Page 31 of Silent Ties

“It’s not.” She wraps her arms around, squeezing tight. It’s a good thing I’m still sitting on the stool or I’d have to stoop.

I know my wife is in the kitchen before I spot her. She runs a hand along the walls as she walks, to keep balance. She’s clumsy as fuck.

“Sorry.” She stops under an arched doorway. She keeps her distance both to stay out of the server's way and because she must assume she’s breaking into a personal moment.

Irina is delighted by the intrusion, though. Her head pops up, her face practically sparkling. “Oh, Russet!” She marches to her, arms flung out before grabbing her in a hug.

Russet stiffens, her body swaying due to the combination of Grandma’s force and her high heels. Her brows lift and I swear I made the same expression earlier when she placed a smacking kiss on my cheek.

Grandma pulls back and points a finger toward her. “You tell me if Maxie is bad. I will fix it, I promise.”

Crimson stains her face, different from her other blushes. It’s softer and there’s a wisp of a smile on her lips. “Okay,” shesays but I know she’ll never do that. She’s still shy around my family.

I press a kiss on Grandma’s cheek and tell her I love her in Russian. “I need to say goodbye to my mother and then we can go.”

Russet nods, biting down on her lip, hair falling in front of her face. She’d stay down here and wait if she could, but I don’t let her. I grab her hand, leading us upstairs. It tightens when we get to the top.

My brothers are both out of sight, no doubt already slipping away. Roma because he doesn’t like it here and Elijah because he doesn’t like my mother. Dad smiles, knowing we’re about to exit too.

He kisses both of my wife’s cheeks. I don’t know if he’s trying to win father-in-law of the year, but he needs to cut it out. Throughout the evening he’s made sure she’s looked after as if he thinks I don’t know how to do my job.

“You know you’re welcome anytime.” He bends slightly to look Russet in the eye. She nods. That’s not enough for him. “I’m serious. This is your home too. Your home away from home. Even if you just need somewhere to hang out.”

“Thank you,” she says a bit too breathlessly. I drag her out of Dad’s grasp and back to where she belongs—by my side.

My mom’s bony hand grabs my arm. “You can come hang out with us too.”

There’s an air of sadness to her tonight. Most don’t see it, or rather they refuse to acknowledge it. My mother is shy. That’s why she’s stiff and formal. She didn’t come to America until she married my father. At twenty-eight, she started all over again, and not only did she raise twin boys, but had Elijah to deal with.

“Russet is still settling in,” I say, thinking of Grandma. “Why don’t you two get lunch? Maybe it could be a weekly thing.”

Mom is like me. She loves her schedule and more importantly, keeping to it.

She lifts her chin and I see the same thought that crosses her mind every time I ask her something.Did your father put you up to this?

“Please,” I add.

Her gaze moves over my shoulder. Russet tries to take her hand back, but I hold on tight.

“Of course,” she agrees. “How better to get to know my new daughter. Right?”

CHAPTER 9

Russet

My husband kissed my forehead before he left this morning. It’s the first time he’s done something like that. Something sweet.

He went on his merry way, off to class. I lingered in bed, naked, cold, and thoroughly disgruntled.

I think he’s actually pleased with the idea of me being friends with his mother. As if I want anything to do with Yelena.

My nipple hurts at the thought of her and my teeth grind. It’s not like I told him what happened. He wouldn’t believe me anyway.

A whole five minutes went by before Olga strolled into the bedroom without knocking. She went straight to the closet, picked out an outfit, and started the shower for me. If I’m honest, I didn’t want to get out, but the woman walked in not caring about privacy, and told me to hurry up.

Yelena likes an early lunch, and with gridlocked traffic, it took us ages to get to the fancy restaurant she frequents.

I smooth down the long silk skirt Olga paired with a violet sweater. I don’t complain about the cashmere, but I miss myjeans and hoodies. It used to be I only got dressed up when I bartended at a high-flying hotel or for a girl's night. This,every day I must look nice, is doing nothing for me. I want to rot in bed.

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