“Thanks,” I tell her and then return the hug Danil gives me before I tuck myself back up against Niki.
“Does Max know yet?” Danil asks.
“I was going to call him later,” Niki says.
“I can’t wait for them to get back here in a couple of months,” he says while Simona nods in agreement and adds, “Lyra isgrowing so fast. It’s hard not seeing them all the time, but at least we can FaceTime as much as we want.” She surprises me by asking, “You want to teach kindergarten, right? Like here in the city?”
“Mom,” Niki starts to say, but she laughs and gives me an amused grin.
“You can’t blame me for asking. I just want to know if I need to prepare myself for anything long-distance,” she says.
“Don’t worry,” I quickly tell her, ignoring the fact that we’re talking about some very future-heavy topics. “This is my home, and I have no plans to live anywhere else.”
She shoots her husband a relieved look. “Oh thank god. I would still support you both no matter what, of course, but I’m so happy to hear that.”
“You look like you need rescuing.”
I look over to see Damien, followed closely by Sasha and Cindy.
“Thanks, man,” Niki tells Damien while his cousin gives me a nod.
“Nice to see you again, Sav,” he tells me.
“You too,” I say and then give Cindy a big hug as soon as I can reach her. “Oh my god,” I whisper in her ear. “I can’t believe this is finally happening.”
She squeezes me back and whispers, “Niki is beaming. I want details later.”
I nod as she pulls back. Seconds later, Sasha wraps a big arm around her upper chest, pulling her back so she’s pressed against the front of his body. When she tips her head up to look at him, I see one of his rare smiles before he leans down to kiss her.
“Hey, Ev,” I hear Niki say, and I turn my head in time to see his cousin walking over to us. I know he’s a student like me, but we’ve never crossed paths on campus since his classes are so different from mine. I also know no one is supposed to knowhe’s a Melnikov, so I’m not sure what I’d do if we ever ran into each other anyway. He’s the only one with no visible tattoos, but when he pushes his sleeves up, I see they’re just as inked as everyone else’s, including the Grim Reaper on his inner forearm that marks him as a member of the Bratva.
“Glad you could make it,” Damien tells him. “Thought you might choose to study all night instead.”
“I needed a breather,” Evgeny says, “and I promised my sister I’d come.”
Yelena comes rushing over when she sees him, giving her younger brother a big hug while her husband comes over with their daughter in his arms.
“I’m glad you came,” she says, and then she grabs Veya and puts her in her brother’s arms. “She’s missing her uncle.”
Evgeny smiles down at his niece. She’s nothing but a tiny bundle in his arms, already falling back asleep and oblivious to everything around her.
“I’m not so sure she knows who I am, but it’s a nice thought,” he says, already doing the standing-still-but-swaying-a-bit thing that he probably doesn’t even realize he’s doing.
The Melnikovs never cease to surprise me with how much they value family. Being around them makes it very easy to forget they’re one of the most dangerous families in the country. If I hadn’t seen the brief glimpse of them in work mode on the night Cindy was taken, I would never believe any of them capable of violence. Well, I’d believe it about Sasha, but the others don’t give off the same vibe he gives off. I’m hoping I can convince my parents to see what I see. Niki isn’t like any of the guys I dated in high school. They’re not used to seeing me with someone who has neck and hand tattoos and a piercing in his nose. They’ve never been quick to judge by appearance, but I’m not so sure they’ll still feel that way when it comes to who’s dating their daughter.
Niki and I keep visiting with everyone while his aunts and uncles start loading up the huge table with food. And when there’s a loud squeal of pure joy, we all turn to see Isabella running towards us. Niki laughs and scoops her up, swinging her around while she giggles and clings to him. When he sits her on his hip, he wraps his other arm around me again and says, “Bella, you remember Savanna, right?”
She gives me a shy grin and nods her head. “You’re Aunt Cindy’s friend, the one with the pretty, blonde hair.”
“Thank you.” I reach out and touch her long, brunette hair. “Your hair is very beautiful, too.”
That earns me an even bigger smile from the young girl who doesn’t have the faintest idea that her grandpa helps run a Bratva and her daddy is don of the Alessi Mafia. Right now, she just feels surrounded by a family who loves her. I can’t help but wonder how she’ll feel when she gets older and learns the truth of what they do. That thought piggybacks onto another and I wonder what Cindy will tell her baby, and then I inevitably land on my own future baby.
“You okay?” Niki asks, and I quickly get my shit together and smile because I’m not about to admit that I’m thinking about our future children right now.
“Yeah, I’m great,” I tell him, but he just lifts a brow at me while Isabella twists around so she can laugh at something her Uncle Luka says. When she tries to get down so she can play with his son, Niki kisses her cheek and then puts her down.
God, he’s really good with kids. I didn’t realize what a turn on that would be, but there’s no denying that it is. When I feel a soft tug on my pants, I look down and see one of Svetlana’s twins using my leg for leverage while he pulls himself up. His little mouth is in a tight line and his brows are furrowed. It’s a look of pure determination, and when he manages to stand, the gummy smile he gives me lights up my own face.
