Page 101 of Twilight Sins

So why can’t I back away?

Luna is still staring at me when someone clears their throat. We both look up and see Nikandr smirking in the doorway. “Good morning, you two.”

Luna’s cheeks flush pink even though we weren’t doing anything. Nikandr will never believe it, though.

I top off my coffee and elbow Nik towards my office.

“Sorry to interrupt your little moment,” he whispers, too loud by half.

“You didn’t interrupt.” I shove him down the hall. “You were late.”

Nik walks back through my office door like he’s just been to war. His usual perma-smile is gone. He flops down into the chair across from me and sighs. “Well, shit is fucked.”

“You were talking to Mariya for thirty minutes. If you don’t have more to say than that, then you’re fired.”

He frowns. “I’m family. You can’t fire me.”

“I can do whatever the fuck I want.” I lean back in my seat. “Tell me what she said.”

“She didn’t say much. It was more about the way she said it.”

“For fuck’s sake,” I spit, “this was useless. I should have gone to talk to her.”

Nikandr volunteered to have a chat with Mariya first. He figured she would listen to him and open up, and I was happy to let him try. He clearly wasn’t up for the task.

He throws his hands up. “I’m not a fucking therapist, okay? All I know is she’s going through something. Do you think it could have anything to do with Otets?”

I grimace. All of this has to do with our father.

“He died five years ago. This is something else.”

“Okay, fine. So is she going to stick around long enough for us to figure it out or are you shipping her back? Because I have to tell you, I think she really might make a run for it if you try to put her on a plane.”

“With Gustev prowling around, Mariya going missing is the last thing we need.” I shake my head. “There isn’t another option. Mother can’t handle her and she’s naive enough to run off and get hurt if we force her out.”

“So she stays,” Nik concludes.

I squint my eyes at him. “What in the fuck are you smiling about?”

“I think it’s nice,” he says with a shrug. “All of us are finally back together. It’s been a long time.”

“For good reason. You know it isn’t safe for her here.”

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” he says. “And we can assign her some guards. She’ll be fine. We’ll all get to know each other again.”

“One big, happy family reunion,” I mumble.

“One big, happy family and Luna,” Nik adds. “It could be nice to have her feminine energy around. For Mariya… and for you.”

I hit him with a warning glare. “It would be better for everyone if they didn’t see much of each other. Luna will be gone soon anyway.”

The last thing I need is Mariya getting attached to Luna the way everyone else in this fucking house seems to be.

Nik snorts.

“If you have something to say, say it,” I snarl.

“I have nothing to say. I’m just wondering when the two of you are going to admit that there is something more going on between you.”

---