Thanks to the dictating life, here's another chapter. Enjoy!


He saw them arriving through the window. They had arranged to meet at Harry's; it being Deja's favorite place to eat and a neutral ground to meet. The man she was with turned around, putting his chin up so she could straighten his tie. His hair short, a day old stubble on his cheeks which Alistair wasn't sure he could appreciate. His daughter looked impeccable; polished, put together, every inch her mother. Her smile was affectionate and comfortable as she looked up at him. Undoubtedly saying something that was meant to put him at ease. He hadn't seen that look on her face in a long time.

The man gave her an affectionate smile in return, pressing a kiss to her forehead. It was then that Alistair saw the sling. Maybe there was a good reason for the day old stubble on his cheeks after all. His daughter laid her palms flat against the lapels of his jacket, her face stern but her eyes smiling. She seemed so happy and carefree. Perhaps she was right; he needed an open mind meeting this man.

Beside him, Maria touched his sleeve. "You see how at ease she is?"

"I do."

"You also see how nervous he is meeting us?"

"Yes, I see that."

Maria patted his arm. "Be nice, darling. He might be the best thing that's happened to her in a long time."

Somehow, Alistair doubted that. But he'd give it a shot. Even with one arm, he held the door open for his daughter, and she preceded him. Her eyes traveled over the crowd until she found her parents. Taking his hand, she took him in the direction of the table.

His eyes were guarded, but he was standing up straight and looking him directly in the eye. Good. Alistair rose as Deja introduced them. "Papa, mama, this is Grisha. Grisha, Alistair and Maria Barrow, my parents."

"I'm sorry to give you my left hand, sir, but as you can see, my right is non-operational at the moment. It's nice to meet you."

Alistair took the outstretched hand. "No problem. Did you have an accident?"

"Small car accident. Broke my shoulder, unfortunately. If all goes well, the sling will be gone in a week." Shaking Maria's hand as well, he smiled. "It's nice to meet you both. Deja has told me a lot about you."

They sat down and Alistair ordered wine. Carefully, Grisha lifted the sling over his head and relaxed his shoulder. "Did you have a good trip? Deja told me you're staying at the Bel-Air."

Maria told him about their trip. He listened intently, his eyes on Maria, his posture not relaxed yet. Deja moved her chair just a little bit in his direction. Alistair wondered if she'd noticed or if it was an unconscious move. They seemed to be in sync with each other.

Dinner came, and they asked him about his job, and his upbringing. He'd gone over what to tell about his job with Dee before they left the house. His upbringing was a different story. He told them about the foster homes and the job-hopping before settling in his current position. Alistair listened to it and was impressed. The man had made something of himself. Not everyone would have been able to suffer through it. Judging by the way his daughter was looking at him, she loved him all the more for it.

After dinner, Maria proposed a stroll on the beach. She stayed back with Deja. "Let them figure this one out, querida."

Deja followed Grisha's form with mild concern in her eyes. She squeezed her mother's hand. "What do you think?"

Maria smiled. "He's nothing like Kevin. His vibe is different." He may be nervous, but Maria could see that his heart was kind, gentle. Every touch, look or smile sent in Deja's direction was only filled with love and affection. The way he acted towards her daughter made Maria more relieved than she would've thought.

"It is. Oh mama, he is so wonderful, I can't tell you."

Seeing that her only child was head over heels was enjoyable. The smile on her face told Maria all she needed to know. Now that she'd seen him, she was even more convinced that they were a good match. Knowing her husband though, he needed to make sure.

A few yards in front of them, Grisha and Alistair were walking beside each other. Grisha looked up at him. "Is there anything else you would like to know? I know I would have a million questions for the person dating my daughter. Especially if he or she sort of turned up out of the blue."

Alistair took a deep breath. "Has she told you about her ex-husband?"

"Yes, sir." His face contorted into a grimace. "My first instinct was to run to my research department and demand he be found so I could torture the hell out of him."

That reaction made Alistair smile. "I do hope you haven't done that."

"No, sir. I'd be no good with just my left arm and she needed me to stay put and hear her out."

That too, was another good reaction. "What about your family, Grisha? We've talked about your foster homes, but what's happened to your family?"

The silence stretched and Alistair feared that he wasn't going to answer. "My father lives in Russia. My mother and sister died when I was little, and he's been out of the picture for reasons I don't know." Another pause. "I have a mother figure. Her name is Hetty, she's tiny but fierce. She took me in when I was a teenager. Then there's the team I work with. They function as my family."

"So not completely alone in the world."

He snorted. "Not completely. Besides, Dee makes sure that I don't shut everybody out."

That Alistair could relate too. "She is like Maria in that way."

"They look alike."

"They do. Both in appearance and in personality. Deja takes after her and my mother." More silence. Alistair cleared his throat. "Don't take this wrong way, Grisha..." He halted, gathering his thoughts. "Can you specify on your job? I get the feeling that there is more to it than you're offering."

Biting his lip, Grisha nodded. "I can't tell you specifics, Mr. Barrow. Much as I would like to. I can tell you that it's classified. There are things I can't even tell Dee. It's a sometimes dangerous job, but it helps to keep a lot of people safe, including her."

"Will it provide for you both and any future children you may or may not have?"

"Yes, sir. It won't on the level you did, but we will have everything we need. I'll make sure of it."

"Good." Alistair clasped his hands behind his back as they walked on. "Do you love my daughter?"

"Yes, sir."

"You intend to marry her?"

The thought alone made him smile. "If she'll have me, sir, I would like nothing more."

The women had finally caught up with them. Maria patted Alistair's shoulder. "Are you done interrogating the poor boy?" She looked at Grisha. "I hope he hasn't been a complete bother?"

"I'm sure I would've asked all the same questions would she have been my daughter, ma'am," Grisha assured her. "So, no, no bother at all."

Alistair regarded him again. Then he smiled at his wife. "I was just asking him about his intentions. Like any father would."

"I'm relieved you let him live, dear," Maria laughed. "Let's call it a night, shall we? Walk us to the car?"

"Of course." Deja took Grisha's good hand, leaned her chin on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear to which he grinned.

Alistair watched them closely. They were talking to Maria, laughing. He had to admit, his daughter hadn't chosen wrong. He got a sense of purpose from this man. He'd fight for his loved ones. Do anything to keep them safe. They arrived at the car and greeted the driver.

Maria looked up at Indulge. "Well, you're going to be home before we are."

Deja shook her head. "No, we're going home."

Alistair raised an eyebrow at her. "Isn't home here?"

"Not with his shoulder being broken." She hugged her mother. "We're going to the house."

There was a house? Well, at least they'd have enough room to add children. Grisha shook Alistair's hand. "Why don't you come over for lunch on Saturday? I'm sure Dee would like to give you the grand tour, and you can meet Hetty."

Maria smiled. "Sounds like a wonderful idea, darling. Let us know if we can bring anything? And text me the address?"

"Yes mama, I will."

One last hug between mother and daughter, and the car door closed. Maria rolled the window down. "Be careful driving home. See you on Saturday." A few moments later, the two were out of sight. She turned to her husband. "Well? You haven't scared him off?"

"I hope not. He seems honest about his feelings for her. I'm sure he'll make her happy. I just want to make sure, Maria."

She patted his knee. "Of course you do, darling. Don't push it, though. His vibe is the complete opposite of Kevin's. It's his job to make sure people are safe, I'm sure he wants to make that happen for them at home as well."

"He wants to marry her."

"I would hope so. This living together thing doesn't settle with me completely."

"Good Catholic that you are," he teased. He wrapped his arm around her. "He was nervous, but all his answers were honest. I'll have to get to know him better to know exactly who he is. But his first impression is promising."

"That was all we could hope for."

Alistair nodded and looked out of the window. Unfortunately, first impressions could be deceiving.