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Zoya leaps to her feet. “Oh my gosh, I almost forgot the cake! Everybody stay right here!” She flees to the kitchen.

“She does a lot of cooking around here,” Matvei says. “She likes to.”

“Thank fuckMatveidoesn’t,” a woman’s voice cuts in from the doorway. “We’d all be eating chocolate-covered ants.”

I look up to see a tall woman with wide brown eyes and soft, wavy brown hair that hits her shoulders, standing beside Vadka. He places his hand on the small of her back as she smiles at me. “Anissa? Welcome. I’m Mariah.”

I give her a shy little wave back but feel a little more at ease in her presence.

“Oh my god.” Matvei groans, rolling his eyes. “Seriously, we did thatonetime. Wasn’t even my idea.”

I’ve never seen Matvei’s eyes twinkle like that. He looks almost casual. I hardly knew the man had a sense of humor, but here, among friends and his Bratva brothers, I’m seeing another side of him.

Semyon laughs for the first time. I get the feeling he doesn’t laugh very often. “You always try to blame Rodion, especially when he isn’t here.” He shakes his head. “As if Rafail and I didn’t practically raise you two and know exactly how you work in league.”

His mother clears her throat. “Excuseme?”

To my surprise, this time, it’s Semyon who levels her with a look. “You two traveled a lot. They practically lived with us every summer. Did you forget?”

She rolls her eyes heavenward, looking personally offended.

So Rafail and Semyon had firsthand experience raising Matvei and his brother. Maybe that’s why Matvei is more tolerable than his parents.

I want to see him around Rodion.

Semyon grins. “Then there was that debacle at the nightclub.”

Vadka pulls out a chair for Mariah, bending to kiss the top of her head before she sits. My heart turns over.

“You meanstrip club,don’t you?”

Vadka pulls out a chair and slouches into it, stretching his legs out like he’s settling in for a show. He tips his whiskey toward Semyon in a salute. I notice the thick gold band glinting on his hand, the same one that matches his wife’s.

Wordlessly, he pours her a glass of white wine. “Oh, don’t stop now,” he drawls, his deep voice laced with amusement. “Ilovethis story. The one where those two idiots tried to scam their way into the most expensive strip club in St. Petersburg.”

Matvei shakes his head. “Of course you guys have to bring this up when it’s just me on the execution block, and Rodion’s free and clear.”

“I didn’t hear about this one,” Matvei’s father cuts in, taking another sip of wine.

“I handled it,” Rafail says simply.

“There were a lot of things you didn’t hear about,” Matvei mutters. He drags a hand over his face and groans. “Hell, Semyon, why’d you have to bring that up?”

“Excuse me, thewhat?” His mother’s shooting daggers at me with her eyes, so of course I need to hear every detail.

Matvei smirks into his drink. Goddamn… it’sadorable.I lean in and whisper to him, “Are youblushing?”

Semyon’s eyes twinkle at Vadka, who leans forward, grinning wide, all charm and amusement.

“It was beautiful. Matvei walks in like he owns the place, claims he’s an inspector sent to check their business permits.” Vadka chuckles, shaking his head. “Rodion, meanwhile, is in the VIP section, helping himself to free drinks like a fucking king.”

A buzzing sounds at the end of the table. Rafail glances at his watch with a scowl but nods to Vadka to keep going.

“We were young and stupid,” Matvei says, rolling his eyes.

Semyon snorts. “As if you’re both too mature to pull that shit now.”

Matvei shrugs and deadpans, “We’d just get away with it now.”