“And Papa said that some turtles are as big as cars!” Kin spreads his arms wide to demonstrate. “Can you believe that?”
“That’s incredible.”
“Do you have turtles in New York?”
“Hmmm, let me think.” I press a finger to my pursed lips. “What about the Ninja Turtles living in the sewers.”
His eyes nearly pop out of his head. “What!”
“They have their own TV show. Maybe your mom’ll allow you to watch an episode.”
“What’s this about the Ninja Turtles?”
Pavel joins his family, sliding an arm around Hope’s shoulder and pressing a kiss to Kin’s temple. The gesture is so natural, so full of easy affection, I almost forget what he was like before they came into his life. He spent so many years closed off, carrying the weight of his past like armor. Watching him now, relaxed and smiling with his family surrounding him, it’s like seeing a different person.
Kin turns to his father. “Papa, they’re turtles that live in the sewers! We have to go to New York to meet them.”
Pavel’s mouth twitches like he’s fighting a smile. “Deal. But first, can you let Yarik know Dinara’s waiting to speak with him?”
“Okay!” He scrambles off the chair, then turns back. “Bye, Dinara! I miss you!”
“Miss you too, kiddo.”
He scampers out of view, as Pavel settles into the chair he vacated and pulls Hope onto his lap.
“If you two are going to be gross, I’m hanging up.”
“Calm yourself down. I promise to keep it PG-13.”
“We might have a different definition of family friendly,” I grumble, but I’m giving them a hard time because that’s what I do. Pavel might be the head of one of the most powerful bratvas in the country, but he’s like a brother to me.
“Kin talks about you constantly,” Hope says, her expression softening. “Asks when you’re coming home.”
Guilt twists in my stomach. “I know. I miss him too. Miss all of you.”
A pang of longing hits me square in the chest. I miss my world, my people, the life where I knew exactly who I was and what I was doing.
“How are you doing? Really.” Hope studies me through the screen, her gaze too perceptive. “And don’t give us the polite version.”
“I’m good. Adjusting. New York is...” I search for the right word. “A lot. But in a good way.”
“Just don’t get too comfortable there,” Pavel grumbles.
Hope elbows him. “Leave her alone. She’s an adult.”
Pavel didn’t love the idea of me moving away without a bodyguard. Hope helped argue my case, reminding him I was twenty-four and needed independence. He only agreed after making me train in combat techniques for two months straight, until I could disarm a man twice my size. By the end, I’d earned his grudging approval.
“How’s your fancy school?” Pavel asks. “Worth abandoning us to move halfway across the world?”
“I’m not abandoning you. It’s only a year. And yeah, so far it’s been interesting. We cover advanced cryptography, network security architecture, and what I’m most excited about … machine learning applications for cybersecurity.”
Pavel and Hope glaze over. Sometimes I forget that not everyone nerds out as hard as I do.
Hope nods. “Well, that sounds…”
“Boring as fuck,” Pavel finishes.
I snort. “Just you wait and see what I can do by the end of the year. You’ll be begging me to come back and put these new skills to work.”
