Page 62

MIA

“Kallie! Have you seen my earrings?!”

“Yeah!” Kallie calls back from the bathroom. “They’re on your ears!”

“Oh.” I touch my lobes and find the cut edge of a diamond. “Right.”

“Mommy!” Eli shouts from the living room. “You’re gonna be late and then Yulian will change his mind and we won’t go live in a big house anymore!”

“Don’t you love it when your kids are supportive?” Kallie snorts.

“I suspect that’s his way of showing support,” I laugh. “Besides, he’s been incredibly cool about all this. He’s earned the right to be sassy.”

“I have to say, I didn’t think the wedding bells were gonna come this early.” Kallie steps out of the bathroom in a gorgeous burgundy sari and silver hoop earrings. “Thought there’d be, like, flowers first. Or chocolates.”

“What can I say? We’re a modern couple.”

“I’m lowkey jealous,” she sighs. “At least your guy’s decisive. Mine hasn’t so much as kissed me yet.”

“Seriously?” I fix her neckline in passing. The scent of coconut oil fills my nostrils, sweet and comfortingly familiar. “I didn’t peg Maksim for a ‘wait until marriage’ kind of dude.”

“The word ‘marriage’ would probably give him a heart attack.” She grabs her brushes and sits me down on the bed, picking out a sleek gold eyeshadow to match my jewelry. “I have no idea what goes on in that guy’s mind. One second, it’s like he can’t get enough of me, and the next?—”

“He turns into a cold, unfeeling asshole?”

“Worse. He panics. ” She shakes her head, her long black braid whipping side to side with the motion.

“Maybe he’s got a complex.” I close my eyes and let Kallie work her magic. “You are twenty years his junior.”

“What can I say? I like my men how I like my beer.”

I frown. “German?”

“Bitter.” One final flick of her brush, and she’s all done. “Girl, you’re ready to eat. ”

“I’m not sure there’s gonna be food.”

“Regardless.” She makes a chef’s kiss motion. “Mwah. Perfection. You’re going to slay harder than any mafioso tonight.”

“Did someone say slay?” Reese walks into the bedroom. His jaw drops. “O-M-G. Now, that’s a five-course serve.”

“You guys need to stop watching Drag Race without me. I swear, by next week, I’m not gonna be able to catch a single word you’re saying.”

“By next week, you’ll be wearing a diamond ring and picking out bridal boutiques. If there was ever a time to binge Drag Race , it’s now.”

“Good point.”

I walk up to the mirror. The dress Yulian sent me for tonight is royal blue, with high-heeled sandals to match. Somehow, it feels fitting. After all, tonight isn’t just a Bratva swearing-in ceremony—it’s the night I’m announced as future pakhansha. As Yulian’s queen.

My stomach knots. I haven’t thought too deeply about that—what it means, what it makes me. There’s already so much to figure out with Eli, I’m not sure I have the bandwidth for Bratva-related craziness.

But I mean, surely I won’t be asked to shoot someone? Surely Yulian isn’t going around doing much of that, either?

He prints money. That’s what he does. I’ve seen it with my own two eyes. If that’s the extent of his “crimes,” then…

Then we’ll be okay.

“Thanks for doing this before your shift,” I tell Reese. “Yulian was going to send Tamara right away, but…”

“Eli hates her.” He shrugs. “Don’t worry. I’ll stay with the little munchkin until midnight, like a good fairy godmother. This way, when Tamara comes, he won’t have to deal with her.”

“He’s been so understanding with all of this, I feel bad ignoring his wishes,” I sigh. “After tonight, I’ll have to talk to Yulian about interviewing replacements. I never liked Tamara much either, but it’s not like she does anything wrong. I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Kids are sensitive,” Reese says. “Maybe he’s picking up on evil witch energy.”

“Or evil b?—”

“Language, Kal.”

She pouts, but doesn’t look like she regrets what she was going to say. In these past few weeks, Tamara’s been popping by every time I have a shift, regardless of whether I need her or not. I assumed it was Yulian’s way of making up for his silence and let it happen—after all, I could use the help.

But now that Eli’s made his mind known, I can’t just ignore it. Whether he’s just being difficult or Tamara actually makes him uncomfortable, he deserves to be heard.

Just like he heard me.

I do feel a little bad for Tamara, though. If anything, the apartment has never been shinier.

The doorbell rings. I hurry over, tripping on a stray toy car on the way, and throw open the door.

And my breath catches.

Oh. My. God.

Sleek black tux that looks tailored to every inch of his body. A crisp white shirt, so fine and tight you can see the ripple of muscle underneath. Perfectly shined shoes, like any good CEO worth his salt.

And a face worth a billion bucks.

His expression is wicked. Like, seriously wicked. He’s got eyes like cinders and a smirk like the wolf that ate Grandma, but somehow, I doubt he’s here to prey on old ladies tonight.

My eyes travel over his stubble, still as GQ -worthy as the day we met. I want to touch it so bad, feel its graze on my fingertips and remember what it felt like in other places. I can smell his aftershave, faint notes of musk and pine over the amber and cedarwood of his cologne.

It’s unfair for a guy to look this good. Illegal, even.

Maybe that’s his actual crime—hotness in the third degree.

Oh, and Maksim’s here, too.

“Gentlemen,” I say, trying to sound suave and failing.

“Ladies,” Yulian echoes in plural, but his eyes don’t so much as look for Kallie.

For all his playboy reputation, I’ve never seen him look at another woman once. It used to feel odd, but in light of his recent declaration… Well, it makes all the sense in the world.

He frowns when he glances down. “Why is there a toy car skewered on your heel?”

“Towing,” I say. “It’s a hard job, day and night.”

“Hm.” He steps into the apartment, followed by Maksim. That cheeky dimple is back on his face, just in time to make fun of me. “I suppose someone’s gotta do it.”

He takes my hand, helps me out of Eli’s death trap on wheels. My heart somersault when his face comes close to mine.

Get a grip, Mia. You’re going to marry this guy. Keep your cool, goddammit.

“Thanks.”

“Anytime.”

“I hear congratulations are in order.” Maksim winks. “Didn’t think I was gonna live to see the day.”

“You’re forty-five,” Yulian deadpans.

“Means nothing in our line of work.”

“That’s incredibly reassuring,” I mumble.

“Oh, don’t be nervous.” He pats me on the shoulder. “You’re in great hands. If anyone’s good at dodging bullets?—”

“Who’s good at dodging bullets?”

Maksim’s words die in his throat.

In the bedroom doorway, Kallie stands in all her glory, her burgundy sari wrapped around her curves like a hug.

Her long braid rests on her shoulder, shiny and sleek with coconut oil, and her hoop earrings catch the light in an almost playful way, matching her coy smile. Her makeup is, of course, flawless.

Maks swallows. I’ve seen him flirt with my best friend left and right, but tonight, it’s like he’s forgotten how that song goes. His mouth is hanging slightly open, none of the earlier sass coming out of it.

He catches himself quickly, though. “Kalinda,” he greets, once again the epitome of long-dead chivalry. He picks up her hand and kisses it, careful not to break the henna lines on her knuckles. “You look as radiant as the sunset over Mumbai.”

“Flatterer,” Kallie smirks, hand outstretched for her kiss like the Viscountess Bridgerton.

I can practically smell the nerves on Maksim. One exchange of glances with Yulian tells me he can, too. He probably knows a lot more about his mixed feelings towards Kallie than he lets on.

I’ll have to pry into that later.

“Yulian!” Eli’s voice crashes into the hallway, soon followed by the little man himself. “You’re dressed like James Bond!”

I hide a laugh behind the back of my hand while Yulian fixes his bow tie, feigning ignorance. “I am?”

“Yes, you are!”

“Well, that’s good then,” he says, crouching to Eli’s height, “because I’ve got a gadget for you.”

He gasps. “A secret spy gadget?!”

“See for yourself.” Like a seasoned magician, Yulian produces a small box from his jacket pocket. “C’mon. Open it.”

Eyes wide with delight, Eli obeys. He fumbles with the box until he’s got out the contents, then lifts up a tiny, kid-sized smartwatch.

“A laser watch?!” he squeals.

“One of a kind.” He secures it around Eli’s wrist, then taps a button to the side. “Try pointing it at the wall.”

Eli does.

A tiny red dot appears on the peeling wallpaper. His jaw falls. “It’s real!”

“Very real.” Yulian steals a wink my way. “Can’t cut through steel yet, but once you’re older, I’ll upgrade it for you if you like.”

For a moment, Eli doesn’t say anything. Then, suddenly, he does something he’s only ever done with me.

He throws himself into Yulian’s arms.

“Thanks, Yulian! I love it!”

Yulian seems taken aback. But after a heartbeat, his arms wrap around Eli’s frame, hand resting gently on the top of his head. “Anytime, buddy.”

My heart double-clutches in my chest. I find myself blinking back tears to avoid ruining Kallie’s makeup. But the emotion in me is rising fast, a whirlwind of guilt and gratitude all at once.

He’s so good with him. He’ll be so good for him.

For us.

“Okay!” I say, forcing cheer back into my voice. “We’ve gotta go now, munchkin. Be good for Uncle Reese, alright?”

“Yes, Mommy.” He hugs my knees. “Have fun. Don’t be late.”

“Since when did you become the parent here?” I joke, ruffling his hair.

“Uncle Reese says Yulian’s car will turn into a pumpkin at midnight. I don’t want to wait ‘til Halloween to see you again.”

“He said that, huh?” I shoot Reese a faux-mad look across the kitchen doorway.

“Hey, I saw it on TV,” Reese justifies. “It must be true.”

I squeeze Yulian’s hand. “Ready?”

He squeezes back. “Ready.”

“Treat her well, Mafia Daddy!” Reese calls from the kitchen. “Otherwise, I’ll know!”

Eli frowns. “What’s a ‘Mafia Daddy’?”

“Nothing you should worry about,” I answer quickly. “Or repeat. Like, ever.”

“Oh. Okay.” He shrugs. “Bye, Mommy! Bye, Aunt Kallie! Bye, Yulian!”

“What about me?” Maksim says, feigning hurt.

“Bye, Mad Maks!”

“That’s more like it.”

It feels surreal. Like a dream wrapped in silk and hope. It’s more than I ever thought I’d get—all of this, here, right now.

“Thank you,” I whisper to Yulian on the way to the car.

“What for?”

“Everything.”

And then we head off.