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Mom waves a hand dismissively. “You can wait, Misha. Calm down a bit before you join us, okay?”
In moments like these, I remember how cool my mother can be. Dad may be a hard, cold, badass where the Bratva is concerned, but it takes one hell of a woman to tame him.
With a shaky breath, I take Andrei’s hand and guide him in. Here goes nothing.
* * *
In the entire history of awkward family dinners, I’m pretty sure this one takes the cake.
Dad has his gun on the dining table in clear view, a threat. Charlotte and Frederick sit on either side of Andrei and me, glancing at each other uncomfortably like they’re both waiting for the shooting to start. Mom serves dinner with a small, reserved smile, doing her best to move things along. Bless her for trying, but it’s really not working.
I’m not sure who’s angrier at who. I’m pissed at Dad for lying to me. Dad’s pissed at Charlotte for going against his orders and telling Andrei the truth. Frederick’s still pissed at Andrei for the shooting, even though Ivanovich’s confession already cleared him of the deed. At this point, I think my brother’s mad for the sake of being mad. And naturally, Andrei is pissed at my father for making him believe I died the day of the raid.
In summary, it’s a shitshow of epic proportions.
Now it’s just a question of which sorry sucker is going to attempt to talk first and break the silence. Apparently, it’s me.
“You didn’t need to go this far, Dad.”
His jaw ticks. “It was for your own good.”
“You made the entire family lie to me.”
“Again, for your own protection.”
“Look, I get it. I really do. But I’m a grown woman now. You trusted me enough to take over the Bratva, how can you not trust me enough with who I choose to love?”
Under the table, Andrei takes my hand and squeezes my fingers lightly. “With all due respect, sir—”
“You shut the hell up,” Dad grumbles, pointing a finger at him. “Not a word out of you.”
“Dad,” Charlotte starts softly. “Just let him say his piece.”
Andrei sits up a bit straighter, nothing but fiery determination in his eyes. “I know we got off on the wrong foot—”
“Understatement of the year.”
“And I know my business has severely impacted yours.”
“Is that right?”
Mom sighs. “Misha, dear, let him finish.”
Dad’s nostrils flare but he doesn’t say anything else.
Andrei glances at me. “I love your daughter. More than anything. I want to make this right.”
“And how exactly do you plan on doing that? Are you going to fork over all the territory you stole?”
Andrei is silent.
Dad clicks his tongue. “I didn’t think so.”
“I would like to instead propose a merger. If I marry, Sandra—”
I gasp, excitement shooting through my veins in one massive, dizzying dose. “Wait, you want tomarryme?”
“More than anything.” He speaks so adamantly, his tone so sure… I feel like I’m flying above the clouds, and I never want to come down. “Sandra, when I thought you were dead… It almost killed me. I never want to spend another day without you. Will you marry me?”
