"Good. Then we understand each other."
***
Vasily was waiting outside when we emerged from the restaurant.
He was leaning against a black SUV, arms crossed, his eyes scanning the street with the constant vigilance I'd come to recognize. When he saw us, something in his posture shifted—not relaxing, exactly, but settling. Acknowledging.
Lisa stopped short at the sight of him. I felt her hand tighten on my arm.
"That's him?"
"That's him."
She looked at me, then back at him, then at me again. "Jesus, Gaby. You could have warned me he looked like that."
"Would it have helped?"
"Probably not." She squared her shoulders. "Introduce us."
We crossed the sidewalk together. Vasily straightened as we approached, his green eyes moving from me to Lisa and back again.
"Vasily," I said, "this is Lisa. My best friend. Lisa, this is Vasily. My husband."
For a moment, no one spoke. Lisa was sizing him up with the same fierce protectiveness she'd shown when vettingmy college boyfriends. Vasily was watching her with the careful assessment of a man who evaluated threats for a living.
"Mr. Chernov," Lisa said finally. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Miss Warren." He inclined his head slightly. "I've heard a great deal about you as well. Gabrielle values your friendship more than almost anything."
"Almost anything?"
"You'll have to ask her what she values more."
Lisa turned to me, eyebrow raised. I shrugged. "You. The baby. Him. Not necessarily in that order."
Something flickered across Vasily's face—surprise, maybe, or pleasure at being included so casually in the list of things I treasured.
"I'm going to be direct," Lisa said, turning back to him. "I don't understand what happened between you two. I don't know if I approve. But she's my best friend, and she tells me she's happy. So here's the deal: you make her unhappy, you hurt her in any way, and I will find a way to make your life a living hell. I don't care how powerful you are or how many bodyguards you have. I will destroy you."
Vasily's lips twitched. "I believe you would try."
"I'd succeed."
"Perhaps." He glanced at me, something warm in his eyes. "But you have nothing to worry about, Miss Warren. Your friend is the most precious thing in my world. I would burn cities to keep her safe."
"That's... both romantic and concerning."
"I've been told I walk a fine line."
Lisa stared at him for a long moment. Then, unexpectedly, she laughed. "Okay. I can see why she likes you." She pulled me into another hug, fierce and brief. "Call me. Every week, at least. I don't care about security or whatever—find a way."
"I will," I promised. "I love you, Lisa."
"Love you too, you absolute lunatic." She pulled back, wiping her eyes. "Now go. Before I start crying again and ruin my makeup completely."
I watched her walk away, her heels clicking on the sidewalk until she disappeared around the corner. Then I turned to Vasily, who was watching me with an expression I couldn't quite read.
"That went better than expected," he said.
