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“When you tell him.”

“When I tell him.” I take a breath as we make our way to the car. “Even if our future’s uncertain because of this Stefina thing, I don’t doubt his love for Sasha or his commitment to his children, no matter what happens with us.”

She stops me and makes me face her. “Erin, you’re the one Demyan loves. I know that, I know him. I know my brother. And he’ll find a way out of this idiotic wedding.”

“What if he decides not to? What if marrying her makes better business sense to him and he goes ahead with it?”

Alina’s eyes flash. “He’d be crazy to go through with this wedding based on that.”

She continues to the car and I follow. The driver is waiting outside and opens the door. A glimpse of a gun brings reality crashing back down around me. “He might.”

I slide in next to her. As the door closes, she turns to me and gives me a sad smile. “Demyan would never decide to marry her based on it making good business sense when he has you. Trust me.”

“I want to. But there’s the possibility he can’t get out of it. And that’s not good.” I give her a sad smile. “I guess… I guess all I can do is hope things work out, but be prepared if they don’t.”

Because as much as Alina says her brother won’t make that decision based on business, I can’t shake the fact he might. He’s so caught up in it all. And he’s bratva; business is life and death and power. If this is power, great power, then… what little he’s told me about his father suggests he just might marry her because he was brought up to put the business first.

And Stefina’s gorgeous.

That must count for something.

“Erin?”

“Hopefully, this getaway will give us the chance to really see where our relationship stands.”

Or if we even have one.

When we get home, Demyan’s still out, but Sasha’s excited. He runs up to me, flinging his arms around my legs. “Mama! Mama! I went to a big park with Daddy! We went down the slide! I wanna go again! Dino is fun!”

And he giggles, letting me go and rushing to hug Alina’s legs. She mouths ‘Daddy?’ at me and looks happily.

Sasha’s babbling about his morning to Alina and I smile.

I’m so happy Demyan and Sasha are getting along so well, and it gives me a tiny nugget of hope that things just might work out.

Chapter Fifteen

ERIN

Nerves eatat me as I sit in the seat next to Demyan while he drives.

It’s just us as far as I can tell. No driver, no guards. At least, no guards visible. We left early, Sasha clinging and crying as we went. Not even the promise of treats could calm him. And my heart hurts.

Demyan’s quiet, almost cold, like he has been since the day he spent with Sasha.

He’s been busy, but… but I’m too scared to ask what’s up.

What if this weekend is his way of letting me down, breaking my heart by telling me he’s going to marry Stefina?

I have to ask. I have to say something.

“Demyan —”

“Sasha’s fine,” he says softly. “Alina texted you twenty minutes ago with a pic, right? He’s having fun and is over the separation anxiety. It’s good.”

I just nod. It wasn’t what I was going to say. I wanted to ask… Hell, I just wanted reassurance we’re fine.

I almost laugh. It’s like I’ve done some kind of one-eighty, from being mad at him to wanting him to mollify me.