Page 21 of Loved By the Hacker

“No, they’re in New York. Well, his aunt and cousins. His parents passed.”

“Oh, wow.” The three of them sighed, sympathy in their eyes as they looked at one another, but it was Raven who caught my attention again. “But he has a place in San Diego?” She looked slightly confused.

“By the beach. La Jolla, actually.”

“Oh,” Raven said, and they glanced at each other. “That’s nice.” The sudden silence was deafening.

“Okay. Spit it out,” I said because I knew there was a reason I hadn’t introduced them to Oleg. All the worries and concerns about this new man in my life were things I wasn’t ready to face. Sure, he forced me to tell him I was his every single time before he pushed into my body and made me see stars, but maybe that was his thing? A possessive kink he had with the women he spent time with. My smile fell at just the thought of Oleg with other women. My gut churned, and I set the fry down, losing my appetite.

“Spit what out?” Oli asked, and I rolled my eyes.

“Whatever you guys are thinking or aren’t saying.” Scar, Raven, and Olive looked at one another, silently communicating something.

“Babe…” Oli took my hand, and our eyes locked. “I know you’re the oldest and wisest, yada, yada, yada, but… you’re also new to dating matters in this decade.”

“Oli,” I warned, because I hated her talking to me like I was some kind of child.

“I think what Oli is trying to say is what if he goes back to wherever he lives? San Diego, LA, it’s far. And long-distance things are tough,” Raven pointed out as if she had any idea what any kind of relationship was like. My sweet sister didn’t date. She kept her nose stuck in a book when she wasn’t in the salon making people’s hair incredible.

“We just don’t want you to get too invested when maybe… this isn’t as serious for him as it is to you?” Scar glanced at Oli, and Oli glanced at me.

“She doesn’t mean that in a bad way,” Oli defended her. I tried to listen and keep what they were saying in mind.

They were wrong.

I understood their worries, but at the same time, they didn’t know Oleg like I did. Or was I justifying him and this thing that maybe should have been a rebound and not me looking at it like some kind of possible relationship? Right then and there, I wished I’d called Oleg and asked him to join me, us, for lunch so they could meet him.

That’s when I noticed Oli’s attention move behind me. Her eyes widened at whatever she saw, and I swallowed hard, hoping it wasn’t Jack and his new girl. I hadn’t had a single run-in with him since the night Oleg had pretended to be my man. Before I could turn around, I felt a big warm hand cup my shoulder, a tall body bend and leaning close to me. Body heat and his scent wrapped around me.

His touch was as familiar as my own; I didn’t have to turn to know it was him.

Oleg’s lips touched my cheek before I glanced at him over my shoulder. “Hey.” I smiled and couldn’t deny the calm I felt just knowing he was there.

Almost like I had somehow conjured him up, like he had known I needed him there. My sexy guy winked at me, and everything felt better. All with a simple wink and smile.

“I hope you don’t mind me popping by,” he rumbled.

“Not at all.” I smiled, covering his hand with mine.

Someone cleared their throat, the sound reminding me we had an audience. Who else had I ever been so distracted by their mere presence that I forgot people were around, or that my family was there?No one. Only with Oleg.I turned towards my sisters, taking my eyes off him, and my hand tightened over his.

“Oleg, meet Olive, Scarlett, and Raven. My little sisters. Rave, Oli, Scar, I would like you to meet Oleg Sokolov.”

“Her boyfriend,” he added. I felt heat hit my face as each one of my sisters reacted with wide eyes. “And the pleasure is all mine,” he said kindly, extending his free hand to reach and shake theirs. Once everyone was introduced, a waitress brought over a chair, and he sat next to me.

Oleg graciously insisted on ordering desserts for the table, and as everyone ate, my sisters peppered him with a million questions. Each of which he was more than happy to answer. When it turned out that Scarlett’s man was friends with Oleg, I smiled, thinking this was just one more sign from the universe that our paths were meant to cross. By the time the last bite was taken, my brother Onyx had joined us.

And shockingly enough, Oleg seemed to have won him over as well. Which honestly surprised me. Onyx was overprotective of all his sisters.

“I like him, Coral,” my little brother said when he hugged me goodbye. “You look happy,” he noted, and I couldn’t wipe away the smile on my face. I knew this whole thing was new, but I was going to trust my gut and follow my heart when it came to Oleg.

My sisters all said their goodbyes, too, and they all, like Onyx, told me how much they liked my new man.

“He looks at you like you hung the moon.” Scarlett winked, and Raven nodded with sheer enthusiasm before turning her gaze towards the bar. My eyes followed, and I wasn’t surprised to see Bash staring in our direction, but his gaze locked on my little sister. I didn’t know if it was because I was in love or what, but I hoped somehow, someway, Bash would make a move. Because I knew Raven. My sister was amazing and had a mile long of incredible qualities, but there was no way she would ever make the first move. My sister was too shy for that.

That’s when it hit me.I am in love.

But this time, even though I didn’t know Oleg that long, it felt different.Holy shit!I was head over heels in love with Oleg after only a couple of weeks! It’d taken me six months to sayI love youwhen I was with Jack.

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