Page 9 of Bratva Holiday

When Dimitri put the present on Illayana’s pile, he slouched.

“Why are some of Illayana’s presents bigger than mine?” Lukyan pouted, an accusatory glare aimed right at his younger sister, as if she was somehow the mastermind behind it all.

Dimitri didn’t dignify it with an answer.

But Illayana did.

She smirked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Told ya the big one was for me.”

Lukyan moved to lunge, but Dimitri acted quickly, shutting it down.

“Sit,” he barked, pointing to the ground.

Lukyan hmphed but did as his father ordered.

Only when the final present had been handed out did Dimitri take a seat in the empty chair next to mine. He pulled out an old-school camcorder that looked like it had been through three world wars and, with a subtle incline of his head, gave permission for everyone to open their presents.

“Yes! A wrist bracer with a hidden blade! Sick!” Lukyan cheered, slapping the material around his forearm and strapping it tightly to his wrist. He clicked some sort of hidden mechanism, and a beautiful black blade shot out with a sharp point and a serrated edge on one side. Lukyan held it up admiringly, eyes practically gleaming. “Fuck yeah,” he breathed out in reverence.

“That’s from me,” Tatiana said, holding some expensive Louis Vuitton blouse to her body that she’d unwrapped just a moment ago. “Thought you might like that.”

“Luky! Look! Matching!” Lyla helped up an identical bracer, hers a carbon copy in every way. “Oh! I love it! I love it! I love it!”

Tatiana smiled, placing the blouse down. “I thought you might. I had the blades engraved for you.”

Lukyan and Lyla twisted their weapons at the same time to look. I didn’t know what they said, but whatever it was made the two love sick lovebirds gaze at each other adoringly.

Beside them, Illayana ripped open her presents, squealing at the contents before moving onto the next, and then the next. Wrapping paper was strewn all over the floor, each of them shredding into their gifts with an animalistic frenzy.

Nikolai held up a new laptop, showing the box to Aleksandr as he excitedly chatted about how it was the new top-of-the-line edition. Drea showed Illayana a box filled with an array of different piercings. The twins clawed and wrenched open their presents, far more interested in the wrapping paper than what was actually inside them. Arturo, quiet and calm, nodded in thanks to Aleksandr for some state-of-the-art handgun.

Dimitri quietly sipped on his cup of steaming hot coffee, a carefree smile on his lips as he watched on. He’d placed the camcorder on a stand so it could continue to record while leaving his hands free. He reached forward without looking and clasped his hand over mine that was sitting on the arm rest.

He squeezed my hand, and I squeezed his back.

“Thank you for including me,” I said, trying to not get overwhelmed by the chaotic swarm of emotions slowly taking me over.

He glanced my way, his head tilting slightly. “Of course.” The slight frown creased on his brows told me all I needed to know. He was confused by my thanks, as if the idea not to include me had never even entered his mind.

“I would have understood, you know. If you didn’t. This kind of stuff is for family, and I would never want to make anyone feel awkward or uncomfortable. Like I was trying to replace…her.”

A softness took over his face—a softness I realized a while ago he only reserved for me. My heart fluttered as he leaned over, picking up my hand to place the softest kiss against my skin.

“You are family.”

Three small, simple words that made me feel more loved than I ever had in my life.

I always tried my hardest to make sure the Volkovs knew they didn’t have to refrain from talking about their mother in front of me. Yekaterina was a powerful presence, even in death. She was a wonderful woman who raised strong, confident, kind—not to each other—children, and she deserved to be respected. I never pressured Dimitri to take down the photographs hanging on the walls. Never pressured him not to speak of her or bring her up. To do so would be an insult to her, her memory, and all the wonderful things she had done.

When we were going through our troubles, I never needed him to banish her from his mind. Never needed him to erase her existence. I just needed to know that his past wouldn’t affect our future. That he was in the place to cherish the memories he had with her while moving on with me.

Yekaterina would always have a place in this family. In their hearts.

And I would never want it any other way.

Soft fingers caressed down the side of my face, and I snapped out of my own thoughts.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly, each word drenched in care and emotion.