Page 58 of Unveiled

Anya looks bewildered. “What’s the big deal?”

To her, it’s only pastry. To my brothers, it’s something entirely different.

“Nothing’s the matter, really,” Rafail explains to her. “It’s just that Semyon’s a creature of habit. I haven’t seen him eat anything but a breakfast with perfect macronutrients, including fifty-five grams of protein, since he was eighteen years old. Cheat days? Semyon doesn’thavethem.”

Why are they going on about this? "I had no idea this was such a revelatory thing. I can change my mind.”

Rodion snorts. “Apparently, for the right pus?—”

“Finish that sentence,” I warn him darkly. I will kick his ass right here, right now, and make him apologize to my wife in front of everyone. He clamps his mouth shut and shakes his head, turning to Anya.

“Sorry, it’s not you. It’s just—” He pauses. “No, it is definitely you, but I mean nothing by it.”

Anya stares at me. I shrug.

My grandfather rises to his feet while unsteady on his legs. "If you’ll excuse me, I need a nap," he says, walking out. "It was a pleasure to meet you, my dear, and I'm very much looking forward to spending more time together."

They all begin to scatter.

Polina clasps her hands under her chin. “Do you have any American-style pastries?” Polina lived in New York, where the Romanov family resides.

Anya nods. "We have New York-style cheesecake, which is particularly popular.”

“Oh.” Polina breathes. Anya smiles at me shyly.

I take Anya’s hand. “We have work to do. Let’s go check in on Stefan.” I turn to the others. "Six o'clock."

It's just Anya and me. Something just happened in such a short time, and I'm unsure of how I feel. Those emotions don’t typically come to my mind.

"So we have to go to my house," she says, biting her lip.

I don’t want to go back to her house. I want to take her home toourplace, lay her down, and show her in vivid detail how much she means to me. But duty calls.

My hands tighten. There are a few things I have to control within the world, in my power, to make my wife happy. I hate the idea of bringing her back to that shithole riddled with negative memories.

“We’ll go together and make it a short visit. But yes.”

“We have to find Eli,” she says in a rush of words. “I want this done as quickly as possible. If he isn’t to blame, Semyon… god…”

I nod in agreement. “The sooner we go, the better.” Her family home is likely under watch. I’m well aware this could be a setup.

“Is Stefan okay here for a little while? My father won’t be home if we leave now.”

“Of course he is. I trust my siblings with my life.”

She nods, takes in a deep breath, and releases it slowly. “Let’s do this.”

Chapter 16

ANYA

I standin the stunning Kopolov family kitchen, mustering up the sternest voice I can, which doesn’t hold a candle to Semyon’s.

"Stefan, you listen to Zoya and any of the other people here," I tell him, petrified that my brother is going to do something reckless and the Kopolovs won't be too happy about it. I know how Rafail is. Jesus, I know how Semyon is.

"He'll be fine," Zoya says with a smile. "Won't you? We'll make popcorn and watch a movie."

Stefan gives her a side look. "Do you watch superheroes?"

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