Page 127 of Ruling Scar
For a beat, she ponders the response. But for the first time in years, she studies me with open, searching eyes rather than narrowed ones.
Finally, she lets out a sigh, leaning her hands against the counter, her shoulders sinking. “I suppose we’ll have to learn to get along then.”
The first smile in hours tugs at my lips. “If it helps I promise we’ll always spend holidays at yours.”
It’ll be tough missing out on celebrating with Sailor, but chances are I can convince Russet to tag along to get away from Yelena.
The way Gia snorts, she understands. “Shit.” Laughter curls around her words now and she shakes her head. “You know I grew up in this life, but the Italians are different.”
A far-off expression crosses her face as she talks.
“I was nervous to join Boris. To walk around on his arm, knowing the sneers were for me.”
She’s never shown an ounce of vulnerability before.
“But the first time Boris brought me along, I met this girl, and I’ve never laughed so hard in my entire life.”
The final few words are stronger, as she puts her entire belief into them.
“Your mom,” she says, the reality ricocheting over me. “They weren’t even married then.”
I hadn’t realized Gia had known Mom for so long. The way Dad tells the story, my mother made him work for it. They didn’t get married right away and even then, they were together for a while before they were able to have me. By the time I was three, she was gone.
“You know this is a fucked up world we live in,” Gia says. “But shit. . . there’s nothing like fucking cancer.”
I’m left standing in disbelief when her face crumples without any warning. She looks up at the lights, blinking, her brow wrinkled in tension.
All this time we shared one thing. . . love for a woman gone too soon.
We hear footsteps at the same time. Gia runs a hand under her eyes, before placing it on her hip.
Dad holds up a bottle of vodka, Uncle Dima nodding in greeting. “We thought we’d check in on Boris.”
She lets out a laugh and another of those endearing snorts. “He’s in his beloved garden,” she tells them and they both turn, knowing the way.
Dad pauses though, meeting my eye. I nod. He nods back. It’s about as sentimental as we’re going to get.
“Your brother’s about to come in.” Dad jerks his head toward the front hallway, before following after Dima.
I turn back to Gia.
“You better go and see her before she breaks up with you,” she tells me.
Like that’s going to happen.
The small smile on Gia’s teasing lips tells me she knows it too.
“I’ve got to go check on my other daughter,” she says, turning down the burner.
She uses another exit, heading to Adeline, the killer.
For some reason, I am both surprised and not surprised at the youngest Akatov daughter. She’s acted strangely the past few months, if not years, but perhaps we’re just about to discover more about her. Or at least of her killer instincts.
The front door opens, right as I step into the foyer. I catch a glimpse of Roma’s Barracuda, meaning he drove separately from Dad and Dima.
“You look nice without the blood,” I tell him. “Though, it was a good look while it lasted.”
He shoots me a sheepish grin, tucking his hands into his pockets. “She all right?”
