AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Evander,” I say and push his arm. “She’s sweet.”
“She has never wornsneakersin her life.” He glances down at my feet and I glare at him.
“Is that a dig at me?”
“No, it’s merely pointing out that my sister is very much used to a certain standard of living, and entering inexpensive Greek diners is not really part of her lifestyle.”
I deflate slightly and reluctantly nod at him. I know what he means—Helen is sophisticated and beautiful in a way I never will be, and it’s intimidating as hell. “She wants to have coffee tomorrow.”
“Good. You should do it.”
“Really?” I raise my eyebrows. “You’re not going to tell me not to get involved with your family?”
“Helen is my sister and you’re both grow women. If you want to get to know her, then by all means.”
“Huh.” I turn my back on the lake and study him. He’s staring back at me with that intense expression. It makes my toes curl with anxious excitement. “I wasn’t expecting you to be so mature about this.”
His gaze hardens as he looks away. “There isn’t much good in my family these days, Camille. Helen is one of the few people I think hasn’t been corrupted by the violence and the power we hold. Besides, maybe you’d be a good influence on her.”
“Yeah? How’s that?”
“She might see your sneakers and decide she should never, ever buy a pair.”
I roll my eyes, punch his arm, and he laughs at me as I walk inside. He follows then pours himself a drink.
“I asked her about your mother,” I say, accepting a glass of wine. “She didn’t really say much.”
He takes a long sip. “What’s there to say?”
“Evander.”
“You don’t have to worry about my mother.”
“She clearly hates me.”
“She doesn’t hate you. Sophia and Aunt Anissa, they hate you. But my mother—she’s simply hard to please.”
I sip my wine and stalk away, thinking. “I don’t even know what that means,” I say finally.
“I’m her oldest son. I’m the last male in the Kazan line, aside from some random cousins we have stashed away in the closet. She understands that my role is extremely important, but there have also been… complications.”
I slowly meet his gaze and hold it. “Complications that involve how you came to power?”
His expression doesn’t change. He keeps staring at me, studying me, looking at me like he wants to push me down and strip me naked purely so he can keep on looking. I shiver and finally tear my gaze away, unable to hold that intensity for long.
“Yes, that is part of it,” he says finally. “But the truth is, my mother will never accept any woman I decide to marry, Greek or otherwise. She’ll come around eventually. You’ll have to be patient.”
“Right. Patient.” I nod slowly as I rub my face. An ugly headache begins to blossom between my eyes. “Am I silly for caring? Does it really even matter? This whole marriage thing isn’t even real.”
“It’s real,” he says. “Only temporary.”
“So I shouldn’t care. I can handle your mom hating me, right? Since she won’t be my mother-in-law forever.”
“That’s one way of thinking about it.” But he doesn’t sound happy about that.
“At dinner, your mom seemed close with Anissa and Sophia. But those two supposedly hate you, right?”
“Anissa and my mother are sisters. They used to be closer, but certain events complicated things. Truthfully, they don’t blame my mother for what happened. If you knew—” He hesitates and shakes his head. “Well, if you knew, you wouldn’t either.”
