“You’re not going to,” I reassure him. “I thought we could just fly out anytime she wants to come back. We have a private jet. We could easily make a couple trips every month.” I look over at my family. “Assuming I’m not needed. Bratva business has to come first, but if they can spare me, then there’s no reason we can’t visit a lot. She loves Oregon. I don’t want her miserable, and she would be if she was stuck in the city all the time. Plus, the place has grown on me too.”
Yuri actually grins when he says, “I knew you had fun surfing.”
“I didn’t,” Ev says. “If anyone cares.”
His dad looks over at him and says, “That’s because you're sane, son. That water is fucking freezing.”
“Hey,” Misha says, “what are you trying to say?”
My Uncle Matvey turns to look at him. “I’m saying you’re fucking crazy. You have to be unhinged to willingly go out there and freeze your goddamn nuts off.”
“See?” Ev says. “That’s how any sane person would feel.” He gestures between himself and his dad. “We’re the sane ones here.”
“So you haven’t fallen in love with Oregon yet?” Valeri asks him.
“Sorry, but no,” Ev says. “I love the city too much to ever leave it. It’s beautiful, but it’s not for me.”
“I’m relieved to hear you say that,” Valeri says, grinning at his brothers. “I just wanted to make sure there’s nothing going on between him and Yulia.”
“No, definitely not,” Ev says.
It’s Dima who asks, “What about Allie?”
“Damien’s the only one who’s looking to get married,” Ev tells him. “I’ve had nothing but friendly conversation with Yulia and Allie.”
“At least one of you knows how to follow the rules,” Vasya says.
When I grin, I swear he almost returns it.
“I’m going to go talk to my wife and daughter,” Volodya says. “I can’t believe they both lied to me.”
“Maddie knew?” Vasya asks. “Who else knew about this?”
I did,Bran signs.I like Damien, and I knew he was good for Sitka.
Well, thanks for filling me in on that,Volodya signs.
She was going to tell you.Bran looks between his uncle and Sitka’s brothers.Can’t imagine why she was scared to tell you three.
Volodya scowls but doesn’t argue with him. He starts to leave with his sons while Vasya tells my family they can stay at his house if it’s too crowded at Max’s.
“We’ll be fine,” my dad says, “but thanks.”
He doesn’t seem surprised that we aren’t eager to split up, and when they all start to pile into their vehicles and leave, we watch them before slowly doing the same.
“It’s fucking freezing here,” my Uncle Lev says, shoving his hands into the pocket of his hoodie.
“I can’t believe you all flew out here,” I say.
Mia scoffs at me. “Of course we came. They killed some guy in front of you as a warning. You think we were just gonna sit this out and hope for the best?”
“She’s right,” Sasha says. “We stick together.” His eyes run over my face, and I know he’s wishing he’d made them bleed for it.
“It was mutual,” I remind him. “And they fought fair.”
“It was still two on one,” he says.
“If I can’t defend myself against two guys, then I deserve to get my ass kicked,” I tell him. “Plus, they needed this. They saw me right as I was coming out of the woods with Sitka.”
