“I think we all need to hear this story. You two have kept us curious long enough,” Lukyan added, the weight of his gaze heavy on me.
“I found Ilana at the auction. She was up for bidding, so I bought her,” Avgust said, simple and true.
Everyone went silent for a few seconds, staring at Avgust as if wondering if this was actually true or just a jest. When neither Avgust nor I added anything further, everyone finally believed it was true.
“The auction, which was a couple of months ago?” Iosif asked.
“Oh, good god, Ilana. I am so sorry. That sounds horrible,” Clara added, standing up from beside Iosif and coming to sit beside me as if her presence would bring me comfort. It did.
“It was,” I nodded, “But I am much better now. Avgust has helped me get out of it and come back to life.”
“What were you doing at the auction in the first place, Avgust?” Elisse asked.
“Scouting for the new family. The Romanovs. I had a hunch that they might be there, but they weren’t.”
My breath caught in my throat at the mention of my family, but I tried my best not to let it show on my face. I had no idea Avgust had come looking for my brothers at the auction; instead, he had found me.
“Wait, so you got her out of that auction and married her just like that?” Zhenya asked, confusion on her face.
“How else could he have married her?” Timofey asked, leaning forward.
“By arranging a proper ceremony at least.”
“He married her for protection, Zhenya,” Elisse explained, “You know how Bratva protection works.”
“Well, from the looks of it, the marriage isn’t purely based on protection anymore,” Timofey added, everyone’s gaze landing squarely on Avgust’s hand, which was entwined with mine.
I tried to pull my hand away, but Avgust only held it tighter, his small smile deepening while he looked at me. My cheeks turned scarlet as everyone around us chuckled softly, clearly happy for us. I had never been the center of attention in this manner, and all of it felt surreal. But with Avgust on my side, I did not feel a single unpleasant emotion.
“You are right, Tim, it isn’t,” Avgust replied, still holding my gaze as if he meant every single word.
“In that case, maybe we can have a ceremony now, and the two of you can get married again!” Zhenya said, looking at the two of us with an expectant gaze.
“No.”
“We can think about it.”
Both Avgust and I spoke at the same time, and Zhenya clapped, clearly only focusing on what I had said. As everyone around us busied in their conversations again, Lukyan turned to look at me, his gaze pointed and sharp.
“So,” he said casually. “Where are you from, Ilana?”
I smiled, rehearsed ease sliding into place. “I’ve moved around.”
“I’m sorry you somehow ended up at the auction,” he said lightly. “It is certainly not common for a woman to land at a place such as that unless she is part of a revenge scheme related to her family or someone she’s associated with.”
My fingers tightened around my glass, but my smile didn’t falter. The Chernykhs had accepted me, but I cannot expect them to trust me so easily. They had every right to question me and my past in order to protect their own. After all, Avgust was their brother, and right now I was nothing more than a stranger to them.
Before I could answer, Avgust leaned forward, clearly listening in to the conversation.
“That’s enough,” he said calmly, dangerously. His arm came around my shoulders, possessive and final. “She doesn’t owe an explanation about her past to you or anyone. All you have to do is look at her and accept her as my wife.”
The room had fallen silent during the exchange, all eyes on Avgust and Lukyan. Lukyan studied the two of us for a long moment and nodded.
“That is fair. I shouldn’t pry unnecessarily.”
Avgust pressed his lips briefly to my temple, and I swallowed the guilt that rose sharp and sudden. He had not only welcomed me into his life but also made me feel welcome in his family, and I was sitting in the Chernykh house with a secret that could burn it all down. Before my thoughts went any further, Clara came back inside the lounge. I hadn’t even seen her leave.
“Dinner is served,” she said, and everyone stood up to move towards the dining room.
