Page 91 of Married to the Don (Kornilov Bratva Duet 1)

“Call me if he wakes up,” I say simply. Even after his betrayal, seeing Fedor in a hospital bed is not pleasurable for me. Plus, I have other business to attend to.

* * *

“Theo did a cartwheel at gymnastics,”Molly says, cutting off a piece of chicken and forking it into her mouth.

“Cool,” I say, trying my best to sound enthusiastic.

She doesn’t buy it and raises a brow at me. “Gymnastics is for boys and girls. I wish you wouldn’t be so prehistoric about it.”

“I didn’t say anything!”

“You didn’t have to. I can read your mind.” She narrows her eyes at me, and I wink, making her smile.

If she could read my mind, she wouldn’t be talking about gymnastics right now. The ring box sits uncomfortably in my back pocket, but I don’t dare take it out. Not until the moment is right.

“Regardless of what you think you know, I’m happy for Theo. I’m glad he enjoys gymnastics.”

I’m glad Theo and Molly are capable of enjoying anything, and I’m especially glad I can be the person who helps facilitate their happiness.

“Me too,” Molly says, pushing food around her plate with a distracted smile on her face.

“What?” I ask.

She shakes her head, but I reach across the table and grab her hand. She drops her fork and smiles up at me.

“Tell me,” I say.

“I’m happy.” She shrugs like it’s something simple. Like she hasn’t had to work every day for the last five years for that happiness. “I’m just … happy.”

I really didn’t think I’d be nervous, but now that the perfect moment has presented itself, my heart is pounding out of my chest. I drop her hand so she won’t feel how hard I’m shaking and take a drink of water.

“I’m glad you’re happy. I am, too.”

“You are?” she asks.

I meet her eyes and lower my head, hoping she can see how much I mean it. “Of course I am, Molly. I’m so happy.”

I swallow back nervousness and reach for the box in my pocket. “In fact, I’m so happy that I thought maybe we could talk about ways to continue it … our happiness, I mean.”

Molly’s brows wrinkle and then shoot up. She must know what I’m saying.

I’m trying to remember the words I prepared beforehand, but they escape me, and I’m in the middle of stumbling through the most important moment of my life when my phone rings.

I thought I’d turned it to silent before dinner, so I reach for it, expecting to dismiss the call and continue on when I see Petr’s name on the screen.

And the five text notifications underneath that.

“What is it?” Molly asks, reading the concern on my face.

I want to put down the phone and focus on her, but I can’t ignore the nagging feeling in my stomach that something is wrong.

“I need to take this,” I say, standing up and turning towards the balcony. “I’m sorry.”

I answer before Molly can respond and immediately Petr’s voice is shouting at me through the phone.

“Where the fuck have you been?” he screams. “We are fucked, Viktor! Fucked! Half of the guards are dead, I’ve been shot, and Fedor is gone.”

I blink, waiting for Petr to tell me this is a bad prank, but there is nothing but silence on his end of the phone.

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