“The women are coming over in about an hour, and I’d like to have drinks and snacks ready. But I’ve never hosted anyone before, and I have no idea where to start.”
“Don’t worry about it, ma’am. I’ll take care of everything.”
Relief washed over me. “Thank you.”
He nodded, then walked away, already dialing as he disappeared through the front door. I headed into the kitchen, reheated the bacon and pancakes Wexler had covered in the fridge, and forced down a few bites with some orange juice. It helped a bit with the light-headedness.
Fifty minutes later, I stood at the front window, nervous.
The gates slid open, and a line of black SUVs rolled in, a pink Mercedes between them. Men in black suits and some in tactical gear climbed out, some familiar from Ninel’s art gallery opening. The women spilled out after them, laughing and chatting, and I hurried outside.
Each of them pulled me into a hug before Katya waved over part of the security team.
“Gentlemen, let me officially introduce you to Sienna, Avit’s wife,” Katya announced proudly.
I shook hands as she listed their names—Rocco, Tomas, Ruslan, and Calder.
“We’ll be sharing your number with her in case of emergency,” she added.
The men nodded before returning to the SUVs, and we headed inside together.
“Where are the children?” I asked once we settled in the living room.
“They’re with their fathers,” Vera said with a smile.
“Aren’t they supposed to be in meetings?”
“Oh, they are,” Ninel grinned.
Kira added, “The first three hours are spent bragging about their children. Then the actual meeting starts.”
The women shared chaotic, hilarious tales of the men taking care of the children together, followed by the far more shocking ones: how Vera and Kira first met their husbands, how Ninel, Katya and Vera were kidnapped and they were all forced into marriage…and how somehow, despite all of that, they were happy, and very much in love with their husbands.
Could that mean…
No. I shut the thought down before it could bloom. Avit wasn’t in my future, and neither were these women, no matter how happy they made me feel. No matter how happyhemade me feel.
I was the one who decided that after we found out who my father was selling to, I'd leave. I had no business attaching myself to people who'd never stay in my life.
They welcomed me instantly, when most people in their world would’ve judged me on sight. The bond forming between us was real—unexpected, rare, and something I hadn’t thought I’d ever find in a group this big.
Suddenly, Vera shot up from the sofa and hurried down the hallway toward the bathroom, Kira rushing after her.
The rest of us exchanged looks and waited anxiously until Vera returned. The second she stepped into the living room, Katya blurted out, “Vera, are you pregnant?”
She sank onto the sofa and nodded.
“But aren’t you happy?” Ninel asked. “Why the sad face?”
“Jaroslav doesn’t want another child. Not after everything I went through with Evie.”
“But, Vera,” Kira said, “how have you been hiding this from him? He hasn’t noticed the changes in your body, mood, or health?”
She gave a rueful smile. “All I need to do is dim the lights, and Jaroslav isn't really focused on my mid-section, if you know what I mean. And well…I’m always, always tired…Evie is two…”
“So you’re blaming Evie’s terrible twos?” Mariya asked. “My poor niece is already taking the blame for her younger sibling. Things really never change.”
“Hey!” Ninel tossed a cushion at her, making Mariya laugh.
