Page 128 of Gilded in Blood

Artyom finally speaks, looking me squarely in the eye. “You want to marry my sister.”

“Yes,” I say without hesitation. “I love her. I can’t imagine a life without her. So I’m going to marry her.”

They fall silent for a moment. Artyom leans forward. “I don’t like you. I still haven’t forgiven the fact that you looked us in the eyes and lied to us for weeks while you were working with our enemy. You should understand why I’m cautious about someone like that marrying my sister. But you also made the right choice in the end and came clean.”

Deep down, I smile inwardly. Whatever they say, regardless of their response, I’m still going to propose to Milana. And if she accepts, I’m going to marry her anyway.

Artyom continues, “But I’ve seen the way my sister is around you. I know you make her happy. And what I want for my sisters is for them to be happy.”

Mikhail nods in agreement. “Same here.”

Artyom sighs. “Well, I guess I would have to give my blessing. So long as that’s what my sister wants.”

Mikhail echoes him. “Agreed.”

As those words leave his mouth, a new voice creeps in. What if she says no? What if she doesn’t want to marry me? What if I’ve been reading the situation wrong all this time?

For the first time in my life, I feel a flicker of real panic. I quickly tell myself to calm down. There’s no need. I love Milana. She loves me too, she’s told me that more than once.

I’ve seen the way she looks at me, the way she reaches for me in her sleep. Of course she wants to spend the rest of her life with me. But the small voice lingers. What if?

Mikhail leans back in his chair, a half-smirk on his face. “At least Kirill has the decency to ask.”

He turns to Maxim, who has been quiet this whole time. “Unlike this asshole here, who didn’t ask but just went ahead and kidnapped our sisters.”

Maxim scoffs. “I did not kidnap them. Do you even know the meaning of kidnap? I took them and brought them to Artyom, and then took the one I wanted.”

Artyom growls, eyes narrowing. “Don’t remind me if you don’t want a bullet in your head.”

Maxim leans back in his seat, completely unbothered, a lazy grin spreading across his face. “You wouldn’t dare put a bullet in my head. Because before you did that, I would have already done it to you. Besides, Calina would kill you if you hurt her husband.”

Artyom rubs his temple, looking genuinely pained. “Why my sisters have to end up with men like you two is beyond me.”

Maxim chuckles, turning to me. “Welcome to the family.”

Milana

The cool water laps gently against my calves as I idly kick my feet beneath the surface. Beside me, Calina, Irina, and Kira do the same, our sandals abandoned on the stone patio.

A few yards away, Oleg’s laughter rings through the garden.

“Go, Boris!” he shouts, hurling the tennis ball across the lawn.

The dog bolts after it with impressive speed, disappearing behind a flower bed before racing back with the ball clamped proudly between his jaws.

I can’t help smiling.

The men are still gathered around the dining table. Whatever they’re talking about seems serious enough to keep them rooted to their seats long after we’ve finished eating.

I glance in their direction. As if sensing it, Kirill lifts his head. Our eyes meet across the garden. Heat curls low in my stomach.

God. How does one man manage to undress me with nothing more than a look? A smile finds my lips before I shake my head and tear my gaze away.

“Oh…” Calina draws the word out dramatically. “I know that smile.”

“What smile?” I ask, feigning innocence.

“The one you reserve exclusively for your ridiculously handsome boyfriend,” Irina says with a grin.