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So I waited, and when the conversation was over, Elias said, “You’ll sit next to me.”
He hadn’t looked at me when he spoke and still didn’t when he started walking.
I followed behind him, the trepidation that had been on a low simmer rising.
He was…off.
I couldn’t quite put my finger on why, but there was an energy about him that I hadn’t felt before.
It wasn’t his usual surly, irritated disposition.
Or his smugness.
Or even his anger.
I couldn’t identify what it was, but I knew it was something.
And, as much as I would hate to admit it, I wanted to sit next to him.
If Elias was this noticeably off, there was definitely something going on, and I wasn’t sure what.
Next to Elias felt like the best place to be, which wasn’t something I’d ever imagined I’d think.
We entered the largest conference room in the building, which was off the lobby, and Elias headed to the large table and took a seat. I took the seat next to him and counted eighteen other places besides Elias’s and mine.
Seventeen of those seats were quickly filled, leaving a single seat at the head of the table. Those without seats gathered around, and the room filled to capacity.
The room went quiet, the murmurs that had filled it before cutting off when the door opened.
Armen Petrosyan, Elias and Davit’s father and formal head of the Petrosyan family, walked in.
The men assembled at the table and those who milled around behind them looked at Armen as he approached.
Elias looked at him too, his expression unreadable.
Armen stopped, looked at each man at the table, then let his gaze settle on Elias.
It wasn’t lost on me that he had skipped over me.
I wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or not, but I caught myself when I started to lean toward Elias.
Didn’t allow myself to analyze the fact that Armen was so intimidating that Elias was a comfort.
I’d met Armen once before at baby Crystal’s birthday party, but that event had been a whirlwind of gifts and cake and fun.
This event definitely wasn’t that.
I leaned back in my chair and looked across the table at Davit, whom I had just noticed.
He was also looking at his father, his expression unreadable as well.
For a “celebration,” this gathering was incredibly tense.
I got the sense that Armen knew that.
And that he enjoyed it.
“After all these years, it’s good to see my family gathered,” Armen finally said.
