Page 63 of The Enemy's Defector
I shot her a look.
“She’s still mad?” Saul guessed.
“She’s pretending to be asleep and avoiding me,” I replied.
“Can’t blame her,” Sloane quipped.
I narrowed my eyes at her as we all loaded our plates. “You don’t evenknowher.”
“But what I saw earlier, and what I’ve heard, I like.” She returned my cool expression with a haughty one of her own.
“Oh, so he’s not filling your head with nonsense about her being an enemy of the family who can’t be trusted?” I asked, indicating Maxim.
“The only thing he’s filling me with is?—”
Maxim elbowed her and shot her a droll look, to which she smiled mischievously. Facing me, he cleared his throat. “I know better than to tell her what to think.”
“Maybe that’s a lesson you need to learn,” she advised.
“I’ve never told Katerina what to think. She’s as, if not more, stubborn than you,” I told her.
“Then why would you be so insistent about her not going to a hospital or office for her pregnancy or birth?” she asked.
“For fuck’s sake, she’s only two months pregnant now. It’s not like she’s having the baby tomorrow. There’s time,” I argued. “I didn’t realize that it was a big issue for her.”
“You didn’t know that Regina Kozlov died when Katerina was born?” Maxim asked.
I scowled at him. “Actually, I didn’t.” And it pissed me off that he knew that detail. I had always prided myself on knowing Katerina the best.
“I only knew when Father mentioned something at the funeral,” Maxim said. “I don’t think it’s common knowledge.”
“Yeah,” Saul added. “I remember us talking about Beatrice once, after you know, she betrayed us all. Katerina never wanted to talk about her mother much.”
“Then maybe it was a hard topic for her to handle,” Sloane said.
It seemed to be a trigger point for her. I only wished I’d known that before.
“Besides, you can’t actually be scared about going back to that office, are you?” Saul asked me. “It wouldn’t kill you to compromise on this if she feels so strongly about it.”
I shook my head, eating and wishing I had an appetite for any of it. Knowing Katerina was mad at me weighed me down. “No. I’m not scared to go to a fucking parking lot. And yes, I’ll compromise.” I’d already made arrangements for her to have all her other appointments at the doctor’s office. I’d planned ahead with the due date we’d received today to clear out the other rooms in the maternity ward that week so we’d have more privacy and security there. Money could buy anything, and I wasn’t hesitant to use it on her.
“Good,” Sloan concluded.
I smirked at her, amused.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to become best friends with her and get it in your head that you’ll always get your way with me.” Maxim arched one brow at her.
“Am I not allowed to befriend my sister-in-law?” she asked.
Maxim didn’t reply, focusing on his food. He still had an issue with fully trusting her and I wondered how much more of it I could handle. He had to be on board with welcoming Katerina into the family so that all the men and soldiers who served us would fall into line.
“Because she needs one. Lucy seems iffy about her being here,” Sloane replied, matter-of-fact. “And I’m impressed. From what I’ve seen and heard, Katerina is aware that she’ll be put to the test. She’s not blind to the fact that she’ll be doubted just because she’s a Kozlov. And still, she was brave enough to butt heads with you and stand her ground. She’s got grit. She stands for what she thinks is right. And that’s impressive. So, yeah.” She sipped her water and held her head high. “If she wants a friend, I’ll be there waiting for her.”
I appreciated Sloane’s take on it. She would be a good ally for Katerina, but I would let them figure it out. Lucy, too. I would leave that up to Katerina to mend instead of pushing anything on her. Obviously, I’d needed a reminder that my wife isn’t a fan of being ordered around or put in a corner, like she proved this morning about her pregnancy care.
But you’re never alone, Katerina. Never.
She had me. She’d have my brothers and my sisters-in-law.
