I was nervous as we pulled up to the mansion of the Chernykhs. They were surely just another intimidating, cruel Bratva family. I had no idea what to expect. As we pulled up to the massive gates, I started to fidget with the small frill of the black dress I was wearing.
“What’s wrong?” Kolya asked.
“Nothing,” I replied quickly as the gates opened.
There were quite a lot of cars parked in the driveway. This made me even more skeptical. Kolya had barely stopped when I noticed the two guards coming our way.
He got out and casually greeted them as he came around and opened my door. Placing my hand in his outstretched one, I tried swallowing the lump in my throat.
“Stop fidgeting!” he demanded softly. “Everything’s fine. You’re going to enjoy their company. They’re really nice people.”
“Okay,” I replied. I could hear my voice cracking slightly, but Kolya didn’t seem to notice. The dress suddenly felt too tight. I could feel a sliver of sweat running down my back. Before we reached the door, it swung open.
There stood Clara smiling broadly. I was glad to see her. It may make the day a tad better. This was her family, the one she married into. Next to her stood a big man. His dark blond hair made his shocking blue eyes stand out. He was clean-cut and extremely muscular.
I could see why Clara had fallen for him as he smiled. Those eyes sparkled like gemstones. Glancing at Kolya, I found myself squeezing his hand. He was a handsome man as well. Thethin scar on his cheek gives him a bad boy vibe, which I found I liked.
“Hi, Sophia!” Clara exclaimed as we reached them. She stepped closer and pulled me into a tight hug. Her soft laugh was welcoming. “I’m so glad you came. This is my husband, Iosif,” she added as she pulled back and looked at him.
“Thank you for having me,” I mumbled.
Iosif extended his hand as he spoke. “Pleased to finally meet you, Sophia. I’ve heard quite a bit about you.” His tone was warm and inviting.
“Thank you,” I replied, taking his hand. His hand was massive compared to mine. But his grip was soft and warm. He lifted my hand, placing a gentle kiss on it before letting go.
“Please come in,” Iosif said as he placed his arm around Clara and stepped back.
Kolya’s hand was on the small of my back as I moved forward. The two men greeted fleetingly as we passed Clara and Iosif entering their home.
“Come,” Clara said, turning out of Iosif’s grip. “Everybody’s waiting.” Who was everybody? My throat felt like it was closing again, and swallowing was constricted. “You’ll love them, I promise,” Clara added, taking my hand.
I felt more nervous than before as she pulled me with her through the mansion. Before us, I saw two archways, one of which appeared to lead to an entertainment area and the other to a dining room. I assumed we were heading to one of those. But we didn’t. She moved past the glass doors that led outside.
There were quite a few people outside. They were gathered around three round tables to our left. Towards the other side, I saw the giant pool and an outdoor bar area.
“This is Avugst,” Clara announced, pointing at one of the men. “Next to him is Timofey, and that is Zhenya with her husband, Akim.”
It was a mouthful. I wasn’t sure if I’d remember all the names. They all smiled warmly. They greeted me as if they were part of a choir, practically in unison. “Hi there, pleased to meet you.”
I wondered if they had rehearsed it and almost laughed. Avgust came closer, and I bit back the laughter as he extended his hand. Extending mine, he shook firmly as he spoke. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“She’s going to have wine with Clara and me,” the woman she called Zhenya interrupted.
“Okay,” Avgust replied. He smiled and then headed back to join the other men. Clara once again pulled me with her as we walked with Zhenya to the bar. Zhenya looked comfortable as she moved around to the other side and poured our wine.
“I’m so glad the two of you could join us,” she said, handing us our glasses.
“Thanks for having us,” I replied, unsure of what to say.
Zhenya laughed. I wasn’t sure what I had said that was funny. But before I could ask, she spoke. “There’s no need to thank us. You are always welcome here any time. Clara said you’re studying law. Is that correct?”
“I’m actually done with my studies. I was about to complete my training and get my final papers next year after the last exam.” I stated. There was more I wanted to say, but swallowed it back. With all that had happened, I wasn’t sure I would complete my degree.
I hadn’t realized my expression had changed. “Are you okay?” Clara asked. She lightly touched my arm. Looking at her, I could see the concern on her face.
“Oh, yes. I’m good, thanks,” I huffed. Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts. I forced a smile.
“We are here, should you need something, just ask,” Zhenya added.
