Page 19 of Cruel Redemption

“You could get roped into drinks. Business that has nothing to do with Enzo,” I argued. I didn’t want to stay in the cabin.

“Let me go to dinner. I’ll be back with food and then we’ll figure out where we go next.”

“Together?” I pressed.

“Yes. Together.”

He circled his arm around my waist. “I know this isn’t where you want to be. I’ll be back. I swear. I wouldn’t leave you here.”

I nodded, willing myself, pushing myself to trust him. To believe him.

His thumb stroked the side of my cheek. I didn’t think I could feel excitement today. But Luka had unearthed it from a dark place. Exhumed a sliver of happiness when I thought it had been extinguished. He summoned it to the surface as his mouth covered mine. If I could just breathe him in maybe the world would be okay again.

Eleven

Luka

Her kiss was still on my lips. Her voice in my ear. I had to clear my head.

I checked my phone again before walking into the Petrovs’ restaurant. I didn’t want to be glued to it over dinner, but the fact that it had remained silent all afternoon was starting to make the uneasiness in my chest expand. Who had Enzo? What kind of a sick game were they playing?

I wasn’t about to give in to my sister’s worry, but her instincts weren’t off. That was hard for me to admit.

“Luka, what a surprise.” Inna Petrov air brushed a kiss on each cheek before turning to my sister. “Katya, you never bring anyone to dinner. This is a treat.” She greeted us outside in the restaurant’s portico. A valet had taken my car. The archway was covered in ivy and long ferns dangled around us.

“I hope you don’t mind, Inna.” I took her hand. “Katya mentioned she was meeting everyone, and I thought I’d tag along. It’s nice to see family.”

“It’s always nice to see family.” She beamed. “Where is Anna? You could have brought her with you.” She looked past my shoulder as if my mother would magically pop out of a row of hedges.

My inward resistance to going anywhere with my mother wasn’t something I was going to share with Katya’s in-laws. “She has other plans tonight. Maybe next time.” I bit my tongue. She was likely on her second bottle of wine, wandering the house, yelling at my father’s portraits, and barking at the house staff.

Katya’s nervous laughter was almost too telling. I gave her a gentle poke in the back to put her in check. We needed steady actions.

“That’s too bad. I’m sure it’s hard to be alone now. I really can’t imagine. You should bring her, dear. I can’t imagine how she spends her time without your father around.” She turned to her own husband. “Look, Luka came to dinner with Katya.”

“I see that.” I shook Vasha’s hand. He had a good strong grip beneath fat knuckles. I regarded the large gold ring on his hand. The Petrov crest was formed from diamonds. It sparkled when it caught the light from a nearby gaslight.

“Thanks for having me.” I looked around. The steakhouse was crowded with diners. I saw business meetings underway. Dates. A birthday dinner as we were guided through the tables and into a private dining room. Andrey was inside. He barely noticed when Katya sat next to him. From what Katya said, it was normal for her husband to ignore her.

The rest of the family gathered. A server opened several bottles of wine and placed them on the table.

I’d spent Sundays as a child squirming against wooden backed pews, meant to keep my spine straight. My mother tossed warning looks while my father checked his watch in between the priest’s movements on the alter. I’d inhaled the smokey incense and lit candles after mass. It always seemed meaningless. An exercise in building tolerance for the ceremony. As I sat watching Vasha Petrov, I flashed back to those moments, kneeling behind a pew, complaining about my knees and my father’s growl on my neck to endure. To shut up and listen.

“I think we should toast the evening.” Vasha raised his full glass in the air.

My sister had already been given a glass of sparkling cider. She joined her father-in-law by raising her glass.

“What’s the occasion?” I asked. I wondered if this was it. If this was in fact a celebration of taking down their son’s competition. I couldn’t believe they would be blatant enough to brag about it at dinner. Katya would be humiliated.

“That you are home. Back in New Orleans as head of your family where you belong as Pahkan. Also, a toast to your father. May he rest in peace. To Dmitry.” Louis bowed his head. I had to acknowledge the gesture as much as it made my stomach turn. “And to our grandchild.” He grinned broadly at Katya. “The seasons of life continue to bring us blessings. We are anxious for that baby to arrive.”

“That’s a beautiful toast,” Inna echoed. I wondered how Katya sat through these dinners. No wonder she wanted me to tag along.

“Don’t be too anxious,” Katya bit her lip. “I still have three months to go.” Her hand moved to the swell of her belly. I didn’t know how to get her away from the family and back with Enzo. Everything was riding on the birth of this child, and it wasn’t even a Petrov.

“Oh, I remember how sick I was when I was pregnant with Andrey,” Inna chimed in. “You’ve been lucky.”

“You have no idea what I have to deal with,” Andrey grumbled.

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