Page 110 of Betrothed
Even Stash had been allowed out of the office, and he was grinning from ear to ear.
It was Kazimir and Dimitri who seemed especially shocked by Vivian’s statement.
Marriage. A useful tool as old as the beginning of time. Sacred to some, nothing more than a five- or so-year lease to others.
To me? I honestly hadn’t wanted to think about whether marriage should even be a word in my vocabulary.
However, I had to face facts. With the past few days, I realized even more about the importance of family.
Found or blood.
What gave me pause was seeing the group together in the entertainment room. I was struck by how normal everything seemed, including Dante with his arm in a sling, sitting casually beside his sister and newborn nephew, both Rafaela and Dante animated. Of course there’d been family functions before, as many celebrations as there’d been gatherings involving bloody business.
However, we were not in Moscow any longer, similar to what Dorothy had said to Toto.
Only I doubted Kansas was nearly as violent as Russia’s largest city.
Rafaela was seated on the couch, the baby in her arms. While she was pale, she managed to smile but not because I’d entered the room. Because of Vivian. Kazimir’s wife had mentioned on several occasions that I needed to find someone special.
She stood, handing the baby off to the nanny, who promptly left the room, before advancing. “Kirill. Believe it or not, I missed you.” She pulled me into a hug, something that had taken gettingused to. “When I heard what happened, I was so worried. Are you alright?”
“MyZacharovannaya Koroleva,” Kazimir murmured while scanning Vivian thoroughly, “allow the man to come in and maybe grab a drink. I think we can all use one. Then we need to talk.”
“Calling me enchanted queen won’t get you your way. Besides, I need to thank our family doctor for saving my brother’s life.” Rafaela turned her full attention to Vivian.
“Careful, Rafaela. Vivian is as stubborn as…”
“Hey!” Vivian snarled, smacking me on the leg instead of my arm. Always my physician first. I’d need to break her of that. “If that’s your way of saying I’m tough on my patients, you would be right. Especially when they’re completely unmanageable.”
“Kirill is right,” Dante said from his comfortable perch. “I heard the stories of how she fought off the attackers. A very tough girl.”
“Well, as a tough girl, you saved my brother,” Rafaela repeated. “That’s all that matters.”
“I tended to his wounds, but he’s a strong man. And very lucky. The blade missed vital organs.” Vivian tensed as soon as Rafaela also pulled her into her arms for a hug, even searching my eyes with hers full of confusion.
“Just go with it,” I told her. “This is Vivian Hamilton. I wouldn’t be standing here if she hadn’t been a pain in my ass.” I could tell Kazimir in particular was shocked I was joking so easily. Around her, it was easy.
“And don’t you forget it,” Vivian said.
“To the woman who saved my commander’s life.” Kazimir lifted his glass. “As unconventional as the relationship is, I approve.”
“So do I,” Rafaela agreed. “She looks good on you.”
“They do realize I’m the enemy. Right?” Vivian breathed a sigh of relief.
Maybe so did I.
“I’m right here,” Rafaela chided. “And so was I at one point in my life. A story to be told over a full bottle of red wine. Trust me. These men revel in working with the enemy.” She winked before backing away.
“I’ll do the honors of getting drinks. But don’t count on me doing it ever again,” Stash said as he approached. “Vivian, I’m the half-brother, the smarter brother, and the much better-looking man than any of the assholes in this room.” He shook her hand.
“Oh!” Both Kazimir and Dimitri were in agreement. “You are full of yourself.”
“Red wine will be perfect. And don’t drink too much,” she told me. “You’re still recovering.”
“Ricin,” Kazimir murmured. “Is there a way of testing for the poison?”
“Yes, but much easier in a laboratory,” Vivian answered.
