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I narrow my eyes at him. “Don’t mansplain to me, Aleks.”
His gaze snaps to mine, his jaw tight. “Sass me again in front of my brother,” he says in a low growl. “See how that works out for you.”
A lick of heat curls up my neck and spreads across my chest. I swallow and turn away from him so the gun’s pointed at the dense woods when I snap the safety in position and slide the gun back in the metal box it came in.
I feel a sense of loss when I’m not holding it anymore.
“You look like someone just died,” he says. When I don’t contradict him, his voice gentles and he takes a step closer to me. “I’ll get you a holster, baby. Sexiest little fucking thing you’ve ever seen, I promise. Wait until you see the custom kits you can get.”
Nikko folds his arms on his chest. “Need to see how good she is with other weapons, Aleks. Someone this good with a gun, good chance she’s skilled with a knife, too. You ever used a knife, Harper?”
“To cut my chicken? Yeah. As a weapon? No.”
The guys exchange a look I don’t quite understand.
“We’ll talk about it over lunch.”
My steps feel lighter, my heart soaring as we head back to the house, my sexy husband beside me, my daughter waiting for me, and a newfound skill I never knew I had within me. I can’t wait to get back out there again.
My lighthearted steps come to a halt when I get to the front door. Voices —lotsof voices — drift out from inside the house, and some of them are woefully too familiar.
I swivel my gaze to Aleks. “You didn’t tell me my family was coming.”
The way his brows snap together in a scowl, he didn’t know either. “Who invited her family?”
Polina sits at the kitchen table with my little Ivy. Ivy’s swinging her legs and coloring in a little coloring book. Next to her is a huge stuffed teddy bear, a rainbow-colored sippy cup, and a lollipop the size of her head.
“Jesus, Polina.” Aleks seems momentarily at a loss for words.
“What? My first niece, I’m going to spoil her, don’t you dare try to stop me. And don’t ask me, I have no idea who invited them, but it wasn’t me.”
I stare at Aleks. “I’m not ready for them to see Ivy,” I whisper. My stomach is in knots.
Aleks has that look he gets sometimes that scares me a little, the haunted glare that tells me he’d do anything if he felt he was justified.
Anything.
“Someone invited them.”
“Invited who?” Aleks’s mother walks into the kitchen, her silvery hair in an elegant up-do. She’s the picture of class and grace.
“Her family,” Aleks says. “This was supposed to be just us.”
His mother looks pained. “You said to invite family and I misunderstood.”
Aleks sighs. “I did say that. I can see how that might be confusing.”
Even though I’m nervous and high-strung, my heart melts a little. My father would’ve been breaking things by now.
“Harper, I’m so sorry,” his mother says. “I feel terrible. Please forgive me.”
“Of course.”
Ekaterina grasps my hand and speaks in a low voice. “Do they know about Ivy? She’s a delight, Harper. I adore her.” My heart melts a little.
I shake my head. “No, they don’t. But it’s fine.”
Ivy sings in a little voice, swinging her legs from side to side. I look up at Aleks who finally nods. “Listen, this wasn’t part of the plan, but we’re not going to hide Ivy or who we are, Harper. Not now, not ever. You get me?”
