42. Soren
F uck my fucking life. The anxiety of knowing this is the last thing I ever wanted to happen swirls in my gut, and by the time we find our table and our companions, I’m shaking.
“Hey.” Doc’s voice and his hands on my shoulders help ground me. Looking into his cognac eyes, seeing the concern in them, and the slight pressure he’s applying to my shoulders, helps to keep me in place mentally as well as physically.
Sucking in a deep breath, I manage to regulate myself enough to nod and answer honestly. “I’m okay, baby.”
There’s doubt in his eyes, but I reach my hand to his and grip it tightly, moving it from my cheek to my lips before pressing a long, lingering kiss there. “I’m okay,” I say again.
Before Doc can respond, there’s a commotion and I’m swept to the side, Doc pushing me behind him, even as Tennant, Carter, and the rest of the guards herd us between them.
Looking around Doc, I roll my eyes and huff when I see who’s caused such a ruckus. “It’s fine, baby,” I say. “It’s just my cousin.”
Roman snorts. “It’s never just the Russians anything. No offense, Soren.”
I wave the younger man off and gently push Doc to the side. “Davidik, mind telling my companions that you come in peace?”
David smiles. “But it’s so much fun getting under Italian skin.”
Tennant takes a step forward, but Cristian stops him with a hand on his arm. “We don’t need a confrontation,” Cristian says mildly.
“Correct,” David replies, though I’m not sure Cristian was actually talking to him. “Especially not when my uncle is chomping at the bit to get his son alone.”
I groan. “So soon? It’s only been a few minutes since I spoke to him.”
David shrugs. “You know Uncle Nisha. He is…” David trails off and raises his hands to sign before I can warn him. “He’ll be asking for your return.”
“No,” Cristian says firmly. “As I already told your uncle, Soren is mine. I do not care where he came from, as far as I am concerned, he is no longer Russian.”
David flicks his gaze between me and the mafia Boss. His position as my uncle’s heir means he knows how to play the game, but I know by just a look that he’s not going to let the whole the Amatos know ASL thing go.
“Positions can be negotiated,” David says calmly. “Soren is not a hostage.”
“I do not care about his employment status,” Cristian replies. “He could quit tomorrow and it’d be no issue. He is more important to us than a simple job.”
My heart flutters a little at Cristian’s words. Doc shifts beside me and wraps an arm around my waist, as if solidifying the words the Boss just uttered.
David openly studies the way Doc holds me, before meeting my eyes and smiling. “You really need to learn Russian,” he signs. I roll my eyes at the age-old argument, and it only makes my cousin grin wider. “Nico said you were seeing the doctor, but I wasn’t sure, since last I heard you weren’t looking for anything.”
“I wasn’t,” I reply in English. “But sometimes it just happens.” Before he gets a chance to respond, I say, “Do not tell the trips a damned thing, David.”
He laughs. “They already know, but sure, if that’s what you want.”
Before I think better of it, I switch to Russian Sign Language, so I don’t out my cousin or best friend. “I didn’t think you were speaking to Nico?”
My cousin makes a face and looks away, shifting from foot to foot before replaying in the same language. “We’re not… Or, at least, not anything meaningful.”
“Glad to know my life isn’t meaningful.”
David looks at me again, but he doesn’t respond further, as if there are things he wants to say but can’t with our audience, despite the switch of language.
“Leave it alone, Sory,” he signs. “Maybe we can have lunch soon, but…just pretend I didn’t say anything.”
“I will. For now.”
“As fascinating as this all is,” Tennant says. “Was there something you needed, Mr. Petrov?”
David looks to the Second in Command and smirks in amusement. “I was just checking up on my cousin. Surely you can understand that, Mr. Mason?”
Tennant gives David a bland stare before turning to his Boss. “Perhaps we should ask if the young Petrov would like to sit with us. That way he can be content in the knowledge that Soren is well taken care of.”
Cristian seems to consider his suggestion for a long moment before nodding. “Yes, I think that’d be a great idea. I particularly want to hear why Nikolai is here in place of Ivan. I was looking forward to catching up with him.”
David gives an apologetic look. “My father was called away at the last minute. I did not know my uncle would be taking his place. Otherwise, I would have warned you, Soren.”
“It’s fine,” I lie.
The look I get from everyone in our group calls bullshit, but luckily, no one says anything.
“I think we all need a drink,” Cristian says. “Are you staying, Mr. Petrov?”
“David, please. Do not put me in my father’s place before my time. And yes, I would love to join you.”
“I’ll go. James?” Tennant looks to the bodyguard. “Accompany me?”
“Yes, sir.” James checks in with me and Doc, but we wave him off, and he follows his boss to the bar.
“Shall we sit?” Cristian gestures to the table.
“Before we do,” David says, a sly grin on his lips. “I am not sure I’m familiar with everyone in your party.”
“My mistake.” Cristian gestures to me. “I’ll let your cousin go first.”
“This is Doc.” I set my hand over his for a moment as it rests against my side. “He’s my boss, my partner, and whatever else you want to call it,” I say, knowing I don’t have to elaborate.
While I may have been scandalized knowing the trips somehow figured out my…sexual preferences, David and I are close enough in age that we discovered our sexual identities together. Plus, I needed someone to help sneak into BDSM clubs with me before I was of age.
David steps forward and, for a moment, I don’t think Joel is going to let him get close, even though we just agreed to sit together, but he moves to the side, closer to Roman. My cousin takes it all in his stride, and I know he doesn’t blame anyone’s precaution. Not when his own guards are hovering over his shoulder, watchful and waiting.
If anyone here understands what it means to be next in line to a Family, it’s David. Though, from what I hear, he and Roman go about their positions in life very differently.
“David Petrov,” he says as he shakes Doc’s hand. “I look forward to getting to know you better. Provided you take good care of my cousin.”
Doc’s grin is sharp, but there’s amusement in his eyes as he responds. “Soren means the world to me, but duly noted.”
David nods and steps back again, pretending he can’t see the glare I aim at him. Instead, he turns to Cristian, who waves his son and Jude forward.
“I assume you know Roman, even if you’ve never met.”
“I’ve heard about him, yes.” The heirs give each other respectful nods before David turns his curious gaze on Jude.
“Jude Manassero,” he both says and signs. “I am…Roman’s partner.”
David smirks. “Well,” he signs. “The ASL makes more sense now. A pleasure to meet you, Jude…” He hesitates for a moment before asking, “May I be so bold as to assume you’re related to the Manasseros the Amatos are rumored to have eliminated recently?”
Jude grimaces but nods his fist. “You would be correct.”
David has enough tact to not ask for details, but he does nod to the cane in Jude’s hand. “I can introduce you to a great instructor who will teach you how to use that for more than walking, if you want. After all, you cannot be too careful.”
“We have it covered, but thank you for your concern,” Cristian smoothly says for Jude. “Please, let’s sit.”
We all find a seat, and it’s not much longer before James and Tennant return with trays of various drinks. How either of them knew what to order without actually asking, I don’t know, but I keep my thoughts to myself.
The conversation shifts once everyone is seated and has a drink in front of them, and for the moment, I can take a breath and pretend shit isn’t going to hit the fan sometime soon. Instead, I focus on colliding my two worlds together, while soaking up the simple pleasure of getting to show Doc off to this small part of our world.