“Mmm,” he hums happily. “Then we should really go eat so I can have you all to myself,meraviglia.”
“Can I speak with you two?”
I almost jump, being yanked out of the moment at the sound of my uncle’s voice.
I look over Matteo’s shoulder to find Uncle Lev standing in the doorway. He looks supremely uncomfortable, but there’s no anger in him anymore. Not like the last time I saw him days ago.
When I don’t answer, Matteo steps to my side and encourages me with a nod. “You can talk to us,” I finally say.
Uncle Lev nods and then sighs like this is difficult for him. “I wanted to apologize to both of you. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. And I’m sorry that my actions upset you, Anya.”
“You’re sorry for upsetting me but not sorry for punching Matteo in the face?” I ask in disbelief.
“It’s okay, Anya,” Matteo says immediately. “He doesn’t need to be sorry for hitting me. I understand.”
I frown up at my boyfriend, crossing my arms. “Well, I don’t.”
“That’s because you’re a loving and kind soul, but we’re made men, my love. We talk with our fists sometimes. He apologized to you, and that’s more than enough for me.”
I look in between the two men, and sigh when neither of them seem to budge. “Fine,” I huff, sending my uncle a warning look. “But it better not happen again.”
Uncle Lev nods but doesn’t promise anything.
Luckily for him, I miss him enough to let it slide. For now, at least.
“We’re going to have lunch. Are you eating here?”
The tension seems to bleed out of my uncle and he agrees with a nod.
As it turns out, almost everyone is eating lunch with us today. Aunt Irina, Nadya, my father, of course, and Uncle Mikhail is here too, even though his sons aren’t. We all share a variety of sandwiches, salads, and small plates of cheese, meats, and cracker options. It’s a very light lunch, which is a good thing since I don’t want my stomach to hurt or be too full when we roam around the beach soon.
I think I’ve finished eating when Matteo picks up his second sandwich, biting into it happily. I don’t want to rush him, so I just smile and grab a few bits of fruit to put on my plate, whether I decide to pick at them or not.
Footsteps are barely audible over the sounds of eating and conversation at the dining table, but I notice them just in time. Looking toward the dining room entrance, I have to blink several times to realize what I’m seeing.
Being escorted into the room by three of my father’s guards, a familiar set of blue eyes meet mine.
“Nico!” I exclaim, standing up from the table with a surprised but pleased smile. “What are you doing here? I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Neither did I,” my father mutters under his breath, standing up as well.
“Came to visit,” he grunts, nodding to Matteo as he answers me. “Not staying long. Maybe a couple days.”
“That’s so nice,” I chirp happily. “I wish you would have texted me, we could have come pick you up from the airport.”
“Why is she so pleased to see you?” Uncle Lev grumbles, glaring at our guest.
“Don’t be rude, Papa,” Nadya tsks at him.
“I’m always pleased to see a friend,” I tell him, giving him a glare that dares him to be rude again. He just got off my bad side.“Besides, now Matteo will have someone to share that big house with. I think I would be scared to be so alone in such a big place.”
Nico arches his eyebrow at her brother. “I’m not holding your hand because you’re scared to sleep alone.”
Matteo rolls his eyes, reluctantly dropping the rest of his sandwich to address his brother. “I’m not scared. And I’m not alone, there are guards.”
“Great conversationalists, guards are,” Nico drawls sarcastically. He looks behind him at the three men who let him in and adds, “No offense.” Though he hardly sounds sincere.
Lifting a brow of his own, Matteo challenges, “As if you want to stay up and gab with me in the evenings?”
