Page 86 of Obsession of the Bratva

She smiled, and Avgust smiled back. The look they shared lasted barely a moment, but it was enough to convey that love lived there. The quiet kind. The permanent kind. I suddenly understood why Nico’s sister looked so happy all the time, because a part of me was beginning to feel that happiness too.

“Come inside,” Ilana said, taking my hand in hers. “Before the men start discussing business and ruin everyone’s evening.”

I walked inside what I could only call a mansion and tried not to gawk at the paintings that lined the walls. Ilana, who was an artist, gave me a rundown of every painting. She was very happy that Kliment had finally given her leave to commission paintings for the house, and she had only gotten the most beautiful pieces. I couldn’t agree more. Every painting was exquisite. Even someone like me, who was not an art nerd, could guess that much.

We finally reached the dining room, which was already full. I recognized everyone immediately because Nico had shown me pictures after I had demanded to see them. Kliment and Misha were seated at one side while Fyodor and Elisse occupied the other. Jarek was sitting by the window on the rocking chair, nursing a glass of whiskey in his hands.

These were people I had spent months hearing about. Even when Nico and I had been together all those months ago, he hadn’t introduced me to his family. But for the first time now, I wasn’t standing on the outside. I belonged here and the realization felt wonderfully strange but still terrifying...

“Look who finally showed up.” Kliment’s voice carried easily across the room and Nico groaned.

“Don’t.”

“You’re late.”

“We are not.”

“You are.”

“We’re five minutes early.”

“Late.”

I looked between them, confused and Misha jumped into the conversation, shaking her head. “Don’t worry, Vera. Kliment has a habit of reminding everyone they could have always come earlier.”

“Yes,” Fyodor answered immediately. “He does this every day, all the time to all of us.”

“Several times a day, actually, since I live with him,” Misha chuckled, glancing lovingly at her husband.

Kliment looked pleased.

Nico took my hand and walked further into the room. “How do you even survive him, Misha?”

“I wouldn’t have been able to if I wasn’t down bad in love.”

Laughter erupted around the table. Even Kliment laughed. Though he looked suspiciously proud of himself. Who wouldn’t be when someone as beautiful and brilliant as Misha Chernykh was in love with you? Nico had told me all about her solo attempts to dismantle a sex trafficking ring, and it would be an understatement to say I was in awe of her.

“Okay everyone, behave,” Misha said, standing up and walking toward me. “Thank you so much for coming, Vera. I have been looking forward to meeting you.”

“We all have been, really,” Elisse chimed in, getting up from beside her husband and coming toward us. “Ilana has been bragging about how she got to meet you first, so we wanted to make sure we jumped right in.”

I laughed, awestruck by the warmth I felt from their tones. I had never had sisters, so this was an alien experience, and I was already beginning to love it.

“Welcome to the family, Vera,” Kliment said, standing up. “Let’s start dinner, people. I am hungry.”

Everyone settled around the dinner table and conversation flowed naturally. For once, nobody was discussing attacks or operations. There was no talk of threats or enemies or how the warehouse situation had been handled. Neither Papa nor Adrian were brought up even once, even though everyone knew the situation was still boiling hot.

I appreciated that. I was already on edge and a discussion of that sort would only make things worse.

“So.” Elisse smiled from across the table. “Let’s discuss the important things now. Nico and Vera, when are you getting married?”

I nearly choked on my spaghetti and Nico sighed heavily.

“Five minutes.”

“What?”

“You waited five entire minutes before jumping to the marriage train, Misha. Let the girl eat.”