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"Sofia, sweetheart, let everyone come in and get settled." Sergei didn't hide his grin at his vocal daughter. "Plus, it's Maxim's day, remember? He was very polite when it was your birthday and gave you all the attention. Now, you need to show him the same courtesy."
Sofia's bottom lip jutted out in a pout, and she dropped her head. "Okay, Papa." She kicked at the ground but gave into his request as she took a step away from Lottie.
I didn't miss how the smile on my girl's face dropped slightly at the action of the small girl.
Sergei held his hand out and wiggled his fingers, and Sofia grabbed on as he showed us into the house.
I helped Lottie to her feet and tucked my arm around her waist. "You're a natural with kids,kroshka."
"I don't know about that, but I just talked to her the way I liked to be talked to. It sucks when people like to talk down to you," she whispered, pain entering her eyes and making them dull. I wanted to kill whoever talked down to her and made her feel inferior in the past.
I kissed her forehead, even more in awe of her with every moment that passed. "I love you."
She tilted her head up, and I kissed her lips. "I love you too. Now, let's go before we get yelled at."
"She's got a point, cousin." Sergei clapped me on the shoulder as we entered the living room. "She's a very smart woman. You've done very well for yourself. However, I don't know how you got so lucky. She definitely lowered her standards for you."
I barely resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I felt like the young boy always running after my big cousin Sergei when he spoke to me like that. Although it was better than the times he yelled at me.
"This must be Maxim." A miniature version of Sergei joined his sister. The boy wrapped an arm around his sister, protecting her from the new people who entered their home.
After all, they'd gone through together, seeing the ferocity in his eyes when it came to his sister warmed my heart.
The bond between them was deep and fierce.
"Maxim, this is my cousin Andrei. You can call him Uncle Andrei or just Andrei." Sergei nodded when Maxim looked up to him for confirmation.
Maxim held his hand out. "Nice to meet you."
"Same. Happy birthday." I reached into my inner jacket pocket and pulled out the envelope for him.
His eyes widened before lightening up as he accepted the present. "Thank you."
"No opening it now," Sergei said with a stern tone. "Put it with the others, and we'll open everything at once. After dinner."
Maxim nodded and moved to obey his father.
"Andrei."Babushkaset her spoon down in the kitchen and swiftly crossed the room with her arms open wide. Her smile was wide, and tears were gleaming in her bright eyes. "Thank you for coming."
Lottie stepped away from me with a squeeze of my arm, and I embracedBabushkatightly. I took several deep breaths, knowing what would be coming next. The years of bloody work by my grandfather's side were still etched in my brain. No matter how much time or distance I put between us, some things always haunted me.
Sasha's death was one of them.
"It's so good to see you here."Babushkareleased me and patted my cheek. "Here with Sergei, Maxim, and Sofia. With your family."
Her words hurt as if a knife had plunged into my back. Family meant the world to me. Until I lost my best friend at just eighteen because of some stupid deal gone wrong.
"Family is more than just blood," I rasped out as I stepped back. Lottie touched my back, which was a soothing balm on my fractured soul. She was the only one who was able to tame the wild thoughts and bring me back down to Earth. She was my everything.
"It is, Andrei. You've made a family here, and we just want to be a part of it."
The deep, accented voice had my hands curling into fists at my side. I watched as my grandfather emerged from down the hall. When I saw him after he kidnapped Lottie, I had been tooangry to take in anything about his appearance. Or if I did, I didn't commit it to memory.
But now, as I looked at him, I saw the small signs of his illness. The pale skin. Purple circles under his eyes. The way his lips pressed into a thin line.
I didn't have much to go off of other than a brief encounter when my emotions and memories from twenty years ago were out of control. Despite that, I could tell Viktor Volkov looked like shit.
He moved slowly, his gate still strong, but he took each step carefully until he was standing before me. Without a word, he extended his hand.
