AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He wanted to scoff at it but knew it was true. He’d thought he’d established a rapport with his men that meant they could speak to him openly because they felt he showed them the same respect he demanded from them. But thinking about it, he supposed he’d never really invited them in, had never really respected or trusted them enough to have them be a deeper part of the business itself.
He’d prided himself that he’d made working for him into a brotherhood and that pride had blinded him to the truth: that it was a brotherhood only because he said it was, not because he’d made certain it truly was.
Fuck.
They moved down three corridors without incident, rounding a corner, the sound of a gunshot ringing out immediately. The one pulling the trigger was Misha, leading in the front, and when they entered the corridor—their group making headway as though they were one big organism—Dmitri could see that Misha had taken out one of the men who had been with Dmitri the longest. His name was Vladimir. His throat had been gashed open by the bullet. He’d died on impact.
What a fucking waste.
The group moved passed the bleeding body, down the last corridor, reaching a panel in the wall that looked like the rest of the wood paneling but was, in fact, a door.
Misha had the key, unlocked it, pushed inside.
They all followed, Dmitri feeling Alina’s hold harden again as she was about to be introduced to his entire family. He felt a flutter at her jitters, hoping that perhaps, with a true mating bond between them, his family would be more amenable to their union. Especially his mother, who wouldn’t look at the business side of things quite the same way his father always did. She’d want him to be happy. He’d make sure she knew that he was.
But first, he needed Alina to agree to staying in the room while he helped secure them a way out. He hopes she wouldn’t put up too much of a protest, though a part of him wanted his family to see how much of a Kumarinova she was, and how that meant he was finally well-matched.
Chapter 11 - Alina
The room behind the door in the wall was enormous, easily three times the size of her apartment. There were no windows, but alcoves had been set deep in the walls and painted with images of landscapes. Three separate seating arrangements stood spaced out on sumptuous carpets. Two large fireplaces flanked the room on either wall, the hearths covered by unlit, half-melted candles. There were bookshelves stocked with books and a TV that was switched onto a news channel without the sound playing.
The Kuznetsovs were spread out around the space, seated on chairs and sofas, heads turned to the door as the group entered. Vasili and his mate Eva were on the sofa in front of the TV. Timo was with them, a gun casually placed on the armrest of his chair. He was clearly there as protection. The younger brothers—Yury and Luka—stood by one of the fireplaces while their sisters sat together on a sofa at the opposite end of the room. Alina couldn’t quite remember their names but thought one of them was called Sofia. She had no clue which one.
“Dmitri,” they greeted in various tones of voice, most of them clearly relieved, though Timo got to his feet with some urgency in his gaze.
He craved news. As did Vasili.
“What the hell is going on?” Timo asked.
“Long story,” Dmitri said.
“Are you handling it?” Vasili rumbled.
“Yes, I’m handling it,” Dmitri snapped impatiently. “You need to stay in here a little longer,” he addressed the family. They made noises of contrition, but Alina could tell they knew the situation was serious. “I’ll be back,” he said to Alina, squeezing her hand before he headed back to the door and through it, leaving her no room to argue or even voice a protest.
She watched the door close, a little annoyed, but also rather uplifted. There was no way he would have taken his leave that quickly if what she might say would have had no effect on him. He’d scurried out of there to not prolong the goodbye because if she insisted that he wasn’t sure he’d be able to leave her side. He would’ve faced the shame of not joining his men rather than leaving her alone, feeling unsafe. He would’ve stood over her, eyes on the door, gun at the ready. So that she’d feel protected.
A small smile played itself onto her mouth and she couldn’t get rid of it.
Was this what love really felt like?
“My dear,” a voice said, making her turn her head to Eva Kuznetsova. “Won’t you come sit?”
Alina felt her cheeks heat up at the thought of what she’d less than half an hour ago had been doing with this woman’s son. More than that, the heat intensified at the fact that she was about to have a conversation with Dmitri’s mother for the very first time and all Eva Kuznetsova knew of her was that she had facilitated the current situation, however unintentional that facilitation may have been.
She had a seat on the chair next to Eva’s side of the sofa, offering the woman a smile before turning her eyes to the TV. She felt awkward and knew she must look it as well. She had no idea how to open a conversation, but her thoughts drifted to her conversation with her father. His abject rejection of her plea for help. It drew her eyes to Vasili, watching the old dragon for a moment, his face set deep into troubled wrinkles.
“Sorry my dad’s such a dick,” she offered.
Vasili’s eyebrows rose as he turned his gaze to hers. Then he smiled briefly, his eyes lighting with it.
“I can be quite the dick myself,” he said.
She smiled a little as well.
“They weren’t always like this, you know,” Eva stated, ignoring Vasili’s grunt for her to keep quiet. “They were friends once.”
Alina raised her eyebrows, finding that too hard to believe, but Eva nodded with a solemn expression.
