Page 55 of The Bratva's Auctioned Bride
At seven, the sun is still glowing bright in the summer sky when the guests start arriving at Jaroslav’s place. This is the first Abashin-Shevchenko joint party we’ve had in a while. I think Jaroslav’s wedding was maybe the last one?
I pull my dress straight, brushing my hands down the pretty blue fabric that sits tight against my body. My white sneakers look cute paired with the short dress, giving me a summery vibe with a bit of funk.I wonder if Diomid will like this dress?
Silly thought. It doesn’t matter.
My eyes drift to my brother and his beautiful wife as they get the last of the party platters set out on the outside table. Valery and Jaro are a great pair. Whenever I watch them, I feel a twinge of jealousy. I can’t help wondering if the love they found in each other is something I’ll ever have, or an impossibility I shouldn’t waste my time dreaming about.
Zakhar, Georgy, and Evengil are drinking beers around the pool. Stef is somewhere inside, making cocktails for all the girls. I stand a little apart from everyone, not feeling like I quite fit in. It might be because of everything that’s happened. My secrets? My heart is all confused about all of it?
The Abashins arrive in small groups, smiling, walking into our place like we were never enemies. It’s a strange notion,alliances.
It makes me wonder, seeing as my brothers look so friendly with the Abashins now, if they’d be open to me dating one of them.
Wow.
Where did that thought come from?
I shove it right out of my head and steer myself toward the bar for a glass of wine. Diomid isn’t even here. I know he was invited, but in true Diomid style, he’s late.
Or maybe he’s not coming at all. Actually, that wouldn’t surprise me, considering he’s so unpredictable.
Matvei arrives next to me at the bar. He leans his elbow against it and smiles down at me.
“How are you doing, Angelika? It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, hasn’t it?” he asks, genuine care in his eyes and a friendly smile on his lips.
“It hasn’t been so bad, actually. Diomid was a very good personal guard, and I think it helped Jaroslav relax quite a bit knowing we had your family’s help like that.”
Matvei clearly likes my answer. It was something I thought out in preparation for the discussion that I knew would come up at some point tonight. It sounds diplomatic and professional. And it steers people away from thinking about all the time that Diomid and I spent together, and more toward how it helped the alliance.
I’m pretty proud of myself for it, actually.
“What are you drinking?” I ask as the barman sets my white wine on the counter.
“A beer, thanks,” Mat smiles, scanning the party. “Valery is smitten, right?” he remarks, surprising me. I turn to watch my brother across the party, standing with Valery on the lawn. Jaroslav laughs, slipping his arm around her and tickling her. She wiggles, trying to escape him, but he switches from tickling to nuzzling against her neck. She takes his face in her hands andsays something that softens his eyes and makes his smile too sweet for words.
“It’s disgusting,” I say, smirking. “Totally inappropriate.”
Matvei glances at me and chuckles. “Agreed, these love-struck couples should learn to control themselves, right?” he jumps right in on it.
“There should be rules against such displays of love-ness in public. Why do we have to be subjected to their happiness?”
He laughs louder.
The barman sets his beer down, and he picks it up, eyeing me. “I’m really happy you’re safe, Angelika. We all are.”
“Thanks, Mat,” I mutter, feeling shy and a little guilty.
Mat heads into the party, and I scan the place again, looking for Diomid. My heart lurches when I see him walking in, carrying a bottle of wine.
He walks straight over to Valery and Jaro, handing them the wine, and says hello, greeting them warmly. Staying where I am, I lean against the bar, watching him, my heart doing strange things. He’s gorgeous. Even dressed down in a relaxed pair of jeans, a black t-shirt, and his hair more wild than usual. His thick biceps are pressing against the tight sleeves, his ass fitting perfectly into those blue denims.
I giggle to myself as my eyes follow him around the room.
Diomid is talking to everyone, laughing, joking, at ease with the Shevs, as he calls us.
It’s incredible how far we’ve come. The dynamics between our families have changed so much in the past couple of months. I think that Diomid’s eagerness to help with my kidnapping and protection has adjusted Jaroslav’s view of things, and inturn, that bled over into my other brother’s options and even Diomid… the bullheaded, stubborn, reckless man he is, even he’s dropping his guard around my family lately.
It can’t all be bad, then? Right?
