Page 47 of Cruel Russian Pakhan
If Lev thought I’d sit around moping like some love-sick puppy, he had another thing coming.
Two days later, Mariya and Ninel showed up with Marten and the guards. We had lunch and, of course, went shopping. It was exactly the remedy I needed to shake off the funk I’d been in.
“So, are you excited about this afternoon?” Ninel asked, twirling in front of the mirror in fitted jeans and a tank top.
“What's happening this afternoon?” I asked, taking a sip of champagne, as Mariya and I watched Ninel model one of the numerous outfits she snagged from the racks.
“I thought Lev told you already! He’ll probably say something when you get home. You’re meeting Artyom and the others later today.”
“Oh.”
Mariya reached for my hand. “You didn’t change your mind about meeting them, did you?”
“I haven’t. I was just hoping I’d have more time between finding out and actually going to meet them.”
“Actually,” Ninel said, stepping behind the curtain to change, “I prefer short notice. Less time to freak out.” Her head popped out from around the curtain. “You’re not freaking out, are you?”
“Not freaking out. Just nervous. I always get nervous meeting new people.”
“Just be yourself,” she said, disappearing behind the curtain again. “They’ll love you.”
“Even Artyom?” I teased.
Ninel poked her head out again and scrunched up her nose. “You never know. Stranger things have happened.”
Mariya and I laughed.
Then my tone shifted. “Honestly, I’m wondering if Artyom would even let me see you guys again. I know Vera’s going to marry Lev.” Just saying it felt like acid burning down my throat. “But, with how little trust there is between both families, I don’t know how this is all supposed to work. And Lev might think it’s too weird for us to keep hanging out. With the way Jaroslav looks at me, he’d probably back him up without question.”
Mariya chuckled. “Jaroslav looks at everyone like that.”
Ninel stepped out of the changing room in a short, pink, flowy dress with thin straps. “We’ll just give you our numbers,no worries. I don’t know why we waited so long to do that in the first place.”
“I don’t have a phone. I…lost it.”
I felt too embarrassed to admit I’d left it at home the day Lev kidnapped me. I didn’t know how much he’d told them, but the mix of illogical shame and the awkwardness of being kidnapped by him, then bonding with his sisters, just didn’t sit right at that moment.
“I'll talk to Lev,” Mariya said. “He'll get you a phone and program my number and Nins’s into it for you. Even if we may not be able to see you as often, we'll call and text.”
“Thank you.”
“You're welcome.” Mariya smiled, then looked at Ninel. “So, Nins, which of those outfits are you taking?”
“All of them!” she laughed, and flipped her hair as she waltzed back into the changing room.
Mariya shook her head and chuckled. “I'll go tell Marten you'll be out with your haul in five minutes.”
After shopping, we went for ice cream, then they dropped me home. Five minutes later, there was a knock at the door. When I opened it, I was surprised to find Lev standing there, his expression blank. He was holding out a phone.
“Mariya’s and Ninel's numbers are already programmed into it.”
I took the phone. “Thank you. I…”
Lev cut me off. “We’re going to see your siblings today. Meet me downstairs by the front door in one hour.”
He turned and walked off before I could say a single word. Shaking my head, I closed the door behind me.
As I crossed the room to search my closet for something to wear, a flicker of excitement stirred in my chest. I was finally going to meet my siblings.
