His wife shot him a stern glare. “She’s American. Of course she can’t.”
“Demyon, you brought home a wife,” Viktor said to me in English. “Finally.”
“Oh, no, that’s not what…” the girl and I chorused like we were in sync.
An awkward silence fell for a brief moment as we exchanged glances, shocked by the coincidence.
“We’re not….” It happened again.
Fuck. What the hell was going on here?
She lowered her head, hiding her face from the couple’s suspicious gazes.
I cleared my throat and straightened. “She’s, uh…she’s my guest.”
The two looked at each other again.
“Guest, huh?” Viktor teased, arms across his chest.
“That’s one way to put it,” Zoya added. “You must think we were born yesterday.”
Their shoulders collided in a playful gesture, and they laughed, as if mocking us.
“I’m serious. She’s my guest,” I said, trying to clear the air.
“Yes, yes, we heard you the first time.” She glanced at her husband and cackled.
“Why are you so defensive, though?” Viktor asked me, flashing an annoying grin.
“I’m not.”
“He is,” Zoya whispered in his ear. She took the girl’s hand and beamed at her. “You’re beautiful.”
Her lips curled into a faint grin. “Thank you.”
“What is your name, child?”
That’s true; I had no idea what her name was—never bothered to ask.
“Evaline. Evaline Harlow,” she answered. “But my friends call me Eva.”
Eva. Nice.
“Welcome to our café, Eva,” Zoya said. “Order whatever you want. It’s on the house.”
“Really?” Her brows arched.
“Yes. As long as you’re with Demyon, you’ll receive the same preferential treatment as him,” Viktor replied.
Eva hesitated, her eyes flicking toward me for a fleeting moment. “Thank you,” she said to the couple, her voice dripping with gratitude.
“Come with me.” Zoya dragged her away.
When it was just Viktor and me, he said calmly, “In my little time on earth, I’ve learned to spot a good woman when I see one.” He glanced in my direction. “So believe me when I tell youthatis a good woman. Don’t mess this up.”
I watched her in silence as she smiled at whatever Zoya was telling her on the other side of the counter. She shifted her gaze from Zoya to me, and when our eyes met, my heart skipped a beat. The smile on her face was genuine, and it did something to me I couldn’t yet explain.
Evaline Harlow, what have you done to me?
