“I’m fine,” she assures them softly. “I promise. I’m okay.”
They both sag with visible relief.
Then Andrei turns to me, his eyes sharp. “What the hell happened?”
I give them the concise version of the day’s event, enough to give them a full picture without going over triggering details.
“They won’t bother you again,” Mikhail says quietly. “Alexei made sure of it.”
But Andrei doesn’t relax. Instead, he narrows his eyes at me. “And what exactly is going on between the two of you?”
Natalya stiffens beside me.
I reach for her hand without thinking. She lets me take it, but her gaze flickers nervously between me and her brother.
“We’re together,” I say plainly.
Silence.
Then Andrei’s expression slowly shifts into something more incredulous than angry.
“This is how you look after her?” Andrei says flatly.
Natalya’s shoulders dip, a shadow passing over her eyes. It hits me instantly—she probably thinks all of this happened because her brothers asked me a favor.
“No,” I say quickly, turning toward her. “Natalya, look at me.”
She does and I cup her face in my palms. “Yes, I agreed to watch out for you because of your brothers. That’s how it started. I won’t pretend otherwise…” I let my voice trail off, hoping she sees the truth somehow. “But that isn’t why I stayed. That isn’t why I’m here. That isn’t why I…love you.”
Her breath catches but she doesn’t say anything. Andrei’s brows shoot up, but he doesn’t interrupt.
I stroke my thumb along her delicate jawline.
“Everything I’ve done—everything I feel—it has nothing to do with them.”
For a while she doesn’t say anything. And just when I’m starting to think of other million ways to convince her, she breaks into a big smile.
“I believe you, Viktor…”
My chest contracts at her words, my heart unable to fathom what the hell I did to deserve such a gorgeous, amazing woman.
Andrei watches us for another beat before giving a resigned sigh.
“She’s happy,” he mutters. “And she’s safe. That’s all I ever cared about.” He looks at me. “Don’t make me regret this.”
“You won’t,” I say simply.
Mikhail claps a hand on Andrei’s back. “Our family tree is starting to look more like a wreath,” he says, shaking his head comically.
Andrei shoots him a murderous look but Mikhail shrugs unapologetically. Andrei rolls his eyes, throws Mikhail’s hand off with a grunt and stalks toward his room to drop his bag.
“Dramatic much?” Mikhail murmurs with an unrepentant grin, following after him.
Natalya glances at me, her eyes twinkling with mischief just as Andrei’s low growl echoes through the house.
“WHAT THE FUCK IS A DOG DOING IN MY GODDAMN ROOM?!”
Natalya bursts into laughter, covering her mouth with both hands as Andrei storms back out.
