“Maddie caught up with me on the way out, and she gave that blonde hell. I thought she was going to rip her throat out in the parking lot. My littlekiska’sclaws came out tonight.”
The look on his face has me turning to Vasily. “He fucked her up against the side of the building again, didn’t he?”
Vasily laughs while Volodya downs another shot and then keeps grinning. “What can I say? I love it when she’s feisty.”
Every few seconds, our eyes stray towards the other end of the bar, keeping a constant watch over our women. Evie is laughing at something Nina’s said, and seeing the three of them together feels so damn perfect and right, like Evie was the missing piece that was always meant to be here.
“You’ve got it bad, little brother,” Vasily teases, elbowing my arm.
“I do,” I admit, unable to take my eyes off Evie’s smiling face.
After a few more minutes, we decide we’ve waited long enough and walk back to the three women who have completely transformed the Medvedev family. Maddie and Evie each have a freshly made Dirty Shirley in hand while Nina reaches for her bottle of water. As soon as Evie’s close enough, I wrap an arm around her upper chest and pull her back against me while I lean down and kiss her cheek.
Instead of going to the VIP section, we spend a couple of hours by the bar, laughing and talking and drinking, although we go easy on the alcohol since no one is here to get drunk. Well, maybe Maddie is, judging by the way she’s going through her drinks. When she eats the cherry from her latest, Volodya laughs and takes the empty glass from her.
“I’m cutting you off,kiska. Your mom and Boris are babysitting tonight, and I have plans for you later that don’t involve holding your hair back while you get sick.”
She laughs and looks up at him like he’s her whole world. “I’m not so sure I can run.”
“Can we get a water?” Volodya hollers to the bartender. “Better sober up quick then.”
Evie looks up at me with a confused look. I laugh and kiss the tip of her nose. “Don’t ask.”
After a few more minutes, Vasily sees Nina yawn and calls it a night. We say our goodbyes, everyone hugging Evie, wishing her a happy birthday, and basically welcoming her into the family. Evie smiles and hugs them all back, saying she can’t wait to meet their kids. We watch them leave, and when I ask her if she’s ready to go too, she gives me a big smile and nods her head.
Keeping a tight hold on her, we weave our way back through the crowd that’s only grown since we walked in, until we’re finally outside. After hours of being in the club, I breathe in a lungful of cool night air and dig my keys out of my pocket. After we’re both in, she turns to me and asks, “What did Maddie mean about not being able to run?”
I laugh and start the car. “Volodya loves to chase her.”
She laughs, but she doesn’t seem disgusted by the idea. If anything, she seems a little intrigued. It’s going to be a lot of fun discovering what Evie likes. I have a feeling she might surprise me.
“You ready to go back to my place, or did you want to do something else?”
Her cheeks are already a little flushed from the alcohol, but they grow even redder when she says, “I want to go back to your place.”
I pull away from the club and drive the short distance to my apartment building. She looks out the window, watching the brightly lit downtown pass by, and when I park in my reserved spot, she gives me an excited smile and points at the car next to us.
“Oh my god, it’s a red Mini Cooper!”
She hops out of the car without waiting for me to open the door for her. I laugh and grab her bag from the back before walking over to her. She’s eyeing the brand-new car with a big smile on her face.
“It’s exactly like the one we saw at the diner. They’re so cute!”
I smile at her, not telling her just yet that it’s one of her birthday presents. “Come on, baby,” I say, taking her hand and leading her inside.
She takes one last look at the car before following me. I stop and introduce her to Bill, who’s still working security at the front door.
“This is my girlfriend Evie. She’s allowed in no matter what time. Please let the other security guards know.”
“Yes, sir,” he says, giving me a nod and smiling politely at Evie.
I pull her away, and at my private elevator, I punch in the code and then tell her what it is. “I change it every week, but that’s what it is now in case you ever need to get up here on your own.”
“The day we met,” she whispers, giving me a sweet smile. “I never would’ve guessed you were such a big softie.”
I laugh and pull her into the elevator with me. “Only for you,lapochka.” When the doors shut, I’ve already picked her up and pressed her against the wall with my tongue running over the roof of her mouth. The poor girl’s not going to be able to walk straight by the time I’m done with her.
Chapter 9
