Page 57 of Born into Chaos

“Val!” Yelena whisper-shouts the word and quickly looks over at us.

My brother kisses her cheek, and I’ve never seen him look as happy as he does right now with her in his lap. I knew he was completely head over heels for her, but this is the first time I’m seeing it right in front of me like this.

Val just smiles at Yelena and keeps her firmly in his lap. “I’m so tired of putting distance between us, and Sveta already knows I’m in love with you.” He looks over at Vitya and laughs. “And we’ve got Vitya by the balls right now, so it’s not like he’s going to be saying anything.”

Vitya sighs. “I really wish your family would leave my genitals out of this.”

Val laughs. “My dad threaten to cut off your dick?”

“The day he agreed to give me the job and with a very dull knife,” Vitya says in a tone that makes it clear he’s still a bit haunted by the image.

“Do you really love my sister?”

I’m about to tell Val to stop with the interrogation, but Vitya quickly says, “I do, and I’d never do anything to hurt her.”

“I believe you,” Val tells him. “Anyone else would’ve quit long ago, but you put up with her attitude every damn day and kept coming back for more.”

“I amnotthat bad,” I tell them, but Val just laughs while Vitya gives a noncommittal grunt and Yelena gives me a sympathetic smile. Samantha lets out another squeal, so I kiss her head and say, “At least someone likes me.”

Vitya is kind enough to say, “Yeah, but she also smiles while she fills her diaper, so, I mean, her tastes probably shouldn’t be trusted.”

I look over at him, but he’s giving me such an adorably huge smile that I can’t even get mad at him for teasing me.

“You’re lucky I love you so much,” I tell him.

He gives me a wink that lets me know I’m in big trouble. How am I ever going to win any arguments if one look from him has me almost squirming with the need to jump in his lap? Reading my reaction, he pulls me closer and kisses my head.

“I’m the lucky one,pcholka.Don’t ever forget that.”

My brother watches us and says, “I’ll do everything I can to help ease Dad into this.” He points to me and looks at Vitya. “He can be just as stubborn as this one, but I think I can get him to listen to reason.”

I don’t bother defending myself on this one. He’s right. I can be as stubborn as a mule.

“Thanks, Val,” Vitya says, and I add, “You know we’ll do the same for you when the time comes.”

He tightens his grip on Yelena and nods at us. “Thanks. We’re going to need all the help we can get.”

Yelena smiles at him when he turns to her and cups her cheek. Hesees something in her dark eyes that has him whispering a few words that I don’t catch as he caresses her cheek with his thumb. He waits until she gives a soft nod, and then he turns back to us and completely changes the subject.

“So what should I tell Niki?”

“I already asked him to scrub the security footage from the private elevator, so when you talk to him, tell him I’m sorry for fudging on the details a bit.”

Val laughs. “That’s hilarious if you think he doesn’t already know. You think he’s going to scrub it without watching it first? Hell, he probably hacked into the CCTV cameras and watched you three drive out of town.”

“God, he has so much dirt on all of us,” I tell them. Laughing, I say, “If he ever decides to start blackmailing, we’re all doomed.”

“Tell me about it,” my brother says, giving Yelena a quick look and making it obvious that our cousin has some damning evidence on the two of them as well. Lucky for us all, Niki is an absolute sweetheart and he’d never rat any of us out.

We sit around talking until Samantha starts fussing for her next bottle. After I grab it from the kitchen, Yelena walks over and asks, “Can I give it to her?”

“Yeah, of course,” I tell her right before Vitya puts Samantha in her arms and I hand her the bottle. “Aside from one rare screaming fit, she’s a very easygoing baby.”

Yelena holds her in one of the chairs and feeds her while my brother sits on the couch next to me and gives Yelena an adoring sort of look and Vitya heads back into the kitchen to start supper. Val eventually pulls his gaze away and looks at me.

“You sure this is what you want? It’s a lot to jump into, Sveta.”

I can tell my brother is just being protective and that he’ll support me in whatever I decide, so I’m not surprised at all when I nod and say, “I’m sure,” and he just smiles back at me and says, “Then you know I’ll have your back. I’m not going to say anything about this to anyone, but you know it can’t stay hidden for long. I mean, they’re going to noticesomething is up, and Vitya can’t be your bodyguard if he has his hands full with a baby.”

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