Vee turns to me. “Did something happen? He wasn’t trying to hide you from us, was he?”
“Me?” I point to myself like a fool.
I’ve been so engrossed in listening to them, I almost forgot I was even in the room with them. They fit together so easily, like they’ve weathered the same storm and come out stronger. I’m the outsider, pretending not to drown.
Vee laughs. “Yes, you. I’m sorry, we let you hide in that corner for too long. Come sit over here with us.” She pats the cushion beside her on the couch. “I promise we’re not scary.”
“Well, maybe Vee isn’t, but I can be if I try.” Megan laughs.
“Don’t listen to her.” Vee waves a hand at her sister-in-law.
Aside from their looks being complete opposites—Vee with her soft blonde hair and classic beauty, and Megan with her effortless prettiness and her jet-black hair, broken only by a rebellious white streak—they’re far more alike than I would have expected. There’s a quiet strength within them, the sort that blooms from survival.
On the surface, they’re sweet and unassuming, but beneath it there’s a strong loyalty—to their husbands and each other—that’s fierce enough to draw blood if needed.
“But seriously, Kaz isn’t locking you away on purpose, is he?” Vee’s already drawn me into her circle. She sees me as one of them.
“No. He’s just been really busy with work.”
They exchange a glance that immediately tells me my words are bullshit.
“I’m sorry, it’s just Kaz isn’t usually so focused on work.” Megan kicks off her shoes and tucks her feet beneath her.
“Well, he’s been really at it lately. He’s gone before I wake up in the morning, if he came home at all. Some nights he sleeps at the club. Whatever club that is, he hasn’t said.”
They exchange another glance.
“He’s up before you in the morning?” Megan scrunches her mouth to the side like the idea doesn’t taste right. “Sorry, but he’s never done that before. Alexander can’t get him to show up anywhere before noon.”
“Oh.” My shoulders drop. “I guess getting away from me is just the motivation he needed to take his work more seriously.”
“No.” Vee sighs. “It’s the Volkov blood. It makes him more stubborn than most.”
“He’s not thrilled with having to marry me, I get it. It’s not like I was dancing with excitement when I was told, either. But it’s okay. He’s not a complete asshole.”
Megan laughs. “Not a complete asshole? After what he did at that ceremony,Iwanted to kick his ass.”
“So why didn’t you guys come over for dinner the other night?” Vee changes the subject.
“I don’t know. He never mentioned that we were supposed to.” I shrug. “But like I said, he’s been working a lot on getting the casino resort through the zoning phase.”
It’s the only thing I’ve heard him talk about when he’s been around on his phone.
Megan reaches for her glass of water on the side table and knocks over a frame. Quickly grabbing it, she checks it.
“Shit, the glass cracked.” She runs her finger over the glass.
“That’s okay, I’ll take it to get fixed tomorrow.” I take the frame from her, glancing at the photo. “Oh. Is this him and his sister?”
“Elana? Yeah.” Megan’s gaze flicks to Vee. “She’s sort of a sore spot for him right now.”
“She’s not living here in town anymore, right? She moved away?”
Vee nods silently. “Yeah, after what happened she needed space from everyone.”
From the way they’re looking at me, it’s apparent that I’m supposed to know what they’re talking about. Normally, I would go along and just move away from the subject, but living in the shadows hasn’t gotten me anywhere so far.
“What happened, exactly?”
