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All four of the men stand from their chairs and scream for Alyna. Mikhail’s hands cup his mouth when he cheers for her more.
She sees him and waves nonstop with a cheeky grin.
Mikhail tilts his head and blows her a kiss. Alyna catches the imaginary kiss with her hands and shapes a heart with her fingers.
Turning to the side so Mikhail can’t see me, I unfold the note.
We need to talk.
I quickly crumple the paper in my hands and turn to see Anya. She keeps her expressions to a minimum, but when her eyes lift slightly to the side of the aisle, I can tell this is her way of trying to talk to me in private.
“I’ll just be a moment,” I tell Mikhail as I rise from my seat. “I’m going to use the restroom.”
His jaw clenches. “Be quick,” he tells me, and I move past him.
CHAPTER25
MIKHAIL
Sloane walks past me, her arm carefully brushing against mine. There’s a large part of me with an urge to grab onto her hand and pull her close to me. Turning around, I watch her walk up the dull pathway. Her black mid-length skirt hugs her beautiful curves while her long, almost white hair is tied in the back.
How is it that the woman is able to do as she pleases and still receive my decency? It’s as if she challenges me constantly to see how far she’ll get.
She must tire from trying to get under my skin. She is relentless about it. She had no reason to leave the house today, and yet she still chose to do so. I kind of enjoy how eager she is to get her way. It’s a look not many can pass, but she can. She’s a young woman who can take care of herself. She needs the space to learn about what spikes her curiosity. If it’s the city she wants to see, she’s lucky I’m able to understand.
I didn’t plan on bringing her here tonight. It was never my intention to have her meet some of the most important people to me, but I’d rather have it this way than have her run away without my knowledge.
My only hope is that she won’t take my humanity for granted.
There’s something about Sloane I can’t put my finger on. A part of me thinks she works well by my side. I can give her the adventure she craves, and she can give me a teammate in return. She has a boldness many men would fear. I can’t tell if it’s just a façade of hers or if she is strong at heart.
If it’s all an illusion, that mask of hers is painted on seamlessly.
I know everything there is to know about masking. Sometimes it’s a way to hide behind the fear that weighs down on my shoulders; other times it’s a placeholder for emotions I don’t particularly feel like sifting through. And yet even I know the longer the mask is on, the stronger the denial will be. It’s a temporary fix and nothing more. You give up a moment of peace for a lifetime of ache.
I’ve had my mask on for years, and I know the moment I take it off, I’ll be hit with years of building pain—the pain I’ve refused to look in the eye.
Turning, I see Anya staring at Sloane. She’s quick to follow after her, which only spikes my curiosity.Haven’t they just met?
“Dimitri,” I call.
He turns toward me with a smile plastered on his face. His eyes crease in the corners. I lift my finger at Anya, who follows Sloane. Once at the top of the aisle, Anya grabs onto Sloane’s shoulder and leads her away from the crowd.
“What’s that about?” I ask.
His lips form a weird shape, and he shrugs his arms. “Fast friends?” he asks. Dimitri must’ve noticed my worry. He shakes his head. “Would you stop? Not everyone is out to get you. We’re at my child’s show, for fuck’s sake.”
I cross my arms and feel my lips lifting with amusement. “You just reminded yourself to watch your tongue. We are at your child’s show, forChrist’ssake.”
“If children struggle to hear their fathers swear, I’m worried for our future.”
I cover a laugh and pat his back. “You’re right about that one,” I tell him.
He turns away from me and continues his conversation with a man I don’t recognize. Still sitting in the chairs, Max and Lev both argue. I take a seat next to them.
Music from “The Nutcracker” begins to play while the time passes.
“They can’t dance to 'The Nutcracker’ yet. It’s only July,” Max says in a nasty tone.
