Page 59 of Stay Toxic

“You can say that again,” I whispered.

The door opened again, and this time, a woman looking a whole lot like Milena ran through the door, squealing. “You’re home!”

“Nasty!”

I assumed he was calling her that because of the kisses she was smothering on his face, but it turns out it was short for Nastya.

How did I know that?

Because the man I’d been desperate to see came through the door and said, “Nasty, calm down. Nastya. You’re scaring away Milena’s customers.”

I looked around for a short second, trying to find out who the customers were that this ‘Nasty’ was scaring away, but couldn’t find any of them.

“Shut up, Shasha,” Nastya replied.

“I thought you weren’t coming home until next month?” Milena asked.

Both women peeled away from their brother, leaving enough room for Shasha to get in there and pull his brother into the hardest back-slapping hug I’d ever witnessed.

Jesus.

That looked like it hurt.

Dima pulled away with a laugh as he said, “Got my marching orders. I deploy to the Pacific next month, so they let me get out a bit early for leave before I have to report back.”

“Fuck.” Milena sighed. “I was hoping you’d get shore duty.”

Dima snorted.

I took an absent drink of my coffee when JJ said quietly, “There’s one more.”

I glanced toward her, then toward where they were looking, to find yet another sister at the door.

Though, this one didn’t appear to be anywhere near as excited to see Dima as the rest of them.

And, as if they’d realized that there was one more, Dima and Shasha turned.

It was Shasha who said, “Maven. Come on in.”

Maven came carefully, and when she was close enough, both brothers drew her into a hug.

It was soft and sweet, and nowhere near as boisterous as the ones that the sisters had just given.

“How are you, Maven?” Dima asked.

“Good. How about you?” she replied back.

“Would be better if you’d have dinner with me this weekend.” Dima smiled and let her go, but not too far. Still close enough that she could touch him or hug him if she wanted. “My brother here seems to think that this is the perfect weekend to go see to some business down south.”

That had me curious, but I was trying to disappear into the background so I could witness it all.

I’d never seen Shasha look so…happy.

He was always so stoic and hard to read.

“I have to go,” JJ whispered. “But they’re so pretty I don’t want to leave.”

I giggled.

---