Page 41 of Emerald Vices

My men pour through the doors just as Krueger’s head cracks against the stage. With the Bratva at my back, I unleash chaos on the sorry lot of them, already certain of my imminent victory.

This—bloodshed, power games, the skirmishes that live and die in the shadows—has always come easily to me. I know how to act, how to be, what to say, where and when to move.

But my life has expanded. It’s stepped out of the shadows, whether I like it or not.

And Natalia remains a problem that can’t be solved by brute force.

No matter how much I’d love to try.

17

NATALIA

“Nice try, Natalia—you’ve been spotted.”

I was headed back to my room, but then I heard a key in the front door. I thought maybe I could slink back into the kitchen, wait him out, and then run off to hide in my room without being spotted. But those dreams have been well and truly shot to hell.

Which leaves me with no choice but to circle back around the corner and face him.

“Hi.”

His gaze drops to the bags of chips, cookies, gummy bears, and chocolate-covered pretzels I’m cradling in my arms. “Hungry?”

“Shut up.”

I suppose I can’t avoid him forever. Though I tried—successfully—for the last week.

Avoiding his gaze like the plague, I clear my throat. “If you’ll excuse me?—”

“Have you given any thought to—” I feel my hackles rise in anticipation of the question that’s been the very reason I’ve been avoiding him so thoroughly. Well, that and the whole we had angry sex we never should’ve had debacle. But he saves himself from my wrath by finishing with a totally different question. “—visiting your aunt?”

“Oh.”

He raises his eyebrows, probably wondering why I’m gawking at him without replying. In my defense, he looks unbelievable in blue. The stretch of the material across his chest doesn’t hurt, either.

Also in my defense, avoiding him has the annoying side effect of making me forget about his ungodly hotness. Which means, every time I find myself face-to-face with him after prolonged Andrey Abstinence, it’s like being hit with a blinding light after days in the dark.

“I just thought she might appreciate a visit from you. You haven’t seen her since the dinner.”

The Dinner. He doesn’t need to say anymore. We all know which disaster he’s referring to. Kudos to him for mentioning it without so much as a flinch.

But that’s the difference between Andrey and myself. He has no problem being a jerk, I think bitterly.

“I didn’t realize I was allowed out of the house,” I remind him with an edge in my voice.

“As long as you’re properly accompanied, I have no problem with it.”

I have half a mind to tell him to stick his suggestion where the sun don’t shine. But I can’t pass up the chance to visit Aunt Annie. Much less the opportunity to get out of the manor for a little while.

“Fine. I’ll take Misha with me.”

A part of me almost wishes Andrey would push back just so that I have an excuse to argue with him. Hell, maybe I just wanna feel like I’m getting my way once in a while.

But as usual, Andrey heads me off at the pass with a shrug. “I can have a car ready for the two of you in half an hour. I’ll arrange a second car for your snacks.”

My scowl has no effect on him as he disappears around the corner, chuckling softly. Abandoning my snacks—I’ve lost my munchy mood anyway—I duck upstairs for a quick change before heading back down to rally Remi and Misha.

It doesn’t take much rallying. Misha is buzzing at the idea of a day trip, and it makes me realize I’m not the only one who has been cooped up. He hasn’t been out much since his concussion.

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