A Treacherous Killer-Dark Bratva Romance

twenty six

Nadia

"Emil, did you grow up here in the city?" My mother's lilting tone causes me to bite the inside of my cheek. I had done it so many times now, I could taste the tangy taste of blood on my tongue.

My parents had doted on Emil all night, barely registering Simon and I's presence at all. Emil met all their questions with a brilliant answer and a dashing smile. It was really starting to wear on my nerves.

"Yes, I did in fact," he answers airily. I shift in my seat and try not to meet Simon's withering gaze across the table. I could tell by the set of his shoulders and jaw that he was just as annoyed at Emil and our parent's display as I was.

"I'm just so happy to hear you and Nadia are getting along so well." Mother coos. She glances over at me and I give a tight lipped smile.

"Yes, I fancy Nadia quite a bit," Emil says, reaching for my hand that is laying atop the table.

The late afternoon air causes goosebumps to erupt on my arms and legs, but I didn't mind the coolness. I had felt itchy and unsettled since we had been seated at a table near the edge of the deck overlooking the small pond in the middle of the country club.

"It's a shame your parents couldn't join us tonight? Where did you say they were?" Simon asks. I glance over at Emil nervously. The last time I had asked about his parents his mood had unexpectedly darkened. His smile wanes a fraction but he does an impressive job of keeping it plastered on for my parents sake.

"They both passed away unexpectedly," he says evenly.

"Oh Emil, we had no idea," Mother says sincerely.

"You're quite young to have accomplished all you have done," Simon continues. "How did you manage it?" Simon lazily swirls his glass around and lifts a challenging eyebrow in Emil's direction.

"Enough with the questioning Simon," father barks.

"I'm only wanting to get to know the man who has taken an interest in my sister," Simon says defensively.

Emil chuckles lightly, seeming undeterred by Simon's interrogation. "I don't mind the questions." He clears his throat. "As I told Nadia before, I seem to have a way with people and for making convincing marketing pitches. What started as a hobby turned into a empire. I owe a lot of my knowledge of the business world to my father though."

"What a great man he must have been to have raised such a fine gentleman," Mother adds. This rewards an eye roll from me but thankfully mother is too focused on Emil to notice.

The rest of dinner goes by much the same. Emil feeding my parents stories of his success and future plans for his business as Simon and I silently chew our food. By the end of dinner I had never been so relieved to see dessert plates taken away.

If my nerves were bad before, they were now officially shot when Lena and Artem Nabokov approach the table. Artem shakes my father's hand and offers to shake Simon's but he pretends not to notice his outstretched hand.

"Nadia!" Lena squeals. "Artem and I didn't know you and your family were dining tonight, we would have asked you to join us," she exclaims. Before I can even open my mouth and reply, mother pipes up.

"Lena and Artem, this is Emil Zolotov." She gestures to Emil. "Emil and Nadia are officially seeing each other," she beams. My cheeks heat at her implication that Emil and I were dating. We hadn't had that conversation yet as I was still trying to build up the courage to tell him I only saw him as a friend.

Emil doesn't seemed fazed by my mother implying we're dating though, he just smiles dashingly at both Lena and Artem.

"It's so nice to meet you," Lena beams. "I am so glad Nadia has finally found someone. That's actually why I came over when I spotted you. Our wedding is next Saturday and we would love it if all of you could make it."