Page 64 of Ruby Menace

“You’ve told me,” Tiana replies. “And don’t say that in front of Kirill. You’ll give him ideas.”

“I already have ideas,” I join in. “I want you to breastfeed me until I’m seventy-five.”

“Only seventy-five?” She laughs back at me. “What happens after that?”

“Then I switch to a bottle.”

“Of Stolichnaya, no doubt,” a voice joins in from the doorway.

“Dima, if you lay your eyes on my woman, I will take them out.”

Dima saunters into the room, Stepan in tow. “I’m not here to check out your woman, mudak. I’m bringing your boy back. I’m done showing him around the security room. And I have… things to attend to.”

The child dashes past him to plop down at my feet. “Can I hold him, Papa?” He reaches his arms out to Vasilly. I hand the infant over carefully. I can’t believe how quickly Stepan started talking once he settled in. The boy feels safe with us.

“Would this business involve a certain blond bombshell whose name might be Roxanne?” Tiana eyes Dima as she tugs her shirt closed, resting Elena against her shoulder and patting her back gently.

“Maybe.” Dima looks awkward.

I shake my head and grin at my friend. “I don’t know why you try to hide it, pridurok. Everyone knows you’re fucking that woman.”

“Kirill!” Yet again, my wife tries to rein in my filthy mouth. It’s never going to work. That’s who I am. But there’s so much more to me now.

I watch as Stepan cradles Vasilly in his arms, his small face filled with wonder and love. It’s a sight that never fails to warm me. I never thought I’d be a father, let alone adopt a child who isn’t my own. But Stepan is my son now in every way that matters. He even looks a bit like me.

“You’re a natural with him,” Tiana says, smiling at Stepan. Elena has fallen asleep on her shoulder, her tiny face a picture of innocence.

“I had a good teacher,” Stepan replies, looking up at me. I ruffle his hair affectionately.

“You’re doing great, boy,” I tell him. “Just keep supporting his head like that.”

Carmen chuckles from where she’s pulled up a chair nearby. “It’s amazing how much things have changed, isn’t it?” she says. “I remember when you were just a baby yourself.”

“She must have been beautiful.” I look at my wife.

“She was perfect. A perfect little angel.” A shadow crosses Carmen’s face. No doubt she’s thinking of all the years she lost. There were hard conversations after she came back to us, but she and Tiana have made their peace with all that’s happened.

“I don’t think that Kirill was ever an angel as a baby.” Dima is pushing his luck right now, but I imagine he’s glad to turn the attention off of him and his love life.

Tiana laughs. “Kirill was probably never a baby. I bet he was born with a gun in his little hand.”

I roll my eyes. “Right, I’d bathe in the blood of my enemies before I was five.”

“Oh, I’m sure you were a lovely child. Just a boy wanting to be held.” Carmen smiles at me. She doesn’t truly understand what I am. But that’s okay. I’d like to keep it that way.

“I still want to be held,” I say, pulling Tiana against to me. I cup a full breast in my palm as I do it. She laughs and swats my shoulder playfully.

“You’re insatiable,” she says.

“Only when it comes to you.” I lean in and kiss her softly on the lips.

Stepan looks up at us, a curious expression on his face. “You and Mama kiss a lot.,” he says.

Tiana and I both grin at him. “We like it,” Tiana says. “Is that okay with you?”

Stepan nods. “Yeah, I guess. As long as you don’t do it in front of my friends.”

“Deal,” I say, holding out my hand for him to shake. He smiles and shakes it.

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