Loving You Is Forbidden (Third Book of "Fire and Ice" series)

CH. 27: Kept promises, crumbling lies, wielded punishment

"Oleg, I don't know how to thank you for what you did for Tolya. You once more protected him and..." She tightened the embrace and took a deep breath, probably wanting to recompose herself. And indeed, she then pulled back and gave him the same smile she always had for us. Once more his eyes slightly reacted to that and then, he finally gave in and smiled back in a sincere and soft way. "Thank you, Oleg. I'm really happy my son has you at his side," she said quietly and I was damn glad they were speaking in Russian.

"It is my honour, Mrs. Denisov and you know I would give my life for Anatoly." I went to say something, but he shot me such an intense and meaningful look that I decided to keep my trap shut. "I love your son," he declared with serious voice and my eyes automatically glued to his. Fuck me...that man had such a power on me.

"I know that very well, Oleg, and I couldn't hope for a better partner for my son. Thank you, Zhenya thinks the same, but I'm sure you're aware of it already." Mum pulled back and let her small hands squeeze Oleg's arms, inspecting his face and body. "Are you hurt?" She asked with honest concern and those simple words had a rather open and visible effect on Oleg, who only shook his head and explained quickly to her what happened. "Spasiba, Oleg," she said once more and he inclined his head in the usual way he did with my parents. Mum then walked to me and once more touched my face with a tender caress.

"Zhenya will be here soon, he's speaking with some police officers and we almost filed a complaint about one," she explained with a tone of voice that made me understand dad had been the one smoothing things down.

"What happened?" I inquired and also Oleg moved beside me.

"Your dad and I stormed here after Oleg called us and demanded to see that...woman," she replied, having a hard time calling Mrs. Palmer as such. I think psychotic bitch was the perfect name for her, but I kept my mouth shut.

Right, Oleg called my parents to let them know we got the crazy woman and that we were fine. Dad pretty much ordered so and anyway, I knew my impassive bastard would have done it anyway. He was a soldier at heart. Now, I looked at mum and imagined in what condition of temper she stormed in here. My eyes wandered around and I was surprised everything seemed intact. She could be very scary, but the shit with that woman hadn't gone down yet.

"Someone has been unpleasant with you, Mrs. Denisov?" I eyed Oleg and silently chuckled. If some idiot had dared to behave like a jerk with mum, well...he could already pray the God for the safety of his ass.

"One young policeman thought of being amusing by making a joke about crazy Russians, especially crazy Russian women and given the situation, I told him off and your father demanded to speak with his superior." She told us what that freaking jerk said and my blood immediately simmered in my veins.

"Who's this fucktard?" I snarled, wishing to go there and punch his face. How the hell he dared to make fun of my mum? Oh God I wished to smack the face of that fucking idiot. "Who the hell dared to say that to you?"

"Don't worry, Tolya. Zhenya took care of it and it was better, because I could have slapped him in that moment and make things worse. Thank God your father is always so calm and cold-blooded when it's needed."

And as she spoke those words, my dad appeared and he stopped in front of me, placing a strong and firm hand on my shoulder. He wasn't exactly the type of father that would hug his sons just as mum did, but that was awesome for me, given how I was. He would discreetly smile and speak measured words and they were enough.

"Tolya, are you OK?" He asked staring directly into my eyes and I nodded, feeling his hand planted on my shoulder, clearly being worried and relieved at the same time. It was there, in his hard-looking eyes, in the not completely concealed tension on his face and on the way he was assessing me, his hand dug in my shoulder as if wanting to make sure I was really fine.