God damn it, I thought to myself. And so it begins, the scrutiny and questions. I felt my shoulders tense just as Arko and Andrey walked in.
Arko’s gaze landed straight on me, and I thought I must have imagined the way he roved over my face, like he was trying to sense if someone said something they shouldn’t have. Was it all the kissing from this morning? I felt my neck heat at the memory and wondered if the recent physical proximity had him on edge to come to my defense. Or was it guilt at how we were discovered?
There was something definitely up with him that had him striding across the room to come stand by my side like some kind of caveman bodyguard as he glowered at his siblings, daring them to cross the line.
I didn’t know what it was, but I knew one thing for sure. This protective madness couldn’t be from affection, because it would have been foolish for me to forget he only took me for revenge.
Whatever his reason was, I was grateful for it. I didn’t feel like facing the wolves alone.
“Mimosaaas?” Artyom made the round with a tray in his hand.
“I haven’t even had my coffee,” Arko growled when Artyom stopped in front of him. Artyom shrugged, moving over to me.
I was so damn nervous, I took a glass. Arko’s eyebrows almost hit the roof.
“What?” I hissed, under my breath, taking a sip.
“That’s the spirit.” Alena raised her glass at me from the couch.
For some reason, raising mine back came naturally.
“Sit down, will you all?” Anton said, plonking next to Alena. “It’s strange seeing you all stand around like that.”
One by one, we took up spots around the settee, chairs, and sofas.
“Now, brother.” Andrey swirled his mimosa and took a long sip. “Are there any other secrets you’re trying to keep from us?”
Once again, he threw me a pointed look.
“Oh, stop blaming poor Beatrice.” Anja glowered at her brother. “We don’t even know how they ended up together.”
I felt my shoulders sag with relief at that, and maybe it was the combination of being empty stomach and drinking mimosas that left me wagging my tongue before I could even think. “That’s true. I didn’t even want to marry him. Your brother kidnapped me from a nightclub, of all places.”
Arko hissed, his eyes snapping to mine, and I winced. Technically, I didn’t know he wanted to keep this secret.
“Oh, fuck,” Alek groaned, smacking his head to his forehead.
“You’ve really outdone yourself, haven’t you, brother?” Alena shook her head at Arko, the disappointment evident on her face, and in that moment, I realized that just because she was Arko’s sister and a Pavlov didn’t mean she automatically hated my guts. In fact, she looked pretty damn pissed on my behalf.
“Oh, I think he has.” I downed my mimosa. “I think he’s dug his own grave and doesn’t even know it yet.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Arko give me a quizzical look. I could almost imagine what he was trying to say to me—Oh, you’re joking with them now?
“I like you,” Anja grinned. “Really, really like you.”
“Agreed.” Alena gave me a curt nod.
Surprisingly enough, I could already imagine his sisters and me being friends. And just like that, I felt the nervousness in me begin to settle.
“You should have told us still.” Alek looked at Andrey, like he wanted his older brother to back him on this. But then I saw Arko and Andrey locked in a silent battle with their eyes, and I knew whatever they had discussed outside when they were late to follow us in had become a point of conflict.
I had become a point of conflict.
And I had had enough of an awkward morning to let it get worse.
“So.” I put on a smile and downed my drink, clinking the glass down on the table beside. “Who wants to pour me another mimosa and tell me embarrassing stories of Arko here as a kid. Was he born with a stick shoved up his ass, or what?”
Arko grunted, but I saw the surprise in his eyes at the cheeriness in my tone.
