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“You are beautiful,” I whisper as the heat grows between us. “I want you always.”
“Thank you, Andrei.” She giggles as if embarrassed, but the look of appreciation on her face tells me what she’s too flustered to say. Despite everything that has happened and will happen, Paige is worth it.
***
The ballroom is packed full of people and furnishings; mid-modern furniture made of pale wood and decorations in bold colors fill the gaps between the lively guests. A pleasant smell of newly cut grass drifts in from open French doors as the sun sets in the sky. The room is noisy with upbeat voices and the laughter of adults and children. The chairs are littered with gift bags and tissue paper as a fast-growing pile of baby gifts—from stuffed animals to rattles, onesies, and booties—towers on a nearby table.
Paige’s bridesmaids are also in attendance, but the Paige of today is different from the scared bride forced to walk down the aisle months ago. She resembles a queen on her chaise lounge, and my chest lifts with pride at the sight.
Paige has changed into a festive red dress and beams as she opens each gift with a chorus of admiring oohs-and-ahs from the gathered guest. Gifts for the new baby are spread around her as small children race around the room, marveling at the colorful balloons and playing made-up party games. Raucous joy is unusual for a Bratva gathering.
I avoid the enthusiastic mob of women surrounding my wife and stand at the opposite wall with the other men, who help themselves to food and drinks. The gaiety only distracts me for a little while as I notice Vanya doing his best to avoid Sonya. He only looks at her with furtive glances when she’s talking to another man and then quickly looks away when their eyes meet. Sonya seems to be glowing with happiness as she laughs and talks with the other guests. Still, I notice a melancholy whenever she looks toward Vanya.
“Congratulations, Andrei Vasilyevich.” Dmitri stands beside me, and I quickly focus my attention on him. “The party is a success. Even Natasha looks happy.”
I nod. “She’s been given strict instructions not to talk about work.”
Dmitri smirks. “Then I will wait until later.”
“Is there something you should tell me?”
“We found an informant willing to tell us about Cynthia Reyes.”
Finally, there is progress. Why it took so long, I do not know. “We’ll talk after the party.”
He nods his understanding and walks off to mingle with the other guests.
Left on my own again, I watch the room. Natasha and Dmitri have my permission to take the day off, but I cannot look around without thinking about the plans I have in action.
My gaze rests on Viktor and Emma, tucked away in a corner, sitting close on a sofa. The boy has become too friendly with my sister-in-law, their voices low and intimate. Her hand rests on his knee as she whispers something in his ear, prompting a peal of laughter.
Viktor has started to act differently around Emma, speaking in a familiar way. She doesn’t resist being here anymore and doesn’t complain about spending time in her room. She’s rarely alone. Not that being in her room is a hardship. Emma has subscriptions to all the streaming services, which she watches on her laptop and phone. And like a minion, Viktor brings her Starbucks every morning when he arrives. Mother has also been spoiling the girl with an abundance of makeup and clothes, to the point that her suite is starting to look like a mall.
Arranged marriages are still common in the Bratva between suitable families, and I’m within my rights to broker a marriage for Emma. Of course, not to a low-level guard or a recruit, but a suitable husband with connections may be a good solution before trouble can start.
“Why are you sulking over by the food, Andrei?”
Paige wraps her arms around my neck, and we kiss to applause from the guests.
“Was I sulking?” I reply. “I was deep in thought, wondering if I will need a second house for all these incredible gifts.”
Paige smiles, pleased that the guests laugh at my joke. “Come cut the cake with me,” she says, grasping my hands and leading me toward the dessert table. “And later, I can thank youproperly.”
A boisterous cheer rises as we kiss again, to the delight of the party. Once upon a time, Paige was a stranger with a dangerous secret that not even she was aware of. But now, things have changed, and my life will never be the same again.
Chapter 22
Paige
Dressed in spandex and nylon, Emma sprints past me on the terrace, circling the mansion with her earbuds in and sneakers on. She runs through the grass, not bothering to run on one of the numerous paths. I call out to her three times before I finally give up and do my best to chase her. In a knit halter-top dress, I’m not dressed for this. Turning the corner toward the front drive, she finally sees me before I can catch her.
“We need to talk,” I say.
“About what?” she queries warily, taking out her buds.
“I’m worried about you.” I catch my breath as she runs in place. “Are you and Viktor getting too close?”
Andrei made an off-handed comment last night, a quip about Viktor having fun. Unfortunately, I instantly knew what he was referring to.
