Chapter 10 - Mikhail
It’s as clear as day that Lily wants to be anywhere but here.
I can’t entirely blame her, but I don’t enjoy it either. Not when it concerns my family.
That fact is evident in the way she walks half a step behind me, rigid with every movement.
She won’t meet my gaze after exiting the car and moving beneath the restaurant lights.
Her shoulders are pinched together like it hurts to even approach the building, and I know she’s doing everything in her power to keep it together.
If anything, she’s biding her time well through that nearly torturous silence.
Despite her innocence, there’s a calculation in her quiet exterior, like she’s waiting.
But either way, it doesn’t matter how she plays whatever hand she has. I have her, and she’s mine entirely.
The ring on her finger, the records in city hall, and the fact that her name reflects mine all say so, and that isn’t up for debate. I’ll be damned if anyone tries to deny it.
Lily can hate it all she wants. She can hate me and everything I am, but it won’t change the truth. She’s my wife, and I intend to make that an absolute fact.
I was never someone who saw much value in marriage aside from potential business partnerships that could be exploited, but now, there’s something satisfying about it. Something I’ve had a taste of and don’t want to be without.
It’s a possessive instinct, yes, and certainly more twisted than I anticipated, but it isn’t as shallow as it might seem.
Regardless of not looking too closely at it, there’s something almost sentimental boiling beneath the surface.
I remember what it felt like to touch her before all of this came together. How simple that night at the club had been, and the way she looked at me like a mystery instead of a killer.
Now, she can’t even bring herself to look at me.
But I want that ice to melt between us, and I want her attention on me like she can’t get enough. I can only hope she survives dinner with my siblings.
I stay close to her while we enter the restaurant, both to keep an eye on her and just because I want to be. The place is a bit old-school and full of dark hardwood and warm lighting, but there’s also something familiar about it. It’s homey, in a way.
We own it, of course, and every detail is intentional.
Even if my family left Russia for a reason, there are still pieces of those roots that call to us often.
The very moment my hand meets the small of her back, Lily flinches.
It isn’t visible enough for anyone else to notice, but I feel it, and it stings more than I’d like to admit.
As if the contact is completely foreign to her, she doesn’t seem to relax, but I keep my hand there anyway despite the twinge of irritation it brings me.
Whether she believes it or not, I’m trying. Not just for me, but for both of us.
Ridding myself and my family of her after she witnessed our business unfolding in real-time in the alley would’ve been easier. If it wasn’t for our code, she would already be gone.
But that wasn’t how I wanted things to go down. I chose this, and I chose her.
She doesn’t want to see the declaration in that fact yet, but I certainly hope she will eventually.
After everything we did together, after all of the feelings we exchanged, I’d never forgive myself if I hurt her. I know that won’t matter to her right now, but with time, I want my actions to speak for themselves.
Moving through the main doors, it takes no time at all for the hostess to recognize me and usher us through the establishment towards the private patio section out back. It’s tucked out of sight and offers us more than enough space away from the patrons.
Familiar scents of rich meats and warm bread flood the place, reminding me instantly of all the meals we’ve shared here. And now, I’m about to bring Lily into the fold with me.
I glance at her, and immediately, I catch how tight her jaw is and the way she hesitantly scans her surroundings.
Instead of being curious, she just looks nervous, like she needs to watch her back. But that’s a ridiculous notion here, with her by my side.
My eyes linger on her, and I just barely lean closer. “No one’s going to hurt you tonight. Relax.”
Hardly even blinking, she doesn’t answer. Instead, she continues walking as if that’s using up more than enough of her energy already.
Fine.
I push out a discreet breath and keep moving.
As we reach the back room, the usual laughter from my siblings fills the space as expected. The long table is already covered in appetizers, glasses, and pristine silverware.
“There he is,” Roman says with a grin at the far end, while he lazily rests his arm over the back of Victoria’s chair, with the little one sleeping in her arms. “Now who’s the late one?”
Everyone looks over at us then, and I feel Lily tense up even more.
I don’t miss Nikolai’s knowing grin, as if he’s already coming up with some way to tease me. He’s planning to make my night harder on purpose, and I have the feeling the others will be right behind him.
Sergey rises from his spot, pulling back a chair for Lily. His eyes gleam with his typical amusement. “And this must be the bride.”
Before he can get carried away, I swat his hand, getting him to move before I take his place. “Watch it.”
He chuckles along with the others before returning to his seat. “I was only being nice.”
“You’re being a pest already.”
“You’d know a lot about that,” Ivan muses, and I already know I’m in for the fight of my life.
It turns out that instigating situations not directly involving you results in everyone else trying to deliver their payback swiftly and justly when the right moment arrives.
And knowing my siblings, they’re more than willing to give me a taste of my own medicine.
While I offer the chair to her, Lily hesitates and then takes it. Once she sits down, I carefully push her chair in before taking my own.
“Everyone, this is Lily,” I say, trying my best to regain my grip on the reins.
Not quite in unison, sounding more like a garbled mesh of words, they all greet her in return. It’s not exactly as smooth as they’re capable of, and I can’t help but wonder if this is my instant karma.
One by one, I go over the who’s-who, hoping that Lily is retaining at least some of it, saving me the hassle down the line.
“You’re a med student, right?” Elena asks, inserting herself as my saving grace.
If anyone can be normal and civilized, it’s her, thankfully.
“I am,” Lily answers simply, not sounding proud; instead, she seems almost pained by the reminder.
She didn’t have to say anything to me before about how critically important her returning to class tomorrow is for me to already know. I picked up on her nervous fidgeting before I even brought up dinner.
In a way, I can’t help but feel like I’ve somehow soured the very accomplishment for her, like even being a threat to her education has made me a demon in her eyes.
“Smart girl,” my sister says with a small grin, sipping her wine. “Don’t let my bum of a brother stop you.”
So much for her help.
I narrow my eyes at Elena in warning, but that only eggs her on, influencing her smile to grow as she puts her hands up in defense.
“What? It’s an honest field to pursue. Let her be more impressive than you.”
A low rumble of amusement moves across the table, but I don’t comment.
Instead, I glance at Lily, managing to catch the faintest hint of amusement sprinkled into her features.
She finds it funny…that’s something, at least.
While my siblings continue to talk, I zone out of it and focus entirely on her.
Of course, I thought she was beautiful since the moment I laid eyes on her at the club, but tonight, she looks even more gorgeous somehow. I should be focusing on what’s happening around me and participating, but with her nearby, I can’t help it.
Even if she hates every moment of being here, surrounded by my family, she’s everything I’ve been craving.
That black dress hugs her perfectly, reminiscent of that night, and it makes my chest ache. Her makeup is simple but elegant, and her hair is done up in a way that guides my attention to her neck.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume she was born into this life and that it suits her well. She pulls it off, even if she’s secretly miserable beneath it all.
Dinner unfolds around us as usual, full of laughter and family stories we’ve shared hundreds of times before. All the while, drinks are poured, and it’s easy to forget about everything else for a time.
But when I glance over at Lily, the situation comes rushing back to me.
She doesn’t eat much of anything. Instead, she pushes her food around, answers questions politely when she’s asked, and keeps her answers short. She does it all with a med student’s poise—professional, yet not entirely at ease.
When I look at her, that warm tension moves through me, and instinctively, I just want her to relax. I want her to see me as the man who can let loose with his family and talk about anything other than work and business.
I hate that I even care, but I can’t help it.
Eventually, feeling brave enough, I carefully place my hand on Lily’s thigh under the table, hoping to offer her some kind of reassurance. Even if she doesn’t want to be there, I can at least try to give her some comfort.
Immediately, she goes rigid, like the touch is completely unfamiliar. She makes it seem like I’ve never done more for her, but we both know that isn’t true.
I pause, testing the waters, but she doesn’t move my hand, and she doesn’t lean into it either.
Her skin is warm under my palm as I slowly stroke her thigh with my thumb, wishing she would accept more from me. Wishing she wasn’t quite so resistant.
Part of me wants to push even farther, but I know I can’t—not yet. Her trust in me is practically nonexistent as it is.
My touch on her thigh isn’t much, but that small contact is enough for now.