Chapter 37
ROMAN
“Wait, I’m still trying to figure this out.”
Evie pauses, turning to open the oven and reach in with potholders to pull out an amazing smelling quiche. My stomach groans, and my mouth starts salivating like it hasn’t in two weeks.
My appetite has sort of come back. But I think it’s at this very moment, smelling real, home-cooked food, that it finally makes its triumphant return.
“Evie, that smells fucking delicious.”
She grins as she stands, puts the dish on the stovetop, and closes the oven door. Julia, Papa's full-time cook, is always more than happy to prepare anything you could want, anytime. But my sister said she wanted to cook tonight.
“Where did you even learn to make quiche? And when?”
She rolls her eyes. “I do have a life outside ballet, you know.”
Val snorts next to me at the kitchen island. “I would love to know how you manage that.”
She smirks. “Not being on Madame Kuzmina’s naughty list goes a long way.”
I chuckle as Val scowls. “Well, shit. I’m screwed, then.”
Behind the island, I reach over and squeeze his hand.
Evie starts to cut slices of the quiche, putting them on plates alongside the walnut and pear salad. Then she stops, glancing up at us again. “I got sidetracked. So… You guys both started going to the same gym?”
I smile. “Yep.”
I mean, it’s not a lie.
She smiles weirdly at me. “It’s just… I had no idea you guys hung out?”
“Oh, we do,” Val grins. His hand slides over to my lap and cups my dick. I shoot him a look and push his hand back to my thigh.
“He’s been helping me with my PT after the bike crash,” Val shrugs.
She turns and smiles at me. “That’s so nice of you, Roman! Oh!” Evie’s sliding our plates across to us when her brows shoot up. “I forgot the wine!”
She turns and reaches for an unopened bottle sitting next to the stove.
My vision tunnels as my gaze lands on it.
My blood turns icy, and I can feel the demons raging, so. Fucking. THIRSTY.
Val’s hand takes mine and squeezes. Not hard, like a reprimand. Just a reminder that he’s there.
“I’m actually good with water. But thanks, Evie.”
My sister’s face is pure shock as she whips around. “Sorry, what?”
“I’m all set,” I croak through a tight throat. “Water is fine.”
She blinks. “You…”
“You wanna sit, Eves?” I smile. “I have something to tell you. Well, two things.”
Val turns to cock a brow at me.
Yeah, we…didn't explicitly talk about what tonight was about. I mean, I brought him to dinner with my sister, and we talked about how that would look. But nothing else was discussed past that. I think we both knew that I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do yet, or how.
Evelina smiles curiously as she sits in one of the bar stools across the island. “Sure, Rome.”
I take a deep breath and then exhale slowly.
“I’m an alcoholic.”
The kitchen goes pin-drop silent. My sister blinks at me, her mouth opening, but no words coming out.
“I…yeah.” I clear my throat. “I have a problem with alcohol, and I’ve decided that I’m not capable of having a good relationship with it. So I’m just…” I frown. “Not going to drink anymore. At all.”
Slowly, her face lights up, and before I know it, she’s jumping out of her seat and rushing around the island to crash into me. She hugs me fiercely and I hug her back, exhaling the last of the reluctance I had to share this with her.
“Whatever you need,” she chokes, squeezing me tight. “I’m here.” She pulls back a little, her eyes shining as she smiles up at me. “I’m so proud of you, Rome. And I love you, no matter what.”
“I love you too, Evie.”
She releases me with a choked little laugh, wiping at her eyes. “Well, no wine, then,” she says firmly, marching over to the bottle.
“Don’t let me stop you.”
She snorts and glances over her shoulder at me. “Yeah, because me getting wasted on half a glass of Pinot Grigio is what everyone needs tonight.”
Val hoots a laugh. “Your words girl, not mine.”
“Jerk,” she giggles. She plucks the bottle off the counter and crosses to the fridge. “So,” she laughs over her shoulder as she opens the fridge and slides the bottle onto a shelf, “what else could you possibly have to tell me that’s as important as that?”
“The fact that I’m gay.”
Evie goes still. The kitchen goes still. The whole fucking world goes still. I can feel my heart thudding against my chest as I try to swallow. Val turns slowly to me, his brows arched and his mouth open.
My sister slowly turns. And when she does, and her eyes land on mine, they go wide and shining, her mouth agape.
“ROMAN!!”
Then she’s slamming the fridge shut and rushing over to me. I grab her in my arms, hugging her tight and choking into her hair as she starts to cry.
“What are you getting emotional for?” I blurt.
“I’m just so fucking happy for you!” she chokes out.
Val bursts out laughing. “Jesus, she actually said the F word.”
Evie giggles. “Oh my God, I did!” She pulls back, her eyes full of happy tears as she beams at me. “Roman, I…I just…” Somehow, her smile grows even bigger. “When?! How!? Who—”
I watch as it clicks into place. She blinks at me, her eyes going round as saucers before her head slowly swivels to Val.
“Are you…”
I smile as I cup her cheek and turn her back to face me. My chin tips up and down as I start to smile.
“Yeah.”
“WHAT?!” She explodes in a flurry of pink cardigan as she shoves past me and flings her arms around Val. “Are you ACTUALLY SERIOUS RIGHT NOW!?”
“Serious as a heart attack,” Val chuckles, hugging her back. “Surprise?” He looks over her shoulder at me. “Seriously, surprise.”
Evie flings an arm back around me and yanks me close to hug us both.
“I don’t even know what to say!!” she squeals. “I’m just SO freaking happy!!”
“Evelina!”
The sound of my father’s voice booming into the kitchen is like a gun going off. The three of us jolt, whirling to stare at the man swaying in the doorway.
“So much fucking yelling to welcome me back from Chicago!” Papa growls, slumping against the door frame.
He’s obviously wasted, his eyes bleary, and his brows pinch as he looks at me, then Evie, then at Val.
“What is your fairy friend doing here?”
My stool pushes back across the floor as I stand abruptly.
“Apologize, Papa.”
Evie’s head swivels, her face turning white and her eyes horrified when the word falls from my mouth. I’m even aware of Val looking at me with a “what the fuck” look on his face.
And Papa?
He reacts exactly as you’d expect.
Drunk or not, in half a second, he’s lurching violently across the kitchen toward me. Evie screams as he grabs me, shoves me back against the island and leers up into my face, his vodka breath washing over me.
“What the fuck did you say to—”
“Wait!” Val barks. “Mr. Nikitin—”
“No one is talking to you, sissy boy!!” Papa roars back at him. “Sit your prancing, twinkletoes ass down and shut—”
“APOLOGIZE!!”
My voice booms through the kitchen, stunning even my father to silence. He blinks, his alcohol-soaked eyes swimming as he tries to focus on me.
“Such fucking disrespect,” he hisses. “In my own house!”
“The true disrespect is in talking to a guest like that, Papa,” I snap tightly.
“He’s here with me, Papa,” Evie stammers. “I—I made dinner and invited him. And—”
“Why the fuck are you cooking, Evelina?” Papa snarls. “We have someone who fucking does that! Where is she!?”
“Papa, I—”
“Why the fuck are you inviting pansies over for dinner, eh?” He jams a finger into Val’s face, laughing coldly. “Little Evelina, looking for a boyfriend?” He makes a tut-tut sound. “This one is gay, Evelina! He doesn’t want you! He wants boys!”
My lips curl.
“You’re barking up the wrong tree there, Evelina,” Papa chortles. He starts to laugh even louder, until suddenly, I snap.
I relish the look on his face when I grab him by the collar, spin him around, and slam him into the cabinets at his back.
“You don’t get to fucking talk to him like that!” I snarl into his face. “Now apologize—”
Papa’s eyes suddenly sharpen as he peers into my face.
“Why are you defending this fruit, eh, Roman?” he snaps. “What is this disrespect, as if I just insulted your fucking girlfriend?”
Blood roars in my ears. My teeth grind as I breathe through my nose, in and out, my skin tingling.
“Because, Papa,” I growl tightly, the roaring in my ears turning into deafening thunder. “He’s—”
“Because your son is a good man, Mr. Nikitin.”
Val shoves next to me and claps me on the shoulder like we’re gym bros.
“And you’re right,” Val shrugs. “This is your house, and I should have asked your permission to be here.”
I whip around to stare at him. Val gives my ankle a swift kick as he grins a winning smile at my father.
“My apologies, Mr. Nikitin. I came over to chat to Evie about my boyfriend.” He smiles broadly. “You know, girl talk about boys.”
Papa makes a stifled snort, wrinkling his nose.
Val is all smiles as he claps my father on the shoulder. “You’ve raised a good son, sir. He’ll make an excellent pakhan one day.”
Papa snorts, glancing at me. “Da, maybe. If he stops losing his fucking brides.”
“Her loss, I guess,” Val smiles widely.
The steam stops coming from my father’s ears. He grunts as he turns and walks away. “I need a goddamn drink,” he mutters, almost to himself.
“Can I help you upstairs, Papa?” Evie says brightly, coming to his side.
“Da, princess,” he grumbles. “Get your Papa to his vodka and his bed.” He pats her hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll find you a nice boy who likes girls, eh?”
“Of course, Papa,” Evie smiles, taking his arm and leading him out of the kitchen. At the doorway, she glances back and mouths “I love you” to Val and me, grinning broadly.
“What was that?” I growl, turning to Val once Evie and my father are gone. “I didn’t need to be saved. I had that completely under control. You don’t know him—”
“That, wreckage,” he murmurs, leaning close and brushing my lips with his. “Was me not being able to watch you blow yourself up.”
I smile wryly.
“Look, I get that coming out is different for me than for you,” he says. “When I did it, it just meant getting picked on, maybe having to win a few more fights. But you’re the future king of a fucking empire.” He shrugs. “I get it.”
“You don't need to remind me what I am,” I whisper, locking eyes with him.
“I know, baby,” he smiles warmly. “For the record, you jumping up to save my honor or whatever the fuck that was…hella chivalrous.” He winks. “And fucking hot.” He kisses me softly. “But you don’t need to burn down your life and your future to do that—well, not tonight, at least,” he shrugs.
My lips twist.
“For real,” he growls against my mouth. “Seriously fucking hot.”
I groan as he rolls his hips, letting me feel his erection against my thigh.
“How hot,” I murmur, my pulse speeding up as my own dick begins to swell.
“So hot that I need to fuck you in your homophobic father’s house, like, now.”
I groan as I grab the back of his head and crush my lips to his. “His office, down the hall,” I breathe. “Huge desk.”
“Lead the fucking way, wreckage.”