Page 42 of Bedazzled
“Good morning!” the entire table chorused - aside from Mother, whose lips were pressed tightly together. I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to stave off another headache.
Rising, I walked over to where she stood, her feet planted like she did not plan on coming any closer. “Will you join us?”
She eyed me cautiously. Unlike yesterday, at least she could look me in the eye this morning. Clearing her throat, she nodded. “Yes, thank you.”
There was silence for a moment until Ella pointedly started a conversation about Ekaterina’s college exams, giving us a chance to get seated without the entire table staring at Tania.
“Miss Tania, I meant, Mrs. Morozov, would you like some coffee or tea?” Anya was stumbling over exactly what to call her, and given that there were three Mrs. Morozov’s at the table, I had sympathy for her.
So did Tania.
“Oh, please call me Tania, all right? There’s no need to get fancy. Coffee would be great, Anya. Thanks.”
I silently passed her the bacon which she loved, and then the blinis. I had made her the little pancakes for breakfast one morning in Manhattan and she was instantly enamored. I glance up to see Ella watching with a sly smile.
Mariya and Ekaterina did their best to make Tania feel at ease, talking about St. Petersburg and some of their favorite places.
“There is one spot, it’s like the Seahorse Carousel that you and Ella took us to in New York. I think you would love it,” Ekaterina said happily. She was always the sweetest and most gentle of us. She’s willowy and tall, and while she may have Maksim’s coloring, she was the polar opposite in personality.
“I wish we could take her to the cat cafe on Fontanka River Boulevard,” Mariya said, munching on the last of her bacon. “I’ll bet it’s as cute as the one in New York.”
I frowned, “But Maksim and Mother are both allergic to cats.”
Maksim narrowed his eyes at an innocent-looking Ella. “Did you take the girls to a cat cafe on their last visit?”
“Hey, could I have another blini?” Tania hastily interrupted.
“Definitely!” Ella passed the platter over. “And we should definitely go sailing on Lake Ladoga, and…”
I ran my finger over my lower lip, hiding my smile and watching all four girls dominate the conversation while my brother glowered.
Tania…
“We’re going into my favorite room in this ridiculously huge mansion,” Ella said, linking arms, “the library.” She sighed happily.
“This is going to be library porn, isn’t it?” I teased her. “I’m surprised you haven’t moved your bedroom set down here by now.”
The library was a thing of beauty; two stories tall, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves with rolling ladders, another massive fireplace and built-in window seats in front of the lovely, old leaded glass windows meant for curling up with a book in the sun. Ella happily settled on one of the big leather couches and patted the spot next to her.
It was just the four of us, Yuri and Maksim took the armchairs facing the couch. They stared at me sternly and Ella put a protective arm around my shoulders.
“Now that the immediate threat of your death is over, we have to establish what comes next.” Maksim went into fullPakhanmode, stern expression, tapping the tips of his fingers together.
“What’s to stop the bride’s family from coming after me, single or married?”
“They do not want the truth about their daughter and their desperate financial situation leaking out. It would destabilize their Bratva’s position,” Yuri explained. “And they know that anyone suicidal enough to attempt to harm someone from a family as powerful as ours means that we will burn them, their organization, and everyone in it to the ground. The only thing left would be ashes.”
“Really? How would they know that?” I asked.
Maksim spoke, and his tone was like a polar chill. “Because we have done it before.” He shifted in his chair, rubbing his eyes and for the first time, I noticed how exhausted both brothers looked. Did this mess keep them up all night?
Great. A little guilt to add to my acceptance that I’m a complete moron, so that’s good.
“What happens now?” Ella asked, squeezing me.
Yuri’s flat blue gaze shifted to me. “As my wife, Tania will live here with me in St. Petersburg.”
Reminding me that I did not think this through. At all.
