Page 49

?????????????? ??????????-??????????

"??????????????????"

???????

Warm cinnamon.

It was all around me, surrounding me almost like open arms.

Dark brown wood floors contrasted the white walls lingering with a detailed crown molding.

Everything seemed to have a spot.

And from what I could tell, there were no framed pictures.

Sevan was walking entirely too fast for me to really take in the large house.

"Sevan," I mumbled in irritation, trying to keep up with her long strides.

She didn't respond.

She only continued her pace with me forced to follow behind her out past the tall sliding glass doors.

There was a stone trail by the large pool and hot tub.

Which sat among a large concrete canopy with a grill and an outdoor sectional further down from it.

The outdoor lights lining the canopy and pool gave me ample opportunity to soak it in.

Well, as much as I could considering the guest house we quickly approached.

Which was illuminated by the same lights as it sat out further from everything.

I enjoy isolation.

"I stay with you?" I questioned, eyeing the small modern kitchen and living room as we entered the open space.

It smelt almost like a new house.

Entirely un-lived in.

"I'm staying in the house," Sevan clarified as she walked past the open living area, forcing me to follow behind her.

I furrowed my brows, "You are still mad," I murmured in observation.

Sevan scoffed, almost under her breath, "Why would I be mad Zinovia? You only showed up at my parent's house without asking," she said sarcastically, opening one of the tall doors.

Which led to a spacious bedroom decorated almost neutrally with a king bed sitting in the middle of it all.

"You didn't answer your phone," I reminded her for the third time.

Sevan turned around, locking eyes with me, "That doesn't mean show up wherever I am," she said, her voice growing irritated, "I specified that we need space right now—and being at my parent's house might just be worse than us being seen together."

I shrugged, "I leave in the morning—"

"You think leaving changes anything Zinovia?" Sevan asked me, taking a firm step towards me, "Even if you left tonight, you were already seen here."

I remained silent for a moment, eyeing Sevan's face for a moment.

Until I naturally reached out to her.

But she only took a firm step back, gently pushing my hands away, "Not right now," she said with a deep sigh, "Not when I'm trying to figure out how the Executioners even know anything to begin with."

I tilted my head, "They most likely see us together, I am sure it is okay—"

"No someone told them something," Sevan cut me short yet again, shaking her head to herself, "We don't interact inappropriately in public—someone has mentioned something and it made them investigate further."

I shook my head, "Or they just notice we spend a lot of time together," I pointed out, determining that she could be paranoid, "And perhaps those cameras you looped were not looped at all."

Sevan lazily raised her brows, glancing down when her phone buzzed in her pocket.

"Dinner's ready," she said without even having to check who the text was from.

I nodded, attempting to walk past her.

Until she took a step to the side, blocking me from walking past her.

"You don't understand who you're dealing with—what my parents are capable of," Sevan said, drawing in a deep breath as she glanced away from me, "My mom doesn't like you, I sense it."

I furrowed my brows, recalling the decent exchange we had.

But Sevan knows her better.

Either way—

"I do not care," I determined.

Even if the smallest part of me wanted her mom to like me.

Blyat.

"She was an executor before me—and if she knows about this..." Sevan trailed off, eyeing my face for a moment.

A long moment actually.

Until finally, she said—

"She will kill you with no fucking hesitation."

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips, entirely amused while Sevan remained nothing but serious.

"I like to see her try Sevan," I said, pushing past her to walk out of the room.

"Zinovia—"

"I am very confused," I suddenly cut her short, turning back around to face her, "Would you let your mother kill me, Sevan?"

Sevan clenched her jaw, eyeing my face for a moment as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I am only fuck buddy to you—or nothing to you it seems so I assume you would da?" I purposely asked her, raising a sharp brow.

Yet all she could do was remain silent, growing visibly tenser by my words.

"Right," I mumbled, eyeing her almost distastefully before I turned back around to walk away.

And this time, Sevan didn't follow directly behind me.

She caught up eventually, but I could tell she had to recover from my words.

Which felt like they could be true to her.

And maybe a part of me assumed she would disagree.

Or a part of me hoped.

But I had less time to pity myself for that, considering the perfectly decorated dining room I walked into.

The table was already set with different dishes, Viviana sitting at the head of the table with Reniro as they sipped on the dark cognac in the small crystal glasses.

I see where Sevan acquires her taste from.

"Via," Viviana spoke first, her dark eyes following us carefully as we walked further into the dining room.

"Viviana," I said, my Russian accent filtering in thicker in comparison to her Spanish accent.

"We settled on ham tonight," Reniro said, motioning us closer, "Join us."

I nodded once, pulling out my chair before Sevan had a chance to.

If she was planning to that is.

And I could feel Viviana watching every move I made, glancing down when I firmly pulled the chair back.

I let out a content sigh as I settled in my chair, getting comfortable at the table beside Sevan.

The air was silent between us all for a moment.

One long moment.

Until Viviana suddenly set her glass down with a clatter, standing sharply from her chair.

I refrained from showing my visible confusion, wondering what she planned to do.

"I'll do the honors," Viviana murmured, picking up the sharpened knife and carving fork.

The silence filtered in around us yet again.

Only this time all I could do was watch her seamlessly cut each slice of ham, allowing it to fall flat on the platter.

"I am good," I immediately said as soon as she offered me a slice, "I prefer the sides over the main," I added, briefly locking eyes with Sevan.

Who only remained silent, eyeing me as I went to grab the tongs resting on the platter of French cut green beans.

But before I had a chance to actually make my plate for myself—Sevan struck her hand out almost unconsciously.

As if it were all second nature for her.

The tongs were removed from my grasp in seconds, allowing Sevan to make my plate.

"You're a guest," Sevan said, having the nerve to make up such an invaluable excuse.

We both know she is not making my plate because I am guest.

And with the way both of her parents are looking between us, it seems they know that too.

"Via, I assume you run the Russian mafia now?" Viviana asked me, yet her stare remained on Sevan as she continued to make my plate.

I nodded once, "Da," I said, the word blunt and unamused.

"So Sevan handles business with you?" Viviana asked, now glancing over to me when Sevan had finished.

I nodded again, "Da," I repeated, the word still entirely unamused.

Along with my facial expression.

"You two must be very close for you to show up here of all places," Viviana had the nerve to say, now watching as her husband began making her plate as well.

Like father, like daughter I assume.

"We had unfinished business," Sevan specified before I could say anything, "Time sensitive," she added as she continued making her own plate.

"Precisely," I murmured, now picking up my fork to begin eating.

And luckily, Viviana let the topic go—remaining silent as we all focused on eating the food prepared by their chefs.

Reniro tried to make conversation, but with how little to few words I chose to use, he gave up and allowed there to be this heavy silence hanging over us.

Viviana also didn't seem talkative and Sevan appeared to be just the same.

The food was good, but I had already eaten previously on the plane so I was full barely thirty minutes into the dinner.

Which Sevan seemed to be just as thankful for, leaving with me when I excused myself.

Apparently, for more unfinished business as Sevan had previously claimed.

"That was eventful," I decided to speak first as I walked further into the bedroom of the guest house.

Sevan lazily hummed, "I hope it was eventful enough to put every fucking thing at risk, Zinovia," she murmured, her tone still nothing but calm.

But I could hear her subtle irritation, especially with her tightened voice.

Or how tight her jaw was.

"It was," I determined nonchalantly, noticing the space she refused to close between us, "You didn't answer phone," I reminded her yet again.

I wouldn't be here otherwise.

"Right, so I tell you specifically that we need distance," Sevan went to say, rolling her shoulders back, "And you decide it's okay to randomly pop up here."

I shrugged, "I thought it was other woman's house," I argued her point.

Although, I am unsure why I have to argue her point in general.

Or even form explanation for her.

"I don't believe that," Sevan determined, her tone still nothing but calm with me.

I felt my lips twitch up as I approached her, "Don't believe that then," I said, not necessarily caring if she did believe me or not.

Sevan eyed me, especially when I stopped directly in front of her—leaving barely centimeters between us.

"Admit that you knew," Sevan said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Which felt like another action to prove she wouldn't touch right now.

"Nyet," I said, furrowing my brows at her, "I did not know, Sevan."

Sevan hummed almost tightly, "And as I said—I don't fucking believe you, Zinovia," she repeated back to me, her tone growing more irritated.

I shook my head in disapproval at her, "You are paranoid," I said, eyeing her sharp face.

"I'm paranoid," she murmured almost to herself, shaking her head as she drew in a deep breath.

Which seemed to be an effort to help with her composure.

"You are," I said, lifting my hands to her arms and running my fingertips up her covered skin, "Come back to Moscow malyshka," I suggested, not wanting to leave here without her.

But it felt as if I would have to.

"Kairos Tae came to the exact fucking hotel we were staying at," Sevan said, taking a firm step back from me, "I'm not being paranoid Zinovia—you're being naive if anything."

I clenched my jaw, drawing in a deep breath as I slowly lowered my hands by my sides.

"And I know you came here knowing whose house this was," Sevan spoke again when I remained silent, "It's always a fucking power move with you Zinovia."

I felt my face burn, feeling my irritation grow at how fucking stupid she could be.

"I did not know," I said yet again, desperately trying to keep my calm.

Because somehow she's calm and if I let her fuel my irritation then she wins.

"You assumed I was with another woman?" Sevan asked me, her dark eyes not once glancing away from mine.

"Da—you can be a whore sometimes so I don't put it past you," I purposely said, letting my irritation get the best of me.

Yet all it did was make Sevan's lips twitch up slightly.

Until she shook her head, amusement written all over her face.

"Sure Zinovia," Sevan murmured, letting my words roll right off of her shoulders, "And you know what, I can go fucking be one right after you leave here."

I immediately took a step forward, feeling my hands twitch by my sides.

"Then I go be a whore too," I countered back, feeling everything growing unbearably hot inside of me.

She gets on my fucking nerves.

"I think you should," Sevan determined with a deep sigh, "It would be good for you."

I lifted my hand, and before I could think it through—

I slapped her across the cheek.

Which echoed all around us, clinging to the silent air.

"I fucking hate you Sevan," I breathed out, feeling my anger grow to a point—

That I began hitting her shoulders.

And she let me.

She stood still and let me hit her shoulders.

"I did not come here for power play," I gritted, hitting her shoulders again, "I come here because I assume you were with other woman."

Sevan only hummed, which made me increase my harshness—hitting her even harder to evoke a reaction out of her.

But it never did.

"You met my parents Zinovia," Sevan pointed out, eyeing my hands that turned into fists—now digging them into her arms, "I didn't think I needed to make it clear that meeting them was off fucking limits."

I halted my motions, glancing up to meet her dark eyes, "So this is not about the executioners," I said almost in observation.

"It is—majority of this shit is," Sevan didn't hesitate to say, "But we aren't dating, and doing this makes it look—"

"It does not look like anything," I cut her short with a narrowed look, "We are exclusive and only see each other... is that not dating?"

Sevan tilted her head, "No that's not dating, Zinovia," she said almost in confusion, eyeing my face for a moment, "We would have established that if so."

"And what if I want to establish that?" I asked her, furrowing my brows as soon as the words left my lips.

Because that is an odd thing for me to want.

But I think...

I think I want that?

And all Sevan could do was remain silent, staring at me almost in confusion.

Which left me anticipating her next words, remaining just as silent as I lowered my hands back to my sides.

This could go one of two ways.

And right now the way it seems to be going does not feel the greatest.