So, I take her hand.
I know I shock her, but I hold her hand like she’s mine because she is.
When we walk into the house, everyone is in the living room, where we normally meet for canopies first.
We’re the last to arrive, and we get the attention I expected we would as my family stop what they’re doing to look at us.
“Hello, everyone,” I say. “This is Adriana Alvarez, my fiancée.”
Even she looks at me when I give the announcement.
Sophia smiles sweetly. I avoid looking at Ivan because I clocked him the moment we stepped through the door and saw he was looking at her just like I knew he would. I’d bet the motherfucker was counting down the hours until we arrived.
Father is the first to get up and make his way over to us. I’m not sure what to expect from him, but when a small smile cracks his wrinkled face, I feel more at ease.
I think out of everyone, Adriana was most worried about him.
“Good to meet you, my dear. I’m Sergei Dmitriyev, Mikhail’s father and Pakhan of the Baranov. Welcome to my home,” my father says, holding his hand out to shake Adriana’s.
She takes it and returns his smile. “Thank you for inviting me.”
Father cuts me a glance, and I know from that he’s all right with her. He was always going to be all right with my plan, but being okay with her is a different matter altogether.
“I can see for myself the rumors are true,” Ivan cuts in, walking up to us, too. “Adriana Alvarez is definitely a beauty.”
I don’t want him to touch her. I hardly want him to look at her. But I’d be completely overreacting if I said anything to him now or stopped him as he reaches out his hand to shake hers.
“I am Ivan Dmitriyev, Mikhail’s brother.”
“Pleased to meet you.”
She shakes his hand, and I notice how he grips hers when she tries to let go.
The asshole lifts her hand to his lips and kisses her knuckles.
“And you,” he replies, releasing her.
Adriana glances at me, probably sensing my disdain for my brother’s display of affection for what’s mine.
“Okay, now that we’re all here, let’s go to the dining room,” Father announces.
I’m sure he noticed my temper rising, too.
Moments later, we’re all seated around the dinner table, Adriana sitting next to me and opposite Ivan, who continues to fucking stare at her.
The only opposition I feel comes from both my cousins Marsha and Louise, my aunt Denise’s daughters, and I know the animosity isn’t down to their grief over my mother and sister. It’s jealousy.
Sophia, as always, lessens any tension and guides us into talking about things a normal family would discuss.
I need normal tonight for many reasons, and she provides it with her talk of flowers.
When the evening approaches that natural pause, my father motions to me, signaling he’s ready to talk. Before we arrived, I told him I needed to talk to him, so he was aware I’d be discussing business tonight.
I lean close to Adriana, and she looks at me.
“I have to step out for a few minutes. I won’t be long,” I tell her.
“Where are you going?” she whispers.
