Cruel Paradise - A Mafia Romance Chapter 152

“It used to have one less diamond, though,” Ruslan adds softly.

Fyodor nods. “The necklace was a gift to my wife when she gave birth to my eldest son, Leonid. When Ruslan was born, I added another diamond. The new diamond, this third one here, is for the new life you’re growing inside you right now.”

“Fyodor…” I still can’t quite find the words. Apart from being an extraordinarily expensive gift, it’s also an amazingly sentimental one. “This is too generous.”

“You’ve made a man out of my son,” Fyodor says firmly. “It’s the least I can do.”

Vadim clears his throat. “Your son was already a man, brother,” he says as he picks up his champagne flute. “He has been a fucking pakhan since he was twenty-one years old.”

Do I detect a smidgeon of resentment there?

No. I’m just reading into things too much.

“Being a pahkan, being wealthy and powerful and influential—it doesn’t make a man,” Fyodor retorts. “None of those things can really build a true legacy. The only real thing you leave behind is your progeny.”

Vadim’s mouth turns down at the corners. I catch the hint of a scowl before he turns it into an unconvincing smile. “I forget what a soft heart you have, brother.” Then he hides his face behind his glass.

Awkward.

I try to gloss over it by focusing on Ruslan’s father. “Fyodor, this means so much to me. But it’s too much. And it belonged to your wife. Don’t you want to keep it?”

“What I want is to see it worn, my dear. It was meant to be displayed on the neck of a beautiful woman. And if it can’t be worn by my beloved wife, God rest her soul, then I’d rather see it on my son’s woman. It would make me so happy. May I put it on you?”

The man looks like he has tears in his eyes. How can I say no?

It just feels so foreign. It feels like I’m slipping on someone else’s skin, entering a world that I’ve only ever seen from the outside.

And yet, as cold as those diamonds are, I feel all warm and fuzzy inside when Fyodor fixes the clasp behind my neck and pulls his hands back to admire the view. His eyes shine with unshed tears.

“It suits you, my dear.”

I touch my neck gingerly and look around the table. Ruslan is smiling tenderly at me. Fyodor wipes away a stray tear. And Vadim… well, Vadim is busy ogling a young woman in a tight red dress making her way to her table.

I lean in a little closer to the old man. “Thank you, Fyodor,” I whisper to him. “Truly.” I touch the necklace, marveling at its solid weight. “This means so much to me.”

He smiles fondly. “Alina would have loved you. I’m sure of it.”

We spend the rest of the night eating and laughing. Fyodor is engaged, attentive, joyful. Ruslan looks more animated than I’ve ever seen him.

Only Vadim seems not to be swept up in the spirit.

That night, when the kids are asleep and it’s just Ruslan and me in bed together, I cuddle up against his chest and try to find a diplomatic way of asking him about Vadim.

“Your father is lovely.”

“I was reminded of that today. It’s been a while since I saw him so alive.”

“Your uncle, though… he’s different.” I frown, wondering how to say it without offending Ruslan. I decide to turn it back on me. “I don’t think he likes me very much.”

Ruslan glances down at me. “He’d be a fool not to.”

“I’m not saying he has to like me. I don’t need to be liked.” That’s so not true, but I’m trying to be chill about this. “I was just curious.”

Ruslan kisses the top of my head. “Vadim likes you fine. He’s just a tough character to get to know. Give him a little time.”

I glance up into those confident amber eyes and calm settles over me. “You care about him, don’t you?”

“He’s my uncle,” he says simply, as though that settles it.

It settles it for me, too. Vadim is important to Ruslan. Therefore, I’ll try harder with him. Wear him down until he decides I’m not so bad after all. Because after today, I know one thing for sure: I want to be a part of this family.

For the child in my belly. For the children I inherited. For the family I’d lost along the way.

And for myself, too.

For a long time, I didn’t see my future very clearly. But now, I do.

And it all revolves around him.

39

EMMA

“Are you guys ready to start school next month?”

The pancakes have just hit the table, but not even the scent of butter and maple syrup can keep my stomach from twisting when Ruslan speaks up. I shoot him a glare, although he misses it because he’s looking at the three children sitting opposite us.

Reagan looks unsure. “Will my friends be there?”

Josh puts a reassuring hand on his sister’s shoulder. “It’s gonna be great, Rae. A new start. A big adventure.”

She cringes. “That’s what Aunt Em said before she took us to that scary place.”

I grimace. I’m never gonna live down that cockroach-infested motel. But before I can assure her that she’ll never have to endure a place like that again, Ruslan beats me to the punch.

“So you don’t want to see the huge playground at your new school?”

Her eyes go round. “They’ve got a playground?”

“The biggest playground you’ve ever seen.”

He hasn’t even glanced my way. Nor has he so much as asked for my opinion. A part of me was still hoping that Horace Mann had just been an insurance policy to secure me custody of the kids. Because there’s no way he would make such an important decision without consulting me, right?

Wrong, as it turns out.

Ruslan’s gaze veers to Josh and Caroline. “There’s more, too. Basketball courts. A ballet studio.”

Say something, Emma! I yell at myself. The more he talks, the more he’s going to convince them.

But I can’t think of anything to say right now that isn’t just some variation of, What the actual hell, man? We were supposed to be a team!

Josh’s eyes are sparkling with excitement. “Can we go see it?”

Ruslan nods. “I have a tour scheduled next week. We can’t go sooner because the school has a very strict security protocol. Only scheduled visits are allowed.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Why on earth would a private school require those kinds of precautions?”

“Because only the most important people go there.”