Chapter 5 #3
“Let’s get some food,” Tyoma says. “I’m starving.”
Kostya nods in agreement and soon they’re all headed around the side of the house.
Allie trails behind just long enough to give Ev and I a hug and say she’s glad we came for a visit.
She seems like a nice person, and there’s no denying she’s pretty, but she’s not the one I want to talk to.
Ev hangs back with me when Sitka’s the only one remaining.
Meeting her eyes and acting like I don’t care isn’t easy, but it’s not like she’s giving me a sweet smile or anything.
She seems just as guarded as I’m trying to act.
“It’s good to see you again,” she says, and when she steps in for a hug, it’s Ev she embraces. I try not to scowl, but Ev sees it and gives me a smirk while he tries not to laugh.
“Good to see you too,” Ev tells her, and I’m relieved when the hug is short and more of the brother-sister variety.
Before she can turn to give me one, her dad sticks his head around the side of the house and yells, “Hurry up, derevtse moyo, and get some food.”
If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear Volodya was waiting around the corner, watching and timing it just perfectly to cheat me out of hugging his daughter.
Sitka’s grey eyes land on mine for just a second before she says, “I’m glad you came to visit, Damien,” before she runs off to join her dad, who’s still waiting and definitely still watching.
Ev hides a laugh as we both follow after them. When Sitka and her dad are no longer in view, he leans in close and says, “You want me to tell you what she smells like?”
My look must say it all because he smiles even wider and gives me a pat on the back that feels all kinds of condescending.
“Don’t worry, Damien. I’m sure you’ll find a reason to get her body pressed against yours soon enough. Good luck getting her dad and brothers out of the way, though. I almost forgot how crazy they are.”
“Tell me about it,” I mutter. “Sasha at least has rules. These guys are just unhinged with no failsafe.”
“Kind of makes me want to give our Uncle Lev a big hug. He knew what he was doing when he taught Sasha how to control and steer his crazy in the right direction.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “I think Volodya used a different technique when raising his boys.”
“Yeah, the give ‘em a knife, set ‘em loose, and see what happens technique.”
With that knowledge sitting heavy on my shoulders, we join the others around back.
The Medvedev family is as big as ours but minus all the kids.
I’m sure they’ll eventually catch up, but for now it’s just Lyra who is passed around from person to person and loving every second of it.
Wallace must’ve run down to join in the fun because I spot him running around with a ball in his mouth.
“Hey, you two,” Maddie says, giving Ev and I a hug.
I always find it hard to believe that someone who looks so sweet can be married to someone as psychotic as Volodya, but then I think about Cindy.
She’s one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, and she’s completely enamored with Sasha.
Both of these women bring out the softness in men who would otherwise not have a shred of it in them.
Love is a powerful thing, and to prove my point, I see Volodya give his wife a smile that I’m betting is reserved just for her.
Ev and I keep visiting with everyone, but no matter how much I try to ease us closer to Sitka every chance I catch a glimpse of her, I can’t.
We’re either held up by someone who wants to visit, or handed another plate of food by the very well-meaning Medvedev women.
At one point, I think I’ll be able to manage it, but then her grandma steps into my path.
The woman is in her late seventies, and it’s not like I can just push her aside in an effort to get to her granddaughter.
She smiles up at me and speaks in Russian when she pats my cheek and tells me that I’m getting more handsome by the day. I laugh because she is a very sweet woman, and I’ve never had a grandma, but she makes me think I’d really like it if I did.
“Thank you, Mrs. Medvedev,” I say, showing her the respect she deserves, not just as my elder but also because she was married to the original pakhan of the Medvedev Bratva.
Her husband was killed, and I heard it nearly destroyed her.
It took Vasya and his brothers years before they could convince her to move to America.
Being around her family healed her. It reminded her that life was still worth living, and I’m glad they did because her eyes light up every time she sees her grandkids. They’re lucky to have her.
She pats Ev’s arm and says, “I heard you’re going to college to be a lawyer.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he says, returning the smile she’s still giving him.
“It’s a smart move,” she says. “Never a bad idea to have a lawyer on the payroll.”
We both laugh at the calm way she talks about the Bratva, but I’m guessing she married into it young and has been around it her whole life.
When your husband used to run it and then your three sons took over after he was murdered, there’s not much this woman isn’t aware of.
Her whole life is the Bratva, but she seems at peace with it.
Before she walks off, she gives me a wink, and I really hope I can count on her as an ally if anything ever does develop between me and her granddaughter.
After she walks off, Kostya’s parents fill the space, and I bite back the frustrated groan I want to give and smile at Sabrina before shaking Nikolai’s hand. Aside from being a skilled tattoo artist, he’s also one of Vasya’s top enforcers.
“I see you’ve got some new ink,” I tell Sabrina when I notice the colorful flock of birds on her shoulder.
They’re small, intricately detailed in a way that boggles the mind, and seem to float along her skin, disappearing into the back of her shirt.
I meet Nikolai’s dark eyes. “I don’t know how it’s possible, but I swear you keep getting better. ”
He grins at the compliment and motions towards the few un-inked spots he can see on me. “Let me know when you want me to fill those in.”
“I might take you up on that,” I say.
“Yeah, me too,” Ev adds.
When I glance over at him, he shrugs and says, “I’ll make sure they can all be hidden under a shirt.”
“God, that must suck,” Nikolai says, grimacing at the mere thought of having to hide all his artwork.
“It does,” Ev says, “but that’s how it has to be.” To soften the mood, he grins and gestures towards the T-shirt he’s wearing. “At least I don’t have to hide here. It’s not as warm as I’d like,” he adds with a laugh, “but at least I can bare my arms.”
“What are you talking about?” Valeri says from several feet away where he’s obviously been listening in. He reminds me of my Uncle Vitaly in many ways. He spreads his arms with a grin. “This is our summer, boys. Embrace the heat wave while it lasts.”
Ev and I share a look when a gust of wind hits us, and hot is the last word I’d use to describe it.
I’m glad I threw a hoodie in with Lyra’s things because the sun hasn’t even fully set yet, and I’m already chilly.
Everyone has a nice laugh at our expense, and when I spot a couple of open seats several minutes later, I nudge Ev and jerk my chin in the direction of it.
“I’ll meet you there,” he says, holding up his empty plate. “I want some pie. You want anything?”