “I want to see pictures of you when you were little.”
I snort out a laugh and shake my head. “No way in hell. Unlike you, I had some serious ugly stages.”
“Impossible,” he says.
“And I’d love to keep you thinking that. The reality will just disappoint.”
“I want to see them,” he insists.
I straighten and follow him to the elevator while I say, “Well, we can’t always get what we want.”
The words have barely left my mouth when he’s fisting my hair, crowding my space, and walking me backwards into the elevator. Dipping lower, he keeps his eyes on mine when he says, “That applies to everything in my life but you, krovinka. When it comes to you, I will always get what I want.”
I think about arguing, but when his talented mouth presses against mine, I know he’s right.
There’s no denying this man anything. By the time we get to the parking garage, he’s already got me so riled up all he’d have to do is pull me into a corner, and I’d happily follow him.
Instead, I get a teasingly long ride on the back of his motorcycle, and then after we’ve given Chort enough loving to satisfy his cute furry butt, Sasha finally carries me to bed.
He’s worth the wait. He always is, and when I’m too exhausted to move, he wraps his body around mine while I fall asleep.
The next day is the usual mix of classes and a couple of hours volunteering at the shelter, but instead of our usual Friday night of hanging out together, Sasha texts to tell me he has to work and probably won’t get back until late.
I quickly respond to let him know it’s okay and that I’ll grab some takeout on the way home so he’ll have something to eat when he gets back.
His work schedule has been light, so it’s not like I have anything to complain about. I’ll just work on some homework and cuddle up with Chort. I’m all set to do just that when I get another text, this one from Sav.
SAV:
Are you busy tonight?
ME:
No. Sasha has to work, so I’m gonna hang with Chort and work on some homework.
SAV:
Think I can change your mind about that?
ME:
What’s up?
Instead of texting, I get a phone call. As soon as I answer it, Sav’s voice fills the line. “Okay, so just hear me out. Some of the Kappas are going out tonight, and they want me to come, but I don’t want to go without you.”
I keep petting the beagle puppy that I’ve fallen completely in love with, and I can’t for the life of me figure out why she hasn’t been adopted yet. I stroke her soft fur while I ask, “Where are you going?”
“Well, here’s the funny part,” she says. “They all want to go to The Red Room. I didn’t say a word about who you’re engaged to, but I thought it would be fun to go and see what it’s like. I mean, you’re about to marry the guy who owns the place. Shouldn’t we at least check it out?”
“I don’t know, Sav,” I start to say, not thrilled about the idea of hanging out in a busy club without Sasha. “Maybe we should wait for another night. Once Niki gets back, maybe we could all go there together.”
“We can definitely go back there once he gets back,” she quickly says, and I can hear the tell-tale sounds of her dragging hangers across the rod in her closet, already picking out a killer outfit for tonight.
“But I have to go tonight, and I don’t want to do it without you.
You know they’re just going to get drunk and leave me the first chance they get.
I need my girl by my side. You said Sasha was working, so maybe he’ll even be there. ”
I pet Maude’s cute little head while Sav tells me what she’s thinking about wearing and I try to decide what I want to do. In the end, I say, “Okay, I’ll meet you over there, but I can’t stay late.”
“I wouldn’t dream of keeping you out past your bedtime,” she says, and I can tell she’s grinning while she says it. “I wouldn’t want to stay out late either if I had a muscular, tattooed badass waiting to crawl into bed with me.”
“It is a lot more fun than sleeping alone,” I admit.
We agree to meet at eight, and when I put my phone away, I scoop Maude up and kiss her head. “I promise I’m going to find you a home.”