Page 28 of Room Nine: For Their Eyes Only

Andrei’s eyes sharpen and his head shakes from side to side. His voice is nothing but a whisper, but I hear it loud and clear. “Not Daddy.”

Chapter20

Epilogue

three weeks later

“What are you telling me, Vivienne? You’re deliberately mumbling to keep me from understanding your words.” My father grimaces as he takes a sip of coffee, unsatisfied with the quality of the diner’s house blend. He’s always been a coffee snob.

I clasp my hands and place them on the table, wringing them tightly as I work up the nerve to tell my father I’m marrying Andrei Balakov, his former assassin and the man he sent to hunt me down. He doesn’t know I’m aware he hired them, and remains under the delusion I called him of my own accord.

Despite all their hard work and excellent follow-through at Club Sin, the boys declined payment, claiming to have failed in their objective. According to Vadim, it’s a low blow invoicing a man after you’ve railed his daughter six ways to Sunday. I’m inclined to agree.

Two months later, and I realized the error of my ways. I should have told my father from the start. At the very least, I should have confessed to meeting them in New Orleans.

I don’t know what I was thinking. I can’t keep our relationship secret forever. But I do feel the need to roll it out slowly.

“Why are you being so cagey? I don’t like you acting frightened around me. You’re my little girl. You can tell me anything.” My father’s pet name sends a shiver down my spine, but I fight the urge to reminisce about Andrei’s stern gaze, Vadim’s gentle touch, or Viktor’s ungodly stamina. It’s soon in this conversation to get derailed by nasty thoughts.

Andrei wanted to do this himself. In fact, he insisted on it. But I couldn’t let him. The news won’t sound quite as terrible coming from me.

“I have a confession,” I mutter, shielding my pink face with my menu. My heart beats a mile a minute, making it difficult to catch my breath long enough to speak. I can’t let my fears get the best of me. And I can’t expect him to accept it straight away. He’s my dad and only a few years older than Andrei. Walking down the aisle with Vadim might have been a better choice. A fifteen-year age difference sounds much more palatable than twenty-one.

It shouldn’t have made a difference when I love all three, but Andrei felt like the more sensible choice. He’s my daddy.

“Vivi, she’s waiting.” My real father interrupts my catatonic daze and reminds me the waitress is standing by to take our order.

A nervous cackle bubbles up and explodes past my tight lips. I brush my long locks off my face and slide the menu to the table's edge. “I’ll have your grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup. Oh, I’ll take a Pepsi with a glass of ice. Please and thank you.” I smile wide, my feet tapping furiously against the checkboard tile while I wait for my father to finish ordering.

My stomach rumbles with nervous energy. Bile climbs into my throat. This isn’t the sort of discussion I ever thought I’d have with my dad. For the past four months, I never thought I’d see him again. And truthfully, that saddened me. Since returning to the city, I’ve neglected to inform my mother of my decision to move home. It’s best to remain without contact for now. I refuse to allow her to turn me against my father again.

“Dad, I need to come clean.” I start over, buying time before I blow his mind with the truth. He’s never going to understand. I just hope he doesn’t do anything we’ll both regret. I’d hate to cut him off again.

My father’s dark eyes gleam, and his mouth curves into a curious smile. “Does this have something to do with Andrei Balakov?”

An audible gasp escapes my lips. “What? What are you talking about? Why would you say that?” Lying has never come easily to me. I’m busted. Plain and simple. But I hate being called out. In another futile attempt to delay what has already been discovered, I attempt to distance myself from the truth.

“Seriously, Vivi? I’ve known for days, but I wanted to allow you to come to me on your own.” He narrows his gaze and waits for me to confess the rest, but I’m too tongue-tied to speak. I don’t oblige. “My men saw you and Andrei having dinner at Caravaggio, then walking hand in hand back to his place.”

I slump in my chair and hold my hands over my face, hiding my shame in front of the man who gave me life. I’m not even embarrassed about the foursome. I’m humiliated I got caught in a lie. “Sorry, Dad. Andrei wanted to come to you, but I forbade him to take matters into his own hands. Are you angry? Will you give us your blessing?” I freeze, tilt my head and stare into my father’s confused face.

Goddamn, it. I went too far.

“Blessing? For what?” His bewildered expression only makes this more complicated.

I plaster on a fake smile and make way for the waitress. Her sudden appearance buys me a few minutes to get my story straight. He doesn’t need to know everything. Only the basics.

“We’ve got a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup for you.” The waitress sets my bowl and plate side by side and then turns her attention to my dad. “And I’ve got a Reuben sandwich with a side of chips for you. Can I get you two anything else?” We shake our heads, and she places a few extra napkins on the table before skittering away. No doubt she sensed the uncomfortable silence between us and wanted to clear the area before things got ugly.

“Blessing, Vivi? You’re not seriously considering marrying a man you just met?” He drops the volume of his voice to scold me. I’ve got it coming.

“We’ve known each other for a month now, and we’re not planning to marry immediately. I just want you to know that’s where this is headed. It’s serious. I'm in love. Happily, gleefully, madly in love.”

He huffs, his fists clenching as he replies, “I like Andrei. Vadim would have been more appropriate for you, considering his age, but Andrei is handsome, and I won’t pretend I don’t know what you see in him. I wish he had the balls to come to me himself.”

"He wanted to, and I said no. I wanted to do this myself." I defend my man from my father's judgment.

This is strange and uncharacteristic. I expected rage, defiance, and threats of death. I never expected resignment. There’s no way I would have imagined him calling Andrei handsome. What the hell is happening? “I love him—” I hold my hand up to stop him from interrupting me before I finish. “I love him, and I understand you’re annoyed. He found me, we hooked up, and one thing led to another.”

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