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I nod. “It’s a huge power play. It’s why I need a wife.”
He sighs. “To be recognized as Pakhan…Do the other brigadiers support this decision?”
“No,” I grunt. “But they will soon. Why?” I shake my head when the limo pulls up to my sister’s house. “Are you telling me you’re having doubts?”
“No, Pavel Sergeyevich. I want you to be happy.”
I laugh. “I’m happy with what I’m doing.”
“Doesn’t seem like it.”
“As long as I keep a wall between Liya and me,” I reason, “then I can use her.”
“Is that what you want?”
“It is.”
“You’ll only hurt yourself, you know.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Stepan sighs. “It’s written on your face.Hurt. You feel something for her somewhere.”
“I don’t. I won’t.” I shake my head while popping open an umbrella and stepping out of the limo. “The moment I drop my guard around her is the moment I’ll end up dead.”
Chapter Eleven
Pavel
“There’s my gloomy brother.”
I roll my eyes as my sister welcomes me into her arms. “Your favorite doom enthusiast.”
“My darling dark cloud.”
“And you’re my ray of sunshine.”
She beams, resting her hands on my shoulders. “I’ve always been the rainbow to your rain.” Amusement glitters in her eyes. “Which you seem to have brought in with you.”
“Hardly.”
Other than the rain soaking my dress shoes and the hem of my pants, I’m mostly dry.
But that doesn’t stop the cold air of the house from cutting right into my bones.
I squeeze my sister and step aside. “Got any dry pants?”
“Of course.” She turns to Stepan. “You know where everything is, right, Stepan Petrovich?”
He bows his head. “Yes, Karina Sergeyevna.” He glances at me and adds, “I’ll get socks, too.”
While my brigadier floats upstairs, my sister leads me into a quaint living room. Vibrant, restless paintings hang around the fireplace while an assortment of colorful statues guards each corner of the room. Rich purple couches flank a stained-glass table.
“Tea? Coffee?” She gestures to a teacup. “Vodka?”
“How about all of the above?”
“This early in the day?” She chuckles while pouring our drinks. “Something must be bothering you.”
