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I raise my brows, and Ashley meets my surprise with a smile. “What? You didn’t know I had it in me?”
“Actually, no. I didn’t.”
Until this very moment, I saw Ashley as a useless parasite in Piper’s life. Someone who took and gave nothing in return.
Now… She hasn’t entirely changed my mind, but maybe she isn’t useless after all. She has Piper’s back. Even now, part of me is still glad Piper has someone in her corner.
“Well, I do,” Ashley snaps. She keeps her voice quiet, but it’s laced with venom nonetheless. “I have a whole hell of a lot in me, Timofey Viktorov. And I’ll unleash every batshit crazy ounce of it on you if you ever hurt my friend.”
My mouth quirks up at the corner. She sounds so much like Emily.
“I’m very fucking serious about the stabbing. So no smirking. Take this seriously.”
I ditch the half-smile and take Ashley in with new eyes. She’s a lot more like my sister than I ever let myself see. Both are a bit of a mess. But loyal until the end.
In Emily’s case, until the very end.
I begrudged Piper for taking care of Ashley, but isn’t that what I did for Emily all those years? As much as I tried to convince myself that Emily had something to give back, she really didn’t. Not monetarily, not in regard to the Bratva. But she was there, and she was family. That was enough.
Maybe Ashley is enough for Piper, too.
She snaps her fingers in front of my face. “Hello? Earth to gangster boy. Are you hearing me?”
Just so she doesn’t get too comfortable, I snatch her hand out of the air and twist it back down to her side. “Snap your fingers again and see how long you keep them.”
Her jaw sets. “Fine.” She holds up her other hand in surrender until I release her wrist. “But count yourself lucky I’m not armed right now. That was a stabbable offense.”
“Noted. And count yourself lucky that Piper sent you to Mexico when she did. Otherwise, you might not be alive to make your threats.”
“What does that—?” She narrows her eyes, then laughs. “Funny. You’re funny, Timofey. Be nice to my friend, and we might get along.”
She thinks I’m kidding.
Before I have the chance to correct her assumption, Gram joins our huddle.
“Okay, Ash, it’s my turn.” She shoos Ashley back towards the porch. “Go talk to Piper. I need to have a chat with Timofey.”
“I have a feeling this is going to be good. I’ve never heard you get upset, Gram. I want to hear.” Ashley folds her arms with a conspiratorial grin.
Gram firmly shakes her head. “No. Just the two of us.”
Ashley grumbles, but apparently, her rebellious streak ends with Gram. She trudges back to the porch and plops down next to Piper, who hasn’t taken her eyes off of me once. I can feel that vibrant emerald stare on my back, warming me like the sun.
“Ashley already threatened to stab me,” I muse, redirecting my attention to the old woman. “So let’s hear it. Give me your worst.”
Gram smiles. Her papery skin wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. Her neck sags. But she looks like Piper. They share the same round eyes and pert nose.
“Sit down.” She lowers down onto the far side of the bench and pats the spot next to her.
I cross my arms. “I’ll stand.”
“And if I’d told you to stand, I’d bet you’d want to sit, wouldn’t you?” She shakes her head. “Stubborn man. I’m not sure if I should bother telling you to take care of Piper after I’m gone or not. You’re a mule at heart. You’ll probably just be more resistant to the idea.”
“After you’re gone? Piper and I aren’t going to be together long enough for that to matter. You’ll be around for her longer than I will.”
She looks up at me earnestly, brows furrowed. “Are you planning to be gone tomorrow?”
I try to make sense of what she’s saying and can’t. “Are you dying?”
