"Wake up, beautiful," Dimitri crooned, lying on his side next to me.
Technically I was awake. I was just refusing to open my eyes! I was lying in Dimitri's bed – our bed now – my arms above my head and a big grin on my face. I was so relaxed and happy, and I would have happily stayed in bed, but…
"Come on, Roza," Dimitri coaxed interrupting my peaceful reflections. "Church is in half an hour and then we've got the preparations for your father's party."
I scrunched up my nose, recognizing a lost cause when I heard one.
"Ok, ok. I'm getting up," I groaned opening my eyes to see Dimitri's gorgeous chocolate brown orbs raking over my naked body.
"You need to get dressed, and straighten yourself up, Comrade. Your thoughts, too. God sees everything, you know," I teased in a sing song voice. "He might set you on fire if you go into a place of worship with those sort of thoughts!"
Dimitri rolled his eyes at me, but I noticed his neck redden in what was unmistakably a blush.
I bounced out of bed, standing naked in front of the closet deciding what to wear.
"You're not making it easy with those thoughts," Dimitri grumbled, his eyes lingering on my ass.
I giggled, selecting one of the only dresses I'd brought with me. In a deep wine color, it was a long sleeved, calf length wrap dress. The V of the neck was quite low, lower than was appropriate for church, so I wore a black singlet underneath – completing the look with my long necklace supporting my nazar.
Mom had given it to me at Christmas, and while she'd not outright said it was from my father, she'd hinted at it. Since it was his birthday, it was the perfect time to wear it. Looking in my jewelry pouch, I stroked my chotki – a beaded prayer bracelet Lissa had given me. It was a Dragomir family heirloom – and she'd given it to me in recognition of being her sister, best friend and future Guardian.
Out of the blue, I felt horribly guilty. Lissa was meant to be my best friend. The person I could tell anything. Yet for over six months I'd hidden from her what was going on between Dimitri and me. Here I was sleeping in his bed – accepted by his family and friends as his partner and lover – yet as far as my best friend knew he was my mentor and nothing more. I was disgusted with myself!
"What's wrong, Roza?" the man himself asked, noticing the change in my body language.
I sighed. I knew why it needed to be kept secret, but surely now almost everyone else knew about Dimitri and me, I could tell Lissa? I fingered the chotki.
"Just thinking about Lissa. I hate that everyone else knows about us but not her. She's meant to be my best friend…"
Dimitri nodded, listening - knowing when to leave me to work through out loud how I was feeling.
"I mean – Christian knows. But he won't tell because Lissa will kill him if she finds out he knew and didn't say anything. I could call her and tell her – but it's the sort of thing I should do in person. And she's likely to be upset, at least at first, and then Tasha might find out. Do you think she'd dob us in?"
Dimitri considered as he put on his pants and belt.
"I honestly don't know. Once I would have said no, but these days it feels like I don't really know her at all. I have no idea what she might be capable of."
I nodded wearily.
"Then I won't tell Lissa until we get back to Court."
"Allocation requests don't have to be in until a week after we're due back. It will give us a chance to tell her and work things through."
Dimitri squeezed my hand. I wasn't happy about continuing the deception, but if Tasha found out and turned us in, the consequences could be dire for Dimitri. So if I had to conceal our relationship for a few more weeks to protect him, I would. It didn't mean I had to like it, though.
Downstairs everyone was up and dressed ready for church. Sonya was the last down, and she was positively resplendent. She sat beside Meredith, and I immediately shifted down to claim the seat on the other side of her.
"Well?!" Meredith hissed.
"Well, what?" Sonya replied with a coy little smile.
"Oh spill already!" I demanded quietly.
Sonya smiled, milking our interest.
"Well… He brought me a cup of tea, put the foot spa on for me, and we talked. Did you know that if the third store is a success, he plans to open a fourth? I know it seems ambitious, but he's always been a hard worker, and he's not reckless with money…"
"I'm sure he's the next business review weekly cover story waiting to happen," I snapped, keeping my voice low. "What happened?!"
"He got a towel and dried my feet after the foot spa, and then he gave me a foot massage…"
Meredith and I both groaned. As Guardians in training, we were on our feet a lot and they were often encased in rigid, unforgiving combat boots. An honest to goodness foot massage sounded like bliss!
"And then?!" Meredith prompted, raising an eyebrow.
"And then he told me all about his stores and his new flat in Omsk. It's above the new shop, but it's two bedrooms and in a convenient area. It needs complete redoing, but he's got workmen booked to strip the place once they're finished on the new store. He said he'd appreciate a woman's eye with the decorating, and he suggested I could go to see it next week or the one after," she continued.
Meredith and I shared a knowing look.
"And then?!" I growled, wanting to get to the gist of things.
"And then he kissed me!" Sonya said, a dreamy expression in her eyes. "He was so sweet and gentle. It was the first time we'd kissed, but it felt like we'd been doing it every day for forever!"
I sighed and smiled, a dreamy expression on my own face. I knew that feeling!
"He's really interested," Sonya continued sweetly. "He doesn't mind that I'm pregnant. He said he's liked me all this time, and he wants to see if I could learn to feel the same way…"
"And?!" Meredith and I both asked expectantly.
"And - I think I already do," she announced, smiling jubilantly.
"So what would happen? Would you move there?" I queried.
"I guess so. He said the flat won't be ready for a few months. I know people will think I'm with him because I'm pregnant and no one else wants me, but I really do like him," Sonya said a little defensively.
"Sonya? Anyone who sees the two of you together is not going to doubt how you feel about each other," I told her. "He lights up when he sees you, and you do the same around him."
"Really?" she replied shyly.
"Absolutely!" Meredith laughed, giving her a friendly hug.
"So a romantic weekend in Omsk, eh?" I teased. "Imagine all the things you two could get up to!"
Sonya looked shocked.
"There's no way I'll be able to go unsupervised! Mama, Babushka, or Karo will go with me as a chaperone!"
"But you're already pregnant," I muttered, "what do they think is going to happen?"
Sonya and Meredith both looked at me before they exploded in laughter, the rest of the table watching us as we giggled.
"And I think we're done," Eddie said, scrubbing at his hands in the kitchen sink. "Although I am not sure I will ever get the smell of marinated onions off my hands!"
We'd prepared a ridiculous number of sashlyks, but Dimitri assured us they were moreish, and we'd be scoffing them down later in the evening. After they were done, we'd focused on the accompanying salads. First, we made Olivier, which was a type of potato salad with carrots, eggs, pickles, meat and peas in mayonnaise. Then we made Alyonka, which was mushrooms, crab sticks, hard boiled eggs, cucumber, onions, and mayonnaise. The Beet and Cheese salad was made from boiled beetroot grated with garlic, grated cheese, and sour cream. The weirdest was the Crab Salad which had rice, tinned crab meat, gauda cheese and sweet corn – but Dimitri assured me it was just the thing with the sashlyks, and to be sure to try it.
"Your father will be very surprised," Dimitri predicted, as we went outside to check the mangal. He'd loaded it with coals earlier and was now fanning the smoking coals, encouraging them to heat so they'd be ready when we added the skewers.
"Usually in Russia, you prepare your own birthday feast and spoil your friends," he explained. "Abe will not be anticipating a birthday meal in his honor."
"I want to show him I care," I said simply. "He's been so good to us."
"He has," Dimitri acknowledged, using the privacy outside to pull me into a smoldering kiss. "Come on. We should shower – the others will be home, soon."
We'd only just made it inside when Olena, Yeva and the girls arrived home. Viktoriya had been sent back to St. Basil's on the train after church, so it was only Karolina and Sonya, and they appeared to be having an argument. They turned to me, each wanting to include me in their discussion.
"I can't just drag a baby to Omsk," Karolina reasoned. "It will throw her out of routine. Plus it's a long way. I'd have to bring all her stuff, and I'm not sleeping on some bachelor pad floor!"
"Kirill said we could share his bed, Karo," Sonya pleaded. "He'll take the sofa. If I don't go, he might think I'm not interested!"
"Go where?" Dimitri asked.
"Kirill has asked me to come to Omsk for two days and a night. He wants my opinion on decorating his new unit," Sonya said, lowering her eyes modestly to the floor. "Mama said I could go, but someone would have to go with me." That she had asked Karolina to be that someone was obvious.
"And it's too much for me to manage with the baby," Karolina said firmly, appealing to Dimitri. "It's not that I oppose the trip, or Kirill, but dragging a baby anywhere is hard work!"
"Take Mama or Babushka," Dimitri suggested.
"Mama doesn't want to leave the house with you all staying, and I'm not taking Babushka! She'll complain the whole time! He won't want me after two days spent with Babushka!"
I stifled a snigger, and even Dimitri's lips were twitching.
"Can't you and Rose come?" she suddenly asked. "Mama can't have a problem with that!"
"I can't, Sonya. While I'd love to show Roza Omsk, I can't just leave Meredith and Eddie here. I can't imagine Kirill's house is large enough for all of us."
Sonya was looking more dispirited by the second. I could tell she didn't think Karolina or Dimitri appreciated that Kirill had pretty much invited her to Omsk to give directions on how she'd like him to fit out his new home with a view to her living there with him.
I gazed up at my Russian God, an idea springing to mind. I beckoned him down, leaning up to whisper in his ear.
"Comrade? Why don't we all go? It would be nice to see some more of Russia. Eddie and Meredith can stay the night at Kirill's with Sonya. The girls can take the bed, and the guys sleep on the sofa. And maybe we could stay at a hotel for the night? We could be ourselves without being overheard…"
Dimitri's soft growl and the way he closed his eyes for a moment showed he approved of my idea. While we'd indulged quite a few times since we'd been in Baia, we'd not been able to fully let go the way we would if we were confident we'd not be overheard.
"I suppose if it's during the week we could all go up," Dimitri conceded. "Meredith and Eddie can chaperone you for the night at Kirill's. Roza and I can stay at a hotel."
"Really?!" Sonya squealed excitedly. "You'd do that?"
"As long as it's during the week and Mama approves," Dimitri agreed. "And provided Meredith and Eddie are happy to go."
Another squeal and Sonya threw herself at Dimitri and me, hugging us both and thanking us repeatedly in Russian.
"I'll work out when with Kirill tonight," she promised, racing off to find Meredith and Eddie to secure their approval before suggesting the plan to Olena.
"You spoil her, Dimka," Karolina said, but without rancor.
He shrugged.
"This might be her only chance. He will treat her right, and there's a lot to be said for that."
"You're a good man," Karolina told her brother affectionately.
"He is," I agreed. "A good smelly man. One more go fanning those coals, then upstairs to get ready!" I ordered imperiously. Tonight was important to me. I wanted it to go perfectly – and that included a clean, handsome and not smelly boyfriend!
We showered together, reluctantly stepping out of the stall and toweling off. There hadn't been time to do anything more than soap each other and kiss, so any amorous ideas I had would have to wait until later. I'd changed out of the dress and into sweats straight after church, so I sauntered back into our room, choosing fresh underwear and slowly changing back into the dress. Since we wouldn't be at church, I forewent the camisole undershirt, instead favoring a black cardigan that worked well with the dress and would help ward off the chill since we'd be celebrating around the fire in the back yard.
Normally I'd wear heels so I'd be closer to my Russian God's height, but since we'd be outside, tonight I opted for a pair of black leather flats. Not ideal with the dress but nonetheless practical.
"You look handsome," I observed. Dimitri was wearing a pair of dark jeans, a white button-up shirt with a tight black V-neck sweater over the top. Casual but sexy! He hadn't shaved, so he had a particularly appealing five o'clock shadow going on.
"I like," I crooned, stroking his stubble as I passed him to pick up my nazar and drape it on its long chain around my neck.
"I'll remember that," Dimitri said with a devilish smile.
We walked downstairs side by side to find the place a hive of activity. As promised, Pavel had sent over any Guardians not on active duty. Karolina was busy organizing them outside, getting them to roll large logs to surround the heaped timber which would be fire.
Paul and Olena were putting table clothes up on trestle tables outside ready to hold the food. Another Guardian arrived with the beer and vodka, to be directed outside by Yeva, the latter carefully piping icing flowers on top of the cake we'd prepared earlier.
Dimitri busied himself hanging some lights from tree to tree outside. While I was initially dubious, once they were hung and lit I had to admit they added to the festive atmosphere.
Meredith and Sonya were bringing the food outside, while Eddie ran a power cord outside, bringing out an aged portable stereo to provide music for the evening.
"We got a perfect evening for it," Dimitri enthused, coming back out after washing his hands after setting out the lights.
He was right. Warm, with clear skies, the night was perfect.
"Let me teach you the art that is sashlyk," he laughed, dragging me by the hand across to the trough with the hot coals.
Eddie and Meredith followed, ignoring a snide comment from Karolina about 'men and their grills.'
Ten minutes later, I could see why Karolina found the whole thing a little ridiculous. Dimitri was explaining to a fascinated Eddie how the heat, the distance from the coals, the type of coals, how often the skewers were turned and even the direction of any breeze was critical in the production of a 'perfect' sashlyk. I'd tuned out about five minutes before, although the smell of the skewers as they started to cook was pretty good!
It was five minutes before the hour when Pavel sent a text letting us know he and Abe were about to leave to come to the Belikov's for Sunday dinner.
I did a final nervous check. The table with the portable stereo also held a handful of presents; a wallet from me, a nice bottle of vodka from Eddie and Meredith, some homemade house slippers from Olena, Karolina, Sonya and Viktoriya, and some unknown wrapped present that Yeva had slipped onto the table, not deigning to reveal to us its contents.
"All the lights out!" I hissed. "He'll be here any moment!"
Everyone stayed out the back except Dimitri and me; we waited inside to greet Abe and take him out for his birthday surprise.
"I hope he likes it," I said nervously to Dimitri as we stood in the living room, waiting for Abe and Pavel to arrive.
"He will, ангел," my handsome boyfriend declared. "He'll love it!"
The headlights of a car raked across the ceiling of the entryway as a car pulled up outside.
"We'll know in a minute," I joked, brushing my lips across Dimitri's tenderly as we waited for a knock at the door.
"It's less suspicious if I get it," Dimitri whispered, and I nodded, motioning him forward when we heard a solid knock at the door.
"Something smells good!" Abe announced jovially as he stepped into the entryway, Pavel a few steps behind him.
"We're eating outside today," I said casually, giving him a quick wave before he followed me through into the living room and then across to the back door. I stepped through into the darkness, Dimitri, Abe, and Pavel following me, before I switched on the lights and all the voices outside shouted "Happy Birthday!"
I spun to face Abe, a huge grin on my face.
His face was frozen for a moment. But when it did change I could see shock, uncertainty, and fear before it settled on anger. Whatever Abe had expected tonight, it hadn't been this, and he was furious.
Before anyone else could register what was going on, he stepped back into the house, quickly followed by Pavel, Dimitri and me.
"How did you know?" he growled, his voice barely contained fury.
My eyes flicked to Dimitri's. He was as confused as I was. Pavel looked baffled and decidedly nervous. He'd evidently not anticipated this sort of reaction either. I couldn't repay his kindness with the wrath of Abe Mazur, so I lied.
"It was in the Alchemist database… You've been so kind and loving; I thought I'd show you how appreciative I am by throwing you a birthday party."
Abe's eyes were bulging, and if anything he was looking more incensed not less.
"You want to thank me by reminding me of the worst day of my life?!" he roared. "How dare you?!"
Since I'd met Abe, he'd never been anything other than generosity itself to me, but at that moment I could see why he was almost universally feared. He was not a man to be trifled with, yet somehow I'd grievously offended him.
"I'm sorry," I said, tears starting to trickle down my cheeks. "I didn't know this is a bad day for you. I just wanted to show I care!" I said, my voice becoming more uncertain with each word I uttered.
My hands nervously clutched at the necklace I was wearing, and his eyes dropped to see what I was playing with. For the second time in as many minutes he looked flummoxed, and then a cold, steely and vicious glint appeared in his eye. He reached forward, grabbing the chain around my neck and yanking it firmly. The cheap, thin links gave way immediately, and Abe was left brandishing the chain that held my nazar.
"Where the fuck did you get this?!" he screamed waving it in my face, all self-control completely gone. "Do you have any idea of how special this is? Is this some sort of fucking game to you? Because you're going to regret the day you ever chose to mess with Abe Mazur!"
He stepped toward me, and for a moment I thought he was going to hit me. He didn't, but hate was written on Abe's every feature. Dimitri stepped forward, pushing me behind his bulk, ready to protect me if that's what was needed.
"I'm so sorry. I was just trying to show you I love you," I whimpered, tears overtaking me as I turned and raced towards the stairs and up to the room I shared with my Russian God.
AN: An early update! I am going to be away for the next week or so. I have pre-written (and hope to be able to upload from where I am and also write heaps more) but I can't make any promises! In the meantime thank you all so much for your support lovely reviews, messages, Facebook chats etc. And I am sorry for leaving it on such a cliffie. I really didn't plan it this way - this chapter was written weeks ago!