Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 92160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Is he talking on speakerphone?
When I walk down the stairs, I realize Matvei isn’t alone. There’s a younger guy with him. A younger, very attractive guy with an athletic build, strong jawline, piercing gaze, and what looks like a perpetual smirk. The ink that scrolls over his shoulders and up his neck marks him as Kopolov family Bratva.
Rodion?
"Hi," I say tentatively from the doorway.
The stranger flashes me a grin. "You’re up? Feeling okay?" His brows knit together slightly, studying me.
Just a moment ago, they were both talking about very violent, very mafia things.
But Matvei’s demeanor shifts the moment he sees me.
The tension in his jaw releases. His eyes, normally storm clouds and razor-sharp, soften in a way that makes my breath catch. He shouldn’t be looking at me that way. I might do whatever he tells me. I might follow him to the ends of the earth.
Without a word, he lifts his arm—an invitation, silent but sure. Like I belong there and he was waiting for me.
A lump rises in my throat. Maybe it’s because he’s the last person I expected to feel safe with.
I step closer. Slowly. Warily. I’m still unsure of my footing in this family. Maybe I’m afraid it’s only temporary.
He doesn’t rush me but waits, steady as stone, until I’m within reach.
“Rodion, this is Anissa,” he says with unmistakable pride. “Anissa, Rodion.”
Rodion eyes me with undisguised curiosity. “Ah, the little witch,” he says, lifting his glass in mock salute. I see the thick band of gold that glints in the overhead light on his ring finger.
“Ah, the partner in crime,” I reply, lips curling into a smirk. “Nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard plenty of stories about you and Matvei.”
Rodion groans. “Whatever he told you, it’s slander. I’m innocent.”
“Back when we were younger…” Matvei begins.
“We got into way more trouble than we do now,” Rodion finishes with a wolfish grin. I half expect him to swallow me whole.
“I’d argue the stakes have gotten higher,” Matvei murmurs dryly, pulling me into his lap as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
His arm settles around me. His fingers brush mine, grounding me. My head finds his shoulder—when did that become the place I want to be?
“Did we wake you?” he asks softly, his voice quieter now, just for me.
There’s something about this dangerous man going soft for me that melts me into a puddle.
“You okay?” he asks softly, a murmur in my ear. Rodion’s brows lift, and he looks at his friend in mild surprise.
I shake my head. "Yeah. I was starving. I had a weird dream and… I don’t know. I couldn’t sleep."
Matvei’s gaze sharpens.
"Was it another nightmare?"
I shake my head again, but it’s a lie. I don’t want to divulge anything personal in front of Rodion. Matvei might trust him, but I don’t.
"I don’t want to talk about it right now,” I whisper. Rodion politely scrolls on his phone as if giving us some privacy.
"You need something to eat?"
"No, I'm fine. You left me with enough snacks to fatten me up like a pig being led to slaughter."
Rodion groans. "Of course he did. Asshole needs to feed his junk food addiction. Always gets the munchies with those goddamn joints. That's how Rafail caught on we were smoking in high school.” He shakes his head as if still pissed at Matvei. “He’d fucking eat pickled everything. Dill pickles, tomatoes, straight out of the jar like a psycho. Platters of dumplings. Sleeves of crackers. Piles of chocolate bars or anything battered and fried.”
"I had help," Matvei says, his eyes twinkling.
“I bet.”
“I can still see Rafail staring at the empty packages in the kitchen and shaking us down for our stash.” Rodion shakes his head. “Hey, so I came here to tell Matvei the good news,” Rodion says with a smile. He pulls out a pink stick. I blink. "Ember’s pregnant.”
I don't expect it. The stab hits my chest. The second I look at him—when I look at Matvei's face—the pain is there, hidden behind a fake smile.
"Congratulations," I say, but my congrats sound watery even to my own ears.
Matvei's thumb brushes over the top of my hand—soothing, gentle. A shared moment of grief I wasn’t prepared for, for entirely different reasons.
His wife peed on a stick, and he jumped in his car and drove here to tell Matvei in person.
That's so adorable. And it makes me so fucking sad.
Rodion stands. "It's late. I'm sorry to keep you guys up. Just wanted to tell you the good news. Tomorrow, we ride, brother," he says with a smile.
Brother. I bet that hits him harder than Rodion thinks. He has two other brothers at home. Matvei buried his.
And what are they doing tomorrow?
Matvei gets up to see Rodion out. I barely notice. I'm so caught up in my thoughts, trying to decide what to do, what to say.