Hidden Monsters (Volkov Bratva #4)(64)

“If I thought that would help, then I would tell you, but it won’t.”

“You’ve always told me before,” she said nudging him when he stood back up. “We used to talk about everything before…”

Well, before they found out she wasn’t Mikhail’s daughter. Since then, their relationship hadn’t been the same.

Smiling almost sadly, he drew her into his side with an arm around her shoulders. “How’ve you been?”

“Better lately.” And the person she had to thank for that was out in the living room with another girl.

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Before she could stop him, he reached up, mussing her hair, making her shove him away as he laughed.

“You’re a grown man, Mishca! When are you going to stop that?”

“But you’ll always be my little sister.”

“I know,” she said dryly, blindly trying to fix her hair.

“So why are you in here with me instead of out there?”

Instead of out there with Luka, he meant. “Someone needed to make sure you were okay.”

“While I don’t doubt you cared enough to check, but perhaps you’re really in here because Natasha is here.”

Alex shrugged, the only answer she was willing to give.

“Lauren invited her, months ago. You know how nice she can be. Obviously that was before the two of you finally decided to get together.”

She looked at him sharply, shaking her head. “We’re not together.”

“No? Then why when I needed him for a job did he leave your apartment at four in the morning. Coincidence? Or maybe he was changing a lightbulb…”

Since there was a clear view into the living room, she couldn’t help but seek him out. “It’s…complicated. We—”

“Believe me when I say I don’t want details.”

She looked back at Mishca, trying to gauge how he felt about this, but his expression remained neutral. “You’re not going to throw a fit about this?”

“And what would that change? If I told you to stay away from him, or vice versa, the pair of you would just go after each other anyway. There’s no point in me wasting my breath.” He drew her in for a hug once more, kissing the top of her head. “I wish I could promise that things would be easy, but I won’t lie to you about that.”

There was something about the inflection in his words that made her wonder what he was really trying to tell her.

“Can you promise me something?” he asked suddenly.

“Anything.”

“No matter what happens, trust that I have your best interest at heart. And more than anything, I’m still going to protect you from anyone who wants to hurt you.” He sighed, finally taking a sip of his drink. “There will come a time when you’ll question that. That’s why I’m telling you now. Don’t forget.”

Mishca was being…strange. Everything about this night was strange.

The oven beeped suddenly, drawing Lauren back into the kitchen, but she wasn’t alone. Luka followed.

Alex, not wanting to be in the same room as him, stepped out of the way to let them pass, but Luka was there to intercept her.

“Are you ignoring me?” he asked quietly for only her to hear.

It was either that or acknowledge the fact that he had brought his sex buddy to the party only days after they’d had sex.

Pasting on a smile, Alex shook her head. “Of course not. I’m just letting you enjoy your date.” There, she had said what she wanted to say, and she hadn’t called her a whore. That was a step in the right direction and she was kind of proud of herself.

“I didn’t invite her. She was in the lobby on her way up when I got here.”

Mishca had reaffirmed that, but it still didn’t make her feel any better. Not when she was unsure of where they stood.

“Luka, you can do whatever you want.”

She stepped around him before he could stop her, going back to her seat next to Klaus. This time, she threw her legs over his.

“Feeling better, big guy?”

He rolled his eyes. “I think you already asked me that.”

“Just making sure.” Alex hadn’t had many conversations with Klaus, but it wasn’t too late to change that. “So what’s it like being a mercenary? Hard work?”

A sudden burst of laughter left him as he took a swig from a newly opened bottle of beer. That was better than the heavy alcohol he’d been drinking before.

“We drink and shoot things, not always in that order.”

She didn’t have to ask whether he had ever been shot. Mishca had made that clear. “Are you a good shot?”

“The best shot.”

“No way. Show me proof or I won’t believe you.”

Holding her legs steady, he leaned up to pick up a magazine from the table, flipping it open, then tearing a few sheets out.

“It’s as much hand-eye coordination as it is anything else.”

He balled up one, tossing it between his hands. He seemed to be eyeing something off to the side.

“You have to be prepared for varying conditions. You have to anticipate any variances in the weather, even the slightest. First, you need your weapon.” He held up the ball for her to see. “Next, you wait for your target to get into position, then finally…”