Page 148 of Beautiful Secrets

For once, when I look over at her, the woman isn’t glaring at me.

Well, Mika did say Christmas is a time for family and forgiveness—usually in that order. Maybe Meisie’s getting into the spirit of things. Or maybe she’s had enough wine that she doesn’t give a shit about me anymore.

“It means beautiful,” I say, and quickly start cutting another piece of meat.

“I could have sworn I saw a second name on the birth certificate,” Meisie says.

Ah. So she hasn’t forgiven me yet, not if she’s going to be so damn obvious about keeping me from this glorious piece of roast. I shrug at her, and I’m guessing Mika sees my distress, because my wonderful little rabbit steps in.

“Tavisha Tayna Hendry,” she says.

“Tanya?” Meisie repeats.

“Tay-na.” Mika gives me a circumspect glance under her lashes.

“Oh, that’s so pretty.” Meisie laces her fingers. “Tavisha, Tayna Hendry.” She stares at Kill, and looks like she might even be fogging up a little. “Isn’t that such a pretty name?”

Kill nods, and we happen to look at each other. I don’t know what I see there—it might be pride. Or it could just be the good food. Who the fuck knows?

Mika and I haven’t told anyone who Tavvy’s real father is. Quite honestly, it’s no one’s fucking business but ours.

“Why?”

I drop my fork.

Every last person stops talking. I lace my fingers, but it’s nothing like Meisie’s earlier gesture. It should be blatant to anyone how close I am to shoving this entire piece of meat into my mouth, and fuck table manners.

“Why what?” I ask, stiffly polite as I stare down the incorrigible Maddie Hendry.

“She wants to know what Tavisha’s second name means,” Kill translates.

“That…” I pick up my fork and point it right at the pint-sized little terrorist. “Is none of your business.”

The gasps I expect. The giggle from Mika I don’t. Nor Dimitri’s deep chuckle from the head of the table.

Maddie scowls at me. “I can just Google it.”

“Then why are we having this conversation?” I ask her in a stage whisper, before spearing a lump of meat and shoving it into my mouth.

Mika’s hand slides onto my thigh. I turn to her, and I get lost in her eyes again.

I even forget to chew.

“Sorry, little rabbit,” I murmur, swallowing the lump of meat. “Daddy’s really fucking hungry.”

But instead of berating me for sassing a kid, she gives me the tiniest little smile. “Guess what Vanya just told me?”

I blink at her. I know time gets a little wonky whenever I’m around my wife, but when did she talk to Vanya? But then I crane past her and see her sister sitting next to her. Vanya gives me a shy little smile before dropping her gaze.

“What, rabbit?” I start chewing again.

“We both got water.”

“Hmm?” I can’t look at her again, else I’ll starve. So I concentrate on my plate, stabbing a piece of potato and getting ready to shove it into my mouth.

“The cups?” Mika adds.

“Aye?”