I raised an eyebrow and continued, “As I was saying, we will start self-defense training tomorrow. Eat.”
She visibly shuddered when I said the word. What was that about?
“Kinsley doesn’t like that word, Brother.”
“Do I look like I care? I will train her, and she will learn. Period. I suggest you start eating, young lady.”
She gulped hard. Her eyes flickered to Nik first, and the subsequent blush that crept down her face told me everything. Next, her gaze moved to Alek. When he shrugged, she turned to me. I could almost read the plea. It was written all over her pretty face.
“Doesn’t look like you have Ivan’s vote, but the night is still young. There’s still time to plead your case,” Aleksandr said sarcastically.
As the food was served and everyone began eating, I noticed Kinsley pushing hers around on the plate in a subtle rhythm. The occasional glances she shot our way said it all. She reached for the glass of wine next to the plate and gulped it down. It was so quiet I could hear the grandfather clock ticking away.
“Where are you all originally from?” she blurted out. It seemed she couldn’t take the silence for another second.
“Does someone want to play Q and A tonight?” Alek asked.
Her fork clanked down on the plate before her. She crossed her arms and gave him a death stare. What happened between them earlier? I would bet money that something transpired between them. I shook my head.
“You don’t have to answer. I was making polite conversation. Answer or don’t. Unlike some, I respect people’s privacy. No need to be rude.” She shrugged as if she didn’t really care.
I took pity on her. She was trying, and this was a good place, if any, to start. For each question she asked, I planned to ask one in return. It only made sense to engage her. After all, we needed more information.
“London,” I offered.
“Nice. Do you miss it?” Her voice was soft and full of curiosity.
“Yes, we’re counting down the days until our return. Trust me.” I sighed.
Out of all of us, I probably missed home the most. Part of it was missing Marcel. He would have psychoanalyzed Alek by now and had him set straight. I couldn’t imagine Alek proposing what he had earlier if Marcel were here.
Turning my attention back to her, I spoke. “Now, that’s two questions you owe us an answer to. Shall we get started?”
I purposefully kept my tone harsh. Nik had asked her questions before, and so had Alek. She wasn’t forthcoming with them, but maybe she would be with me. We’d all previously agreed that I’d give it a shot. By some miracle, it paid off.
“Sure, why not? It’s not like you guys are going to leave me alone anytime soon.”
“How come you don’t have social media?” I asked.
She looked massively confused, the question having thrown her. Good. When I was looking into her, it was one thing that baffled me. In this day and age, almost every twenty-one-year-old was glued to their phone, posting pictures, sharing stories, and creating an online presence. But not her.
Social media was second nature to this generation, the way they connected. It was foreign, almost unimaginable, that she wasn’t actively posting, unless she had a reason not to. It seemed more like a deliberate choice, and I wanted to know why. She pushed her food around some more as she contemplated her answer.
She looked at me for a moment, then shifted her gaze away. But before she did, something flashed—fear, discomfort, and definite reluctance. She wasn’t going to answer.
And if by some odd chance she did, it would be deflection. I sensed it was a favorite strategy of hers. The silly girl didn’t know she was dealing with real life interrogators.
“I don’t know anyone who isn’t on social. Even I have social media accounts, and I’m the least social of the group,” I offered, not willing to let it go.
Her words tumbled out in a rush. “I know. I’ve seen all of yours.” Her fingers toyed with the rim of her glass.
“Have you, now, malyshka?” Nikolai asked.
He whispered it in Russian and poured her half a glass more of wine. She sighed at his nickname.
“Yes, when I was doing research on you all, I checked them out. I will say yours is scandalous.”
He laughed. “What can I say? I like to live a little sinfully.”
