Page 104 of Mafia and Scars

“Viktor?”

“Yeah. I think…I want more.”

He sits back. “So, ask her on a date.”

I blink. “A date?” I shake my head from side to side. Dating has never been a thing for me. I know the gist of it, of course. I don’t live under a fucking rock. Matvey, Nikolai, and even Grigory have taken women out. I’ve heard all about it the morning after. But doing it myself?Nuh uh. No way.

“Take her to dinner at one of our restaurants. One of the fancy ones. Or hell, take her to the one in the casino if you prefer.”

“I’ve never taken a girl on a date,” I say in a weak tone. “I just meet girls at our clubs, fuck them, and that’s the end of it.”

He shakes his head. And with a sigh, he reaches for his phone.

“What are you doing?”

“Sending a message to the guys.”

I frown. “What kind of message?”

“Mandatory training session tonight after dinner.”

“Why?”

But he doesn’t answer. And my stomach drops like a lead brick. I think I just set myself up for something I’m not ready for at all. I can already hear Matvey and Nikolai’s snickers. But what’s worse…?

I think I want it.

No.

I know I want it.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

VIKTOR

Avelina has smiled and talked all through dinner this evening. My brain has barely registered any of it. Not because I’m not listening, but because I can’t stop watching her. The way her mouth moves, the way her eyes crinkle. And her laugh lights something within me that has no name.

But that same something also leaves my stomach twisted in knots. My hunt to name it doesn’t come up with anything productive. I don’t understand what’s happening to me.

After dinner finishes, I tell Avelina that I have some stuff to do with the guys. She takes the children up for bathtime, and I tell her that I’ll come find her once I’m finished.

I don’t know what Grigory has planned, but we meet in the rec room as directed in his text. Grigory has already told everyone else that it’s out of bounds tonight because he’s conducting training.

I walk into the room. The usual suspects are already gathered, including Matvey, Nikolai, and a few of the others. They’re allhunched over mugs of coffee and a bag of half-stale donuts someone forgot to eat.

Grigory strolls in behind me. “Phones down!” he orders like we’re about to strategize some important mission. “We’ve got an urgent matter to deal with.”

Matvey immediately starts whining. “I’ve got places to be, Grigory, and I haven’t got time for some dumb training session.”

Nikolai cuts in. “Is this about the electricity bill again? I’m telling you that power cut was nothing to do with me. It was those guys who broke in?—”

“Quiet!” Grigory barks. “You’re here because we’re doingdating training.”

“Huh?” Nikolai blurts out.

“What for?” Matvey asks at the same time.

“To teach Viktor how to take a girl on a date,” Grigory announces.