Page 43 of Nikola

“Aunt. Uncle. Cousins. Nice to see you,” I greeted them. “Kostya and I have some business to discuss.”

Their brows rose in unison while Kostya chuckled. “I didn’t realize you consideredherbusiness.”

“Who?” Aunt Aurora questioned curiously.

“Yes, who?” Aunt Tatiana chimed in, waggling her brows. “Is there someone special in your life?”

“There’s nobody special,” I retorted curtly, stepping over discarded shoes, my cousin Kostya trailing behind me.

Curious glances were shot our way, but we were already taking the stairs two at a time, beelining for my bedroom door.

“What is this shit about you having lunch with Skye?” I questioned as I shut the door.

“No shit, just two people sharing a meal,” he deadpanned.

“Cancel it.”

There weren’t too many people who knew what lurked behind Kostya’s standoffish image and control-freak façade. I knew, and while I didn’t judge, there was no way I’d allow Skye around that.

“No way.” He scratched at the scruff on his jaw. “It’ll hurt her feelings.”

I scoffed, then summoned my most threatening tone. “Better you hurt her feelings than I hurt you.”

He shrugged, like he didn’t have a worry in the world. “You can try, cousin. But then we’ll miss dinner and shit will hit the fan. Maybe we just schedule it for…” He paused, his expression turning pensive. “Day after tomorrow. I’m free then.”

“I’m not fucking playing with you,” I growled, getting in his face. I was quickly losing what little patience I had. “Skye is off-limits. She’sfamily, Kostya.”

Okay, I might have made a hypocrite out of myself. I touched Skye—more than touched her—but that didn’t cancel out the simple fact that she wasn’t right for him.

My bedroom door opened and Anushka’s blonde head slid in. “Our parents are demanding you get your asses downstairs in five seconds flat. Or else.”

I narrowed my eyes on my cousin. “This isn’t over.”

He just laughed. “Oh, but I think it is.”

15

SKYE

While the home visit was wonderful, it left me feeling strangely achy. Restless.

My parents noticed my restlessness thanks to my constant phone checking and excessive Instagram posting.

I blamed the frequent travels and resulting jet lag lately: flying to Italy for a week only to fly back to New Orleans for Thanksgiving weekend at Nikola’s parents’ with everyone.

But it was all a lie.

It all boiled down to the fact that I hadn’t seen or talked to Nikola in weeks, and I missed him more than ever.

It was strange how feelings and thoughts could flip suddenly. From familial to obsessive. From innocent to quite indecent. I’d known Nikola for most of my life, yet it was only lately that I felt like I couldn’t live without him. It felt like this—us—was waiting to happen all along.

He was all I could think about anymore.

After the night of my panic attack in his dorm, Nikola had successfully avoided me for a whole month. And in that time, my crush had turned into a full-blown obsession, complete with a slew of texts sent that I’d rather not think about—it was beyondembarrassing. Who texted a boy over and over again despite getting no reply?

I blamed the stubborn idiot, whose lack of reciprocation was making me feel unhinged.

Well, two could play that game.