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“This isn’t a trap,” I said. “I know what I’m doing. And I want to be perfectly clear just so there are no further misunderstandings between the two of us: the company is my company. The Turgenev fortune is my fortune. I can do with that money as I want. I can piss it away on yachts and whores and bottle services or I can give it all away. Do you hear me, Sergei?”
“I hear you,” he said finally. “I’m still coming to Seattle.”
“It’s a waste of time.”
“It’s not every day someone I consider to be a son has triplets, Misha. I at least want to meet them.”
I blew out a curse at Sergei’s abrupt retreat and leaned back in my chair. “Stubborn, sentimental old fool.”
“I just want to make sure no detail is overlooked,” he said. “And to congratulate you in person. I’m sorry if I came off harshly. I was just surprised.”
I scrubbed my face and barked a laugh. “You’re surprised? Imagine how I felt.” I took a deep breath. “It makes sense to me, though. It’s going to be good. Go on, then. Let me know when you’re in town and maybe I’ll let you meet them.”
If and only if Sadie would talk to me again.
“I’ll see you soon,” Sergei assured me, ending the call.
I could explain things. I could make it right. If I could convince Sergei that everything was going to be good, I could do the same for the woman I loved.
If only Sadie would pick up her fucking phone.
I needed to go over to the house and talk to her. Sure, it would probably be ugly. But the last thing I was going to do was run away or hide from this. That just wasn’t who I was.
Pushing myself away from my desk and standing up, I slipped my phone into my pocket and straightened my tie. I’d keep calling her on my way over. Give her a chance to answer before we had to hash things out fresh and in person.
Behind me, the door eased open.
“Cancel my appointments for the rest of the day,” I said, assuming it was my assistant. “I’m not to be disturbed.”
“You’re going to be disturbed whether you like it or not, asshole.”
I turned, confused by Jonathan’s angry voice, and was met with a fist right to the eye. My vision instantly exploded into stars as I staggered backward, nearly tripping over my chair.
“Ebat, you idiot!” I snapped, putting my hands in front of my face just in time to ward off another punch. “Use your goddamn words, bratan!”
Jonathan’s brown eyes were bloodshot and his cheeks stained an angry red. “No, fucker. No more bratan. We’re done. First you knock up my sister. Then you abandon my niece and nephews. Fuck you, Misha!”
“She didn’t tell me I was the father until I came back,” I said, cursing as Jonathan continued to try to beat the shit out of me. He was too angry to land more than his initial surprise punch, though — and, from the smell of it, drunk. Sergei had made sure that I’d learned how to fight with my own two fists as soon as I’d met him back in Moscow. It was a basic necessity when we were nearly certain that my parents had been murdered. And it was a hell of a stress reliever from learning on the go how I was supposed to be running the family business.
In short, I could take care of myself. I wasn’t about to kick my best friend’s ass, however. No matter how badly I might’ve wanted to.
“The pregnancy was accidental,” I said, trying to put the desk in between Jonathan and me. “I never would’ve left if I’d known. I’m trying to do the right thing, here, Jon.”
Jonathan threw a punch so wild and furious that he lost his balance and went crashing to the floor. He squinted up at me, fully expecting me to take advantage of his position to exact my revenge.
When I didn’t, he frowned.
“Fight back,” he panted, his chest heaving.
“No, thanks.” I sat down next to him. “Please tell me you didn’t drive here.”
“I drove to Seattle,” he allowed. “And then to a bar. And then I walked here.”
“Surprised you managed that.” I elbowed him. “You have to cut back on your drinking. And if you can’t do that, you have to stop it completely. What’s with you?”
“You haven’t been here.”
“I’m here now.”
