Page 200 of Dance of Defiance
“Wait!” Val barks. “Mr. Nikitin?—”
“No one is talking to you, sissy boy!!” Papa roars back at him. “Sit your prancing, twinkletoes ass down and shut?—”
“APOLOGIZE!!”
My voice booms through the kitchen, stunning even my father to silence. He blinks, his alcohol-soaked eyes swimming as he tries to focus on me.
“Such fucking disrespect,” he hisses. “In my own house!”
“The true disrespect is in talking to a guest like that, Papa,” I snap tightly.
“He’s here with me, Papa,” Evie stammers. “I—I made dinner and invited him. And?—”
“Why the fuck are youcooking,Evelina?” Papa snarls. “We have someone who fucking does that! Where is she!?”
“Papa, I?—”
“Why the fuck are you inviting pansies over for dinner, eh?” He jams a finger into Val’s face, laughing coldly. “Little Evelina, looking for a boyfriend?” He makes a tut-tut sound. “This one isgay, Evelina! He doesn’t want you! He wants boys!”
My lips curl.
“You’re barking up the wrong tree there, Evelina,” Papa chortles. He starts to laugh even louder, until suddenly, I snap.
Irelishthe look on his face when I grab him by the collar, spin him around, and slam him into the cabinets at his back.
“You don’t get to fucking talk to him like that!” I snarl into his face. “Nowapologize?—”
Papa’s eyes suddenly sharpen as he peers into my face.
“Why are you defending this fruit, eh, Roman?” he snaps. “What is this disrespect, as if I just insulted your fuckinggirlfriend?”
Blood roars in my ears. My teeth grind as I breathe through my nose, in and out, my skin tingling.
“Because, Papa,” I growl tightly, the roaring in my ears turning into deafening thunder. “He’s?—”
“Because your son is a good man, Mr. Nikitin.”
Val shoves next to me and claps me on the shoulder like we’re gym bros.
“And you’re right,” Val shrugs. “This is your house, and I should have asked your permission to be here.”
I whip around to stare at him. Val gives my ankle a swift kick as he grins a winning smile at my father.
“My apologies, Mr. Nikitin. I came over to chat to Evie about my boyfriend.” He smiles broadly. “You know,girl talkabout boys.”
Papa makes a stifled snort, wrinkling his nose.
Val is all smiles as he claps my father on the shoulder. “You’ve raised a good son, sir. He’ll make an excellentpakhanone day.”
Papa snorts, glancing at me. “Da, maybe. If he stops losing his fucking brides.”
“Her loss, I guess,” Val smiles widely.
The steam stops coming from my father’s ears. He grunts as he turns and walks away. “I need a goddamn drink,” he mutters, almost to himself.
“Can I help you upstairs, Papa?” Evie says brightly, coming to his side.
“Da, princess,” he grumbles. “Get your Papa to his vodka and his bed.” He pats her hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll find you a nice boy who likesgirls,eh?”
