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Sighing heavily, she watched his face turn. Their eyes caught in a moment of mutual remembrance. The flash in his eyes was so brief, she didn’t know whether it had been real or her imagination.
“I’m going to fix lunch,” he mumbled with his jaw clenched. He broke eye contact and walked to the kitchen.
“That man is infuriating,” she snapped as he disappeared from view.
“Isn’t he just,” Zafira agreed with a benevolent smile. “But at least he’s a good host. You have to at least give him that.”
“Gmphf.” Vanya jumped up and took the spot Andrei had vacated. Unseeing, she stared out the window.
Getting used to the stark blackness of the mask covering his left eye had been difficult at first. Not because it was disfiguring—quite the contrary since it made him even more attractive, in a dark, dangerous sort of way—but mainly because his entire personality had changed along with his appearance. Her mother was right—he was different. This man in front of her was evil and dangerous and didn’t portray an inch of compassion for anyone.
Except that wasn’t entirely true. If he didn’t care, why had he bothered to abduct Zafira to keep her safe? For that matter, why did he allow her to remain at the house? Surely, he should be concerned that she would inform her brothers where they were?
Vanya started at the thought.Blyad’! How could I have been so negligent?Andrei hadn’t confiscated her cell phone, and she had had ample opportunity to make a call to Arian, yet she hadn’t given it a thought, not even while he was gone. That they were still here, and she didn’t immediately excuse herself to do just that now that it came to mind was telling.
“Shouldn’t you at least offer to help Andrei with lunch, dear?”
“You’re the chef in the family, Mom. I can’t even boil an egg without burning it.”
“Then I’d say it’s about time you learn.” She smiled sweetly. “Besides, you’re not an invited guest. You can’t expect to sit around all day and be served hand and foot.”
“I never expect anyone to serve me, and you damn well know it.”
“Watch your tongue, young lady.” Zafira’s steely response proved she would always carry the mantle ofComare, a woman who commanded respect purely because of her strength of character.
Feeling like a little girl being rapped over the fingers, Vanya mumbled an apology.
“Off you go. We can’t let him do all the work.”
“Believe me, he knows what a disaster I am in the kitchen. He’ll more than likely chase me out,” Vanya hedged. No matter how much of her mother’s steely backbone she had inherited, for some reason, the thought of being alone with Andrei made her tremble all over. Perhaps the dark, evil look in his eyes since his return had something to do with that… or maybe it was the desire that crawled under her skin whenever he was near to be devoured by that very beast inside him. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, Mom,” she snapped as Zafira gave her the evil eye for procrastinating. “Okay! I’m going.”
Just as she was about to walk into the kitchen, the doorbell rang. Relief washed over her. Calling out, she pivoted on her heel, “I’ll get it!”
“No, you won’t,” Andrei growled as he grabbed her elbow to hold her back. “I’m not expecting anyone.” He glowered at her as he released her and headed to the door. “I thought you’d be more aware of the danger.”
Vanya noticed his hand curling in preparedness around the butt of his gun.
“No one knows we’re here,” she called after him.
“If you believe that, the drugs have fried your brain even more than you realize.”
“Fuck you, Andrei!”
“Behave, you two,” Zafira’s calm voice cut their sparring short just as Andrei’s curse echoed through the house when he noticed who stood on the porch.
“What the fuck is he doing here?”
“Who?” Vanya and Zafira choired, straining to see without moving closer.
When the doorbell rang again, Andrei looked at Zafira over his shoulder.
“Stay out of sight. I don’t want him to know you’re here,” he said before opening the door.
“Maranzano, I can’t say I’m happy to see you.” His greeting was cordial as though he had expected the man’s visit.
“Ah, well,” Luciano smiled broadly. “Since I’m not here for you, your happiness is irrelevant to me.”
“Isus Hristos!” Vanya exploded as she walked closer. “You’re like a bad smell that won’t dissipate. First, you arrived uninvited at my house, and now you follow me here. One would think you would take heed of the warning Arian issued at the time.” She frowned darkly. “And just how the fuck did you know where I was?”
