Page 25 of Blood Mosaic

“Your mother is an adult, and you don’t have children.”

She sat back again. More color on her cheeks. “You don’t know everything about me.”

“You’ve searchedmyname, haven’t you?” He nodded at her computer bag. “On your computer.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Yes. I had to search for you when I was trying to get paid.”

“And yet you still have questions about me.” Oleg relaxed into the lush velvet of the booth. “So ask them.”

“Are you Zara’s father?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Did she call me her father?”

“Occasionally. More often, she called you ‘fucking Oleg’ or ‘that criminal bastard.’” Tatyana sipped her wine. “Ifyou are the Oleg she was referring to.”

He felt a laugh rumbling up from his chest and was surprised when it escaped.

Tatyana blinked, and her cheeks flushed again.

Oleg asked, “Did you think I was incapable of laughing when I hear something funny?”

“I don’t think I’ve even seen you smile.”

If I smile, you’ll likely see my fangs.He bared his teeth, fangs firmly retracted. “I can smile when I want to.”

“No.” She frowned at him. “No, it doesn’t suit you. Scowl again please.”

The playful part of his little wolf was coming out, and he had to fight the urge to smile again. “When you say things like that, I cannot help my laughter.” He swirled his wine, enjoying the deep purple-red color in the candlelight. “I am not Zara’s biological father.”

She exhaled. “I didn’t think you were, because you can’t be more than…”

“Continue.” He was curious. “How old do you think I am?”

“I am very bad at guessing ages.” She shook her head. “But not old enough to be her father.”

“No? I’m eleven hundred and thirty-seven. I think that’s old enough.”

It was her turn to smile, and the expression softened the curve of her stern mouth. “So you’re thirty-seven. And Zara was my age. So unless you were a very, very precocious ten-year-old,you’re not her father.” She narrowed her eyes. “But she did call you that.”

“Hmm.” How to answer the woman? She’d brushed off the reveal of his true age as if it were a joke. Which was what most humans would assume.

He was surprised he’d told her the truth. Not even Mika knew how old he really was.

“You could call me her guardian. Of a sort. I am older than you think, but as I said, I am not her biological father. I was close with him though.”I killed him.“And after he died, I committed to helping raise Zara. I helped her establish herself. That’s why she calls me her father. I am intrigued by the ‘criminal bastard’ label though.” He paused to sip his wine. “I’ve done some criminal things in the past, but my parents were married.”

Tatyana’s mouth was gaping. “You’re a criminal?”

“Not in the way you might think.” The corner of his mouth ticked up. “And definitely not in this country.”

She looked around the restaurant. “I… This was a mistake. I should have gone to the authorities when I realized?—”

“Which authorities?” Oleg kept his voice low and leaned across the table. “The… Russian ones? Ukrainian? Things are complicated now, and they would be far more likely to arrest you than Zara. After all, you compiled a fraudulent set of corporate accounts.”

She sucked in a sharp breath. “Zara told meIwas keeping the correct accounts. That you were the one telling the others at the company to manipulate the real numbers to avoid taxes, and she could only confirm her suspicions if she had an accurate set of books to take to the authorities when she reported you.”

So that was how Zara had lured the little rule-follower into her employ. Clever girl. Then again, Oleg had never thought his youngest child was anything but brilliant.

“Relax, volchitsa.” The woman looked like she was about to bolt from the room. Oleg reached over and poured more wine. “You don’t need to bare your teeth at me. I’m here to help you.”And myself.“If we follow Elene’s lead, there is no reason that you should face any legal consequences. This will all be sorted. Nothing you’re doing is illegal.”

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