Kira goes off again, telling me how Lucky came into her life and changed it for the better. And instead of protectiveness, I suddenly find myself a little envious of her. At such a young age, she’s found love. True, unconditional love. How many people can say they met their soulmate in high school? How many people ever even come close to experiencing a love like that?
My thoughts drift back to Lucky’s sister, and how, unlike her brother, her heart is closed to the mere possibility of love. And I was the fool who gave her my heart without even asking if she wanted it.
“Uncle Kirill? Is everything alright?” Kira asks, worried, when I grow silent all of a sudden.
“Yes,” I say quickly, ashamed of causing her concern. “Everything is fine. How could it not be, now that we found you?”
Kira’s eyes warm, while my soul still feels unsettled by the revelation I just had.
Stella may one day share her body with me, unable to resist the pull between us.
But her heart? She will never offer up. That will always be off limits to me.
“This explains so many things,” Kostya taunts when he finds me sitting on the floor, my back against the wall beside Stella’s room. I don’t bother responding as he towers over me with a pitying look in his eyes. “Need some company?”
“Sure.” He plops down beside me without hesitation.
“Your girlfriend still pissed at you?” he asks, letting out a sigh. “Yeah, I guess I would be too. Give her some time. She’ll be inviting you into her bed in no time.” Again, I keep my mouth shut. “Shit. That bad, huh?” He studies me closer. “No wonder you’ve been a righteous asshole since we got here.”
“Speaking of that… I owe you an apology for the way I treated you this morning.”
Kostya presses the back of his hand to my forehead as if checking for a fever. “Are you sick or something? I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve heard you apologize to anyone.”
“Don’t get used to it,” I grumble, slapping his hand away.
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He grins ear to ear. “And apology accepted.”
“Good. Thank you.”
“Not a problem.” He nudges my shoulder playfully.
“How about you? How are you doing since we got here?”
Kostya puts a hand to his chest in mock emotion. “I’m touched that you care,” he teases. “Don’t worry. I haven’t fucked up too bad. Yet.”
“We’re only going to be here a few weeks. How bad could you fuck up anyway?” I ask, genuinely curious.
“You should ask Sasha that question. All I have to do is open my mouth, and the fucker is all over my ass,” he grumbles, flicking invisible lint off his knee.
“I know Sasha can be a hard-ass sometimes, but that doesn’t mean he loves you any less.”
“He sure has a funny way of showing it,” Kostya pouts.
“Hey, at least I accept you as you are. That should count for something.”
Kostya’s black eyes brighten as he gives me a genuine smile. “And that is why you’re my favorite.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Why not? It’s true. Sure, you’re a mean old grump, but you never force me to be something I’m not.”
“Neither does Misha,” I correct him.
“Right. Misha.” He says the name pensively. “Misha might be patient with my ass now, but how long will that last? Sooner or later, thePakhanwill want me to level up. And I’m not sure I’m there yet.”
“Do you even want to be?”
“Do I want to live the same life you guys do? The one where fun isn’t on the table, and it’s all about obligation? Honestly, no. But it’s not up to me. This is what we all signed up for when we agreed to take that motherfucker, Vasily, down. We knew we were making a deal with the devil. Now I just have to man up and deal with it.”
