Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 151304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 605(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 605(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
A little surprised at the question, I stuttered, “G-Good.”
I wasn’t aware Ksenia had met them. They didn’t spend as much time here as I did.
“Sasha still hasn’t taken a wife?” she enquired politely.
“No,” I told her, and that weird feeling hit me again. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what her deal was.
When she smiled, there was a darkness to it. “I’m sure he’ll find a woman when he is good and ready.” Her straight nose tilted up slightly as she looked me over. “And I’m sure you’ll find a nice Russian boy to tame soon enough.”
I smiled graciously, but I did not like the way this woman spoke to me. I also couldn’t resist saying, “He doesn’t have to be Russian.” Vik’s head snapped up, and I stared him in the eye, my smile positively frosty. “I find Russian men of this generation don’t match the men of my father’s time.”
Vik’s grip tightened on his fork, turning his knuckles white.
Shocked the shit out of me, but Ksenia began to nod. “I know what you mean, and I agree, my child. Be patient. You’ll find one.”
Vik spoke through gritted teeth. “Sit down. Eat.”
I fought a smile at his suddenly tart mood. It was handy to know I got under his skin as much as he did mine.
“We can’t. Sorry.” I stepped back, revealing a sad-looking Anika. I put my arm around her and smiled. “We’ve been apart too long, and we need a girls’ night.”
Vik took one look at her face and stood, ready to break necks. “Ani, what’s wrong?”
And my ovaries released a million eggs all at once.
Naaaw. Stupid, sexy, thoughtful Vik and his caring about his sister.
“It’s all right.” Ani smiled softly. “I’m all right. But I’m going to spend the night at Nastasia’s, if that’s okay, Mama.”
Doroteya and Yuri exchanged a look, and when Yuri nodded, Doroteya smiled widely. “Of course, beba.”
“Thank you for letting me steal away your lovely daughter.” With a wink, I teased, “I promise not to let her drink too much tonight.”
Ksenia smiled a Mona Lisa smile. “No such thing. We are Russian women. Drink the men under the table, and wear the badge of honor proudly.”
“Where are you going?” inquired Vik, and his thin lips told me he was going to stew on this.
Good.
“Out” was all I said as I took Anika’s hand, said my goodbyes, and took my friend home with me.
4
Nastasia
As we drove back to my house, I called Mina first.
She answered huffing and puffing, then said, “Hey.”
On speaker, I continued to drive and uttered, “Hey yourself, short stuff. What are you doing?”
“Uh…” She hesitated, then spoke quietly, “Just what you told me to.”
Huh?
Confusion swept through me. What had I told her to do?
“You know,” she prompted with meaning. “I’m—” Her voice was full of inflection. “—enjoying the process.”
Oh.
Oh.
Ew. She was porking my brother.
Gross.
“Right.” The word was drawn out. I made a face. “You think you can pull yourself away long enough to join me and Anika on a girls’ night?”
Bedsheets rustled, and I knew she moved to sit up. Sounding more than a little eager, she immediately said, “Where are we going?”
A scoff shot out of me. “I’m not telling you. You’ll go right ahead and tell Lev, then the guys will mysteriously show up, and our girls’ night will be ruined.”
A sound of indignance left her. “I won’t tell,” she sulked.
Anika smiled, knowing full well Mina couldn’t keep a secret, especially when it came to her husband.
A soft laugh left me. “I’ll tell you when you get here, right after I confiscate your phone.”
She tried to sound pissed. She really did, but I could tell she was excited. “Whatever.”
Sure, it was a Wednesday, but midweek may as well have been a weekend for us.
Anika and I were the best bar bitches on this side of town, and while Cora usually joined our duo behind the bar at Bleeding Hearts, her studies had taken a priority of late. This meant she had to move down to one night a week, usually a Sunday. Mina—our beloved Gypsy—no longer worked for Bleeding Hearts. Having been gifted a hefty share of her father’s inheritance by her brother, she didn’t have to work to live anymore, so she made the plunge into freelance photography. It had always been her passion, and to see her living her dream was nice.
Really nice, actually.
People still came in asking for “the Gypsy,” and although Mina acted indifferent about it, I know it made her giddy to leave her mark on the place.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were worknights for most of us girls, so we rarely got to go out and let our hair down. We were more likely to end up hungover on hump day than any other day of the week.
“I have to call Cora. Be at my place in an hour, and we’ll all get ready together.”