Page 141 of Lies He Told Me (Bratva Crime Syndicate 1)

We watch as the time counts down and the votes count up. Until they’re all in, and it’s official. We’ve won.

Just like that, it dawns on me: my husband, Gavril Vaknin, is now the mayor of Toronto. Mr. Mayor. I’m Mrs. Mayor.

We did it.

Just how Gavril said, seconds later, the door flies open and doesn’t close again—a wave of cheering people conveys us to join all the other cheering people celebrating outside amidst confetti and blasting “We Are the Champions” on the loudspeakers.

Here, atop Gavril’s backyard expanse of well-manicured grass, everyone is smiling, talking excitedly. Several delighted former Tent Citizens, Wanda included, cake in one fist and caramel corn in the other, are standing on the beanbag chairs to fist pump the air victoriously.

Catching my eye, Wanda roars, “Looking good, Mrs. Mayor!”

I just laugh. Gavril’s hand tightens on mine. He’s not letting me go anywhere anytime soon.

One thing I’ve learned about Gavril is that he actually hates public functions like these. But he does better when I’m around. So, I let him lead me to Ludmil’s family, where his kids are waving around streamers as they dash around the trees. His wife, Melanie, smiles as she leaves in search of snacks.

Ludmil congratulates Gavril. “Knew we had this.”

“After the Walsh and Osip incident, you mean,” Gavril says.

“That did help our odds. But even before—”

“Before, you weren’t sure it was best,” Gavril reminds him, “But you still stood by me, even when things weren’t looking so great.” He pats him on the arm. “I owe a lot of this to you.”

Ludmil opens his mouth, casts a look around, then closes it. Clearly, whatever he wants to say is something that would do better in private. Instead, he shakes Gavril’s hand. “Thank you.”

I feel a bit odd and want to give them privacy. But Gavril’s stranglehold on my hand hasn’t let up, and for the life of me, I can’t think of a decent excuse.

“Not as repelled as usual?” Ludmil teases Gavril, seemingly out of the blue.

But then I catch what he’s looking at: Gavril watching Ludmil’s kids play with an odd light in his eyes.

“Perhaps not.” Gavril shrugs.

“Must be the good news today.”

“Maybe.” Gavril’s gaze slings to me, as if reminding himself that I’m still here.

“What?” I ask.

“Forget it.”

“No, tell me.”

He turns to Ludmil, as if to explain. “I never thought I wanted kids—before.”

“And now?” Ludmil asks.

Gavril is careful not to look at me. “Now, I don’t know.”

Ludmil’s knowing smile is almost annoying. “Ah.”

Gavril frowns, releasing my hand as he makes for the podium. “I’m supposed to make a speech, so might as well get it over with.”

By now, I know the way he works. Any time he makes any allusion to his feelings or any new step towards intimacy, he rebuffs me a little. I’m used to it now. Baby steps, right?

Besides, my body is still all buzzy from what he said about the kid thing. Not that I’m ASAP, right-now-let’s-do-this ready for kids, myself. Not that I’ve even given it all that much thought, seeing as how much of a whirlwind these past few months have been.

But still, knowing that he cares like that, that being with me has made him rethink things …

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