So Over You (Chicago Rebels #2)(58)

Vadim frowned. “I did not know about this.”

“Well, our interactions usually focus on you, Russian. Center of the universe and all that.”

Alexei’s cough sounded like agreement, and even Victoria had trouble hiding her smile.

“It is not always about me, is it, Bella?”

She’d give him that. He’d certainly demonstrated his generosity as a lover. She wished he’d stop flirting with her in front of his mom, though. As if this situation wasn’t awkward enough.

“If you’re feeling like spreading some of that love around, there’s a charity fund-raiser next week.”

“I would be honored to attend.”

Alexei and Victoria watched this exchange with interest—or at least, Isobel assumed that was the meaning behind Alexei’s squint. And she hadn’t missed how Alexei snuck furtive glances at Vadim’s mother every time she sucked on a noodle. That wasn’t merely a casual interest in whether people were enjoying his food.

Victoria continued. “Mia never stops talking about your performance in Sochi, Isobel. She watches it over and over. Even more than Vadim’s games.”

Vadim rolled his eyes, refusing to be drawn in.

“Yeah, well, Vadim only got a bronze.”

He raised his chin. “I will get gold next time.”

She couldn’t resist. “So will I.”

He looked taken aback, bafflement darkening his expression. After a long pause, he asked, “What does that mean?”

Deep breath. “I was invited to Plymouth next week for tryouts.”

“Isobel, that’s wonderful,” Victoria said.

“Thanks.”

Vadim stayed silent and merely continued with the moody stare.

“Well, say something,” Isobel muttered.

“Say something? How about, ‘You cannot do this’?”

Not that. Her heart squeezed. “This might be my last chance.”

He slammed his fork down, its loud clatter making everyone at the table jump. “Have you forgotten what you went through two years ago? When you almost died? You are not fit to play.”

“Players take risks all the time. Guys play with blood clots, concussions, injuries, but they’d rather leave it out there on the ice. They’ll probably just make me sign a waiver, exempting them from liability.”

He threw up a hand, all Vadimesque drama. “How wonderful, Isobel. There will be no one to sue when you are dead.”

“What would you do? If someone said you should never play again but you still had the strength in your legs and the torque in your body and the fight in your heart? If they said your next skate might be taken at the same time as your last breath, would you retire gracefully?”

His mouth curled in a sneer. “I would not risk my life to play hockey.”

“Then I guess it doesn’t mean as much to you as it does to me.”

Victoria looked at Alexei, then back to the bickering couple. “Perhaps we should let you discuss this alone.”

No, thanks. She’d had quite enough of Mr. Know-It-All Petrov. Isobel stood, her heart sputtering. “No need. Thank you for dinner, Alexei. It was very nice to meet you, Victoria. I hope Mia gets better soon.”

She took her plate to the sink, rinsed it, and placed it in the dishwasher, then left with the heat of Vadim’s condemning stare burning into her back.



Tvoyu mat’! How could Isobel think this was acceptable? Vadim had only recently acknowledged his feelings for her, and now she wanted to put herself in harm’s way?

Two minutes after she left, he checked to see if she was still outside, perhaps sitting in her clown car, psyching herself up to admit her error. But she was gone, her exit fueled by her stubbornness. No matter. Soon she would recognize the foolishness of this plan.

He returned to the kitchen, relieved to see no sign of his unwanted guest.

Alexei was filling the dishwasher. On Vadim’s entry, he spoke in Russian. “She is with Mia.”

“You should have talked her out of coming.”

“It is time you acted like a man and faced up to your problems.”

Vadim pointed. “I do not employ you for your opinions.”

“And yet I have given them to you all these years.”

This was true. Alexei was never afraid to comment on Vadim’s choices and mistakes. Vadim put up with it because he needed the occasional sounding board, but that didn’t mean he had to listen to the man’s opinion on every topic.

“You were loyal to my father. How can you take her side in this? She left him.” She left them. “Ever since she wedged her way back into my life, you have acted as though you work for her, not me. I am your employer.”

“Your father was not perfect.”

“He did not abandon his son!” Though that wasn’t strictly true. He provided a roof over Vadim’s head, yes, but he was a hardworking man with myriad business interests, not all of them legal. If he couldn’t attend every—or any—of Vadim’s hockey games, it was because he was earning money to provide for his family.

But apparently that wasn’t good enough for his mother. She hadn’t wanted to be a parent anymore. But fate had the last laugh, leaving her pregnant with the child of the husband she hated.

He placed his hands on the kitchen counter, holding in his agitation by a thread. “Did he abuse her? Hit her?”