Page 48 of The Bratva’s Stalked Pregnant Bride

“Good, because Lev and Mat will be joining us for dinner,” Jenna said, smiling from ear to ear.

“Right now we want some alone time with the latest addition,” CJ said, linking her arm through mine. “I hear you know a lot about wine, so you can do the ordering at lunch.”

I expected Mik to put his foot down or insist on joining us, but he said it sounded like a great idea, almost like he was relieved to have some time alone.

After that kiss? I must have been imagining things. He promised he’d call and tell his cousins to stay put. We were trying to have some semblance of a honeymoon and didn’t need a whole bunch of gawkers. Then he made me promise to buy myself something nice to remember the trip by, and all but shoved us out the door.

I instantly missed him, sorry our plans for a laid-back lunch on the suite’s balcony and whatever that kiss was leading to were dashed. It was silly to miss him when I wasn’t even in the car to drive away yet, but I found myself looking back as if he might have run out to wave at me.

“It’s so fun in the beginning, isn’t it?” Jenna asked, seeing me looking for one last glimpse of Mik like a besotted schoolgirl. “It feels like floating when you’re with him and then like getting stomped on by a giant boot when you’re not.”

That was exactly what it felt like, and that was exactly how it shouldn’t feel or else I was going to have a rough time getting back to a place where my heart wasn’t going to end up shredded.

At lunch, I learned that CJ was some kind of computer genius, though she tried to downplay it, Jenna hyped up her achievements, and the software company CJ had started with another family member who married his way into the tightly-knit Fokin clan.

Jenna was also pretty impressive, but downplayed her Berkeley education to talk about her little boy, and since she had met her husband when she was interning at his company, she could commiserate about how irritating it could be to knock heads with the boss you were secretly crushing on.

“He just announced we were getting married and then, boom, we were married. We barely had time for the crush,” I said, then clamped my mouth shut. I had grown so comfortable in only a short time that I was close to spilling the fact that our marriage wasn’t even real.

CJ looked at me shrewdly, but there was no way that little slip would ruin everything, and it wasn’t like she wouldn’t find out the truth eventually. The same guilt that took over when I had lunch with Sofiya, Mila, and Nat was grinding its way back in, making it hard to be as chipper as I was at the start of lunch.

Listening to Jenna talk about her son’s latest hijinks made me wish I’d have stories like that one day, and that these same women would be laughing along with me as I told them. As difficult as it was to resist Mik, I was finding it equally hard not to wish I were truly a part of this wonderful family.

Chapter 28 - Mikhail

Having to let go of Laurel when CJ and Jenna took my off-the-cuff text message literally as an invitation to join us was irritating until I realized it was the opportunity I needed to get to Canyon Vines without any pesky explanations. Laurel would be safe with them since they knew what was going on and always had a guard on the most peaceful of days.

And being in Napa felt like a shield of invisibility, one that would last until I confronted Rand. For the moment, no one knew we were there, and if Rand was truly just a weaselly, controlling man who couldn’t take no for an answer, then things should still be safe for us.

If he was connected with this dangerous rogue faction that was getting more brazen by the day in its attacks, that was another story. I’d either have to find a way to take the asshole hostage and ship him to Lev or down to Aleks for interrogation, or kill him outright.

That second option was the one I preferred, and I was secretly hoping he’d try something stupid when I confronted him. My driver, who’d taken a commercial flight up with another guard I left at the resort, pulled through the Canyon Vines gates and parked.

“Need backup, just let me know.”

“Will do,” I said. “But I can’t see him getting cute on his own property.”

An older couple walked past, led by one of the vineyard’s guides, and a family with several kids was in the area where they had picnic tables and the wine stomping presentations. This was the kind of setup I normally hated, full of innocent bystanders and potential witnesses, but today it had a calming effect on me. I had to believe Rand wanted to keep this cushy life he’d made for himself, and wouldn’t be stupid.

“Oh, hello,” the receptionist said cheerfully when I pushed through the doors into the welcome center. “I remember you. Welcome back.”

It wasn’t all that long ago—a month and some change, and that visit had set up the catalyst of my sudden marriage to Laurel. I guess I owed Rand something for that, so maybe I wouldn’t break his face too much if he acted up.

No, I would, and I’d enjoy every last punch.

“Is Rand around?” I asked, hoping the first name would lead her to believe the man actually might want to see me. “I was hoping to talk about a bulk order with some special additions.”

“Of course,” she said, asking me to remind her of my name.

I handed over my card, and she took off with a spring in her step. A few moments later, she came back, a lot less bouncy, and her smile wasn’t quite so sincere.

“I’m really sorry,” she said. “I must have forgotten he was out for a meeting all day today.”

Convenient. I looked past her, down the long hallway leading to closed doors. “Won’t be back at all today?” I asked.

“No, sorry. It’s my mistake.”

It was clearly a lie and one she was flustered and embarrassed to have to make. Rand was probably sneaking out the back, running like the coward he was. Funny how he could be big and bad when it was Laurel, and couldn’t even face me.