RPOV
"Dimitri?" I asked just before lunch. We'd been here most of the day, so far.
"Yes, love?" My man looked lovingly into my eyes.
"Do you remember when I said I had no clue who my Moroi dad was?"
"Yes. Why?"
"My mother decided to unveil my shrouded shady past."
"Huh?"
"Do you seriously think I get my logic from my mom?" I giggled.
"Are you saying you've met your dad?"
"Yes." I scrunched up my nose. "I'm more like him. He knows how to throw my logic back in my face."
"Who? Roza? Who is he? Who else do I have to face?"
"Abe, Abe Mazur." His face paled three shades. "You know of him?"
"I know him. I've done business with him, Roza. He's dangerous."
"Why do I get the odd feeling this has something to do with your father, Comrade?"
"This has everything to do with that sad excuse o-" I shut him up with a kiss, and sat on his lap.
"I'm sorry I mentioned it." I breathed against his lips before I restarted the kiss. God. I loved that man to no end. "I." Kiss. "Love." Kiss. "You." Kiss. "So much."
"I love you, Roza. You have no clue how much. Absolutely no clue." I was pulled into another kiss. "So, my love, join me for lunch?"
"Now, how can I say 'no'? So, yes."
"Come on, you." My man smiled and pulled us up. "Let's go." He pecked my cheek before opening the gym door.
Only to run into Mom and Abe. "Mom. Old man." I greeted my-shiver- parents. Said parents turning on their heels to walk with us.
"Guardian Hathaway, Zmey." Dimitri warily and respectfully greeted them.
"Belikov, what's going on? I would have thought you would have run a million miles from my daughter." Abe enquired. My soulmate tensed for a millisecond.
"There's no escaping her, zmey. And she is now my superior." 'Oh, screw you!' I thought playfully and lovingly. You know I hate that I'm now a station above- according to others.
"Ah. That. That has to be feeling odd, ay? Now that your student is a station above you?"
"It's different, zmey. Not odd, just different."
"Now, Belikov. Back to my original question. What's going on? You're the reverse of a million miles from my Mazur mobster mini-me."
"Abe!" I groaned. "I did not say I was adding on 'Mazur'. And I am right here."
"Rose, you're old enough, and safe enough. You should change your name- take the one that reflects you more accurately."
"You're never safe. If you're his daughter, you're never going to be safe." Dimitri muttered beside me, his volume was so low I almost didn't catch it.
"Are you sure Mom? Are you sure you're okay with it?"
"Yes. I'm fine with it. Guardian Rose Mazur. It suits you." I like the idea of 'Guardian Roza Belikova' better.
"It does Rose. It does suit you." My man looked at me with love and affection shining through his Guardian mask.
"Why, thank you, Comrade!" I giggled. "Now people will finally stop call me Junior. I hope."
"Belikov? Did you seriously just reduce my lethal, badass, stoic-Guardian, mobster-mini-me to giggles?" Abe asked humorously and bristling with curiosity and cunning. Ugh. I was his daughter.
"I may have, Mr Mazur. Sir." And out comes the gentleman. And the bee's-knees nervous sixteen year old boy who's about to undergo the 'first date interrogation' from his partner's father.
"Too evasive, Belikov. Nice manners, but you avoided the question."
"Yes. Sir. I did manage to make Rose giggle." Ugh. Stiff and formal. Yuk! I loved the man to bits, but my father had him freaked out. It was ironic; Strigoi? No problem. My father? Shoot me now.
"Belikov?" My mother decided to join the interrogation process. "Are you, by any chance, to any degree, interested in my daughter?"
"Guys! I'm right here, ya know!"
'Run!' Dimitri mouthed. I had to bite back laughter.
'Not happening!' I mouthed back. It earned me an outright grin.
Janine'sPOV
My daughter and her only-just ex-mentor were smitten. I could see the look in their eyes. And he still hadn't answered my question. Not that he really needed to when it was so clear in their body language and behaviour.
"Guardian Belikov, are you interested in pursuing a relationship with our daughter?" Abe had clearly seen the same things I had.
The girl has only just graduated and was barely eighteen. There was a seven year age gap. More importantly, she'd only just graduated from being his student, which meant he'd harboured feelings for her when he shouldn't have. Most importantly, however, was likelihood of Rose being assigned as Vasilisa's second Guardian.
Little actions between them I'd noticed, yet hadn't, I suddenly understood. I suddenly understood why he'd even taken her on. He'd loved her even then. He'd always been fighting to give her the best future. He wasn't a teacher who'd fallen for his student, rather, he'd become her teacher to give her the best possible future. He'd loved her so much, he took on the role in her life no one else would.
"Yes. I would like your permission to date your daughter, Guardian Hathaway, Mr Mazur." Belikov's response broke me from my musings.
Something about the way he'd spoken and the protective and possessive way he stood near Rose told me he'd be going after her, regardless. Something about his stance, and the look in his eye, told me he already had her- that this was for formality and image's sake. Sure, he truly wanted our acceptance and approval. But. Rose was going to be his no matter what we said. And, from the look in her eye when she looked at him, I could see it- she already was.
I would have loved to have pressed charges. But I'd screwed up my daughter's life enough. Belikov clearly made her forget a world existed. I owed him her title. "Fine." I sighed in resignation. "She only holds her title because of you, Belikov. I'm not happy about this, but you have my permission."
"Thank you." He controlled his smile when thanking me, then outright beamed at Rose. Who simply smirked back. Which then resulted in an eye-roll and chuckle from him.
"Ugh! Get a room. That's hurl worthy." I interrupted their sickening gooey-ness.
Abe'sPOV
Yuk. Janie had just given Belikov permission to date our daughter. And the young pair had already melted and become completely playful. I didn't want to give them permission, yet I couldn't say 'no' if Janie had agreed.
"Okay. But, Belikov- I will need to have talk to you at some point. Sooner rather than later."
The Guardian paled a few shades. Good start. He knew what I was capable of, and was possibly imagining a hundred different punishments I was likely to describe to him in vivid detail. I expected my daughter's man to treat and respect her as a woman, an equal and a Princess.
"Yes, of course. Mr Mazur. Sir." Belikov's response was tight, but respectful and polite.
"Janie?" I took my woman's hand in mine. And it caused my own stoic-Guardian woman to blush slightly.
"Ibrahim?" she asked through her eyelashes.
"Let's leave these children alone. Shall we?"
"Let's." she agreed, and I pulled her in the opposite direction of our children. Well... our child and her grown man of a boyfriend. God. I was in for an interesting extended family if those two were serious.
