A small voice in the back of my head wonders if this is jealousy. Maybe Art did have something with Karolina, after all. She is stunning, tall and blonde, and they’d make a beautiful couple. Their babies would be Russian supermodels who grew up to be six-feet tall.
If not Karolina, why would this engagement be bothering him so much?
“Valentin.” Art’s voice is clipped and urgent, his face stormy. He doesn’t so much as glance in my direction. “Can I see you in my office?”
He’s already taking Valentin away by the arm, physically dragging him away from his new fiancée. From the look on Valentin’s face, his grip isn’t gentle, either.
I watch them go, confusion raging through me. This has to be about Karolina.
But when I look up at her, her perfect face is serene. She rolls her eyes at me and tosses her hair over her toned shoulders.
“So damn immature, aren’t they? Like children, fighting over their grandmother’s approval.” Her eyes flash with amusement and she leans down. “I might be marrying Valentin, but my money’s on Artyom.”
I wish I could play along and pretend that I’m in on the joke too, but I have no idea what she’s trying to say. “What was that all about?”
She quirks an eyebrow. “You’ve never seen this side of him before, have you? Artyom can be a monster when there’s power involved.”
I swallow my pride and just ask her. “Was it about… you? Is Art jealous?”
“Oh my God, no.” Karolina’s graceful hand flies to her mouth, and she tilts her head back and laughs. “Honey, I’ve never seen him so far gone for someone. The past five years he’s had eyes for no one else.”
“Then, what’s going on? He loves Valentin.”
“Yes, but he didn't think that Valentin was going to take Vanya up on her challenge.” She raises her eyebrows at me significantly and leans forward, as though I should know what that means. “I imagine he’s furious.”
Art isn’t known for being hot-headed. I can’t think what would make him furious with his favorite cousin.
Karolina is looking at me as though she’s waiting for something to click. Instead, I’m scrambling to keep up.
“Vanya’s challenge? What challenge?”
Karolina's purses her shiny red lips. “You mean, you don't know?”
I shake my head. Her mouth drops open. “That bastard.” Her blue eyes are wide and almost sympathetic. “He really should have told you.”
Now I feel like an idiot.
“Obviously, he didn’t.” I take another sip of my champagne. “Enlighten me.”
Karolina takes me over to the side of the ballroom, sitting down on the red velvet armchairs. When she takes a seat, she neatly arranges her cream skirt so that it doesn’t crinkle, and sits with her back ramrod straight.
I slump into the chair, relieved to take the weight off thestiletto heels I’m not used to wearing. Even though I’m standing up all day at Middlefield, at least I can choose my comfiest sneakers. Six-inch stilettos are a special kind of torture.
Karolina takes a sip of her martini and starts to explain. “You know that Art is likely to be the next leader of the Petrovs. Taking over Vanya’s seat on the Council of the Bratva.”
I nod. I don't fully understand the family business, but I know enough to know that he has been preparing to take over from Vanya for most of his life. “He’s been waiting for years.”
Karolina nods, her mouth twisting. “Everyone thought she would announce him as the successor earlier in the year, at her 90th birthday. But she didn’t. It was awkward.”
Art used to talk about being leader as though it were a foregone conclusion. Lately, he’s barely mentioned it at all. I wonder if this is why. I take another gulp of champagne.
“Okay, so what does that mean? He has to wait longer?”
“It was significant, Nina. Embarrassing for Art. Instead of announcing him as her successor, she gave a big, long speech about the history of the family and how she couldn't have taken on the leadership alone, how she would be nothing if it weren't for her husband Vassily.It was all working up to her big announcement. She would stay in charge for another year, and anyone who was serious about the leadership would need to be married by then.”
A chill slides down my spine.
If Vanya made marriage a condition for the leadership, that changes everything. That would mean that everything Art has done over the past few months was in the service of his own leadershipambitions.
