“Want to talk about it?” he asked her as he leaned against the wall near her station. He indicated a steaming mug. “My mother sent me over. I can see her timing was spookily perfect.”
Irena had some witchy ways. “I don’t want to talk about it,” she said. “Not now, at any rate. I have a full schedule and I need to focus on that.”
He nodded. “Later, I was headed over to Whiskey Sharp for a drink. How about we have one and unwind?”
She could think of some other ways he could help her unwind after that drink as well.
“Yes, that sounds good. I’ll meet you over there at seven thirty?”
He shook his head. “I’ll come by to get you at seven thirty and we’ll walk over together.”
“I don’t need you to escort me.”
He kept that charming smile in place. “Of course you don’t. It might come as a surprise but I enjoy being with you.”
She could have told him to fuck off and that she’d meet him there. Underline her earlier point. He’d respect it and give her the space she wanted.
But.
She liked being with him too. And it was nice that he wanted to walk with her the short distance to Whiskey Sharp.
“If we come in together, they’ll all know we’re together.”
“Yes, that will be another benefit.”
He made her laugh. Real laughter. Because he was so delightful and wonderful and apparently he was all good with the whole world knowing they were dating.
Cora cruised over. “That’s handled. Don’t give it another thought.”
“Sure. That’s going to happen.”
Cora smirked. “I know, baby. But she came to deliver his message. Like a good little lap dog.”
“He’s going to fight the order,” Rachel told Vic.
He nodded. “You figured he would. Doesn’t mean you won’t get one though. Just that he’s going to say he isn’t an asshole who terrorizes his children to get his own way.”
Rachel sighed. He was right. Cora was right. It was all going to be a mess her father created and she had to accept that while keeping him at arm’s length as long as she could.
“I need to let Maybe know about this. What if she goes over there?”
Vic’s smile flattened. “Alexsei wouldn’t allow it.”
“And let’s be honest, they don’t care about Maybe in any way except that she’s a way to get to you,” Cora said.
And it was true and hurtful and Rachel hated it. But she supposed in this instance it was a good thing.
“I’ll save it then. Tell her in person instead of calling and ruining her day. She’d only worry about me,” Rachel said before shoving a cookie into her face.
“She’s your protector. It fills her with pride to do that.”
It was super adorable that Vic understood what it meant to Maybe to keep Rachel safe instead of the other way around. No matter how uncomfortable Rachel was with it—she was the older sister after all, she should be protecting Maybe—she knew her sister loved her and took that role seriously. Especially in the aftermath of the kidnapping.
Not that it was fair that her little sister had to be her protector. Rachel hated it. But it was a complicated thing to express that and not insult Maybe. She stepped carefully because her sister meant the world to her, had been at her side through all the worst moments. Rachel never wanted to take that for granted, or to do anything that hurt Maybe if she could help it.
Then she realized Vic might have meant that as it applied to his life and the loss of his brother to substance abuse, which had been a foe no one could successfully protect Danil from.
He was always so smooth and charming that it was easy to forget the layers beneath that surface. And now that she’d seen more of those layers, they only drew her to him with more urgency.
“Hopefully it’ll keep the focus on me and not her. She doesn’t need another moment of pain from them.”
“You can’t keep her heart safe. It’s also impossible to tell your sister what to do.”
Rachel laughed at the truth of that.
“I have a client coming in a few minutes. Thanks for the tea and cookies. I’ll see you at seven thirty.”
If he stayed she’d find it harder to get anything done. He was a distraction. In a good way most of the time. But she had work to do and gawking at his butt and forearms wasn’t part of it.
Unfortunately.
She needed him to go back to his day so she could do the same and focus on something less heartbreaking than this mess with her dad.
He let her guide him to the door, smiling and waving at the other tattoo artists watching them both with unhidden curiosity. They were a close-knit group and the moment they got the chance, they’d leap on her for details.
Then he stepped into her space, crowding her, but she didn’t retreat. He dipped down to kiss her. A brief, affectionate and lovely kiss.
“See you later, sweet.”
He protected her and laid a very public claim on her at her job and she was all goofy and love struck and it felt sort of awesome.
She watched him lope off down the sidewalk, surprisingly graceful for such a big guy, and also conveniently was able to check out his butt.
When she turned, half the shop had been staring out the window at him walking away.
“What? You of all people should realize how amazing he is to watch walk down the street,” Finley told her.
“She’s totally right,” Cora said of her sister’s comments. “I think you should call your lawyer. Let her know about this. Just to keep her updated.” She pointed a stolen cookie Rachel’s way to underline her point.
“It’s a Sunday. I’ll send her a quick email.” But Rachel knew the score. Her mom hadn’t made any threats and had left. Her father hadn’t been there.
But her mother had delivered the message. Her father was going to fight to remain in Rachel’s life even though she’d gone to a judge to keep him away. And her mother was, as ever, his errand girl.
So she tapped out the note, addressed it to her attorney and deliberately decided to focus on the work.
CHAPTER NINE
VIC WAS GLAD of the opportunity to take a brisk walk back to the bakery. It gave him the chance to work off some of his anger at the situation. How fucking dare that woman come to Rachel’s workplace and upset her that way? These people, her parents, were garbage. They didn’t deserve the kids they had.
They certainly didn’t deserve to keep twisting the knife into the wounds they created with their shitty parenting.
He hated them. Hated that it ripped at her heart. The mother had the same holier-than-thou attitude her husband had. Self-righteous.
Vic changed course to Whiskey Sharp. If his mother saw him in this state, it would only upset her. But Alexsei would know what this felt like. He could vent to his cousin. On Sundays they opened late and did happy hour cuts and shaves. Sundays featured a gin-heavy specials menu so he had extra incentive.
While he waited for his gin and tonic, he sat in Alexsei’s chair and found some relaxation in a shave and a trim before he and his cousin settled in with drinks to chat about what had driven Vic there.
After he gave the details—quietly because Maybe was just across the room—Vic sighed, sitting back and waiting for Alexsei’s response.
“These fucking people,” Alexsei snarled in a whisper. “Let Rachel tell her sister. Maybe is going to be agitated that I knew and didn’t tell her first. But she and Rachel have a relationship that comes before anything else.”
“You say that like a warning.”
Alexsei’s laugh was rueful. “You know as well as I do how close they are. And this garbage with their parents is something I’d love to squash. But you also know as well as I do that Rachel and Maybe see themselves as one. United as a front against their pare
nts.”
“Doesn’t mean we can’t be there to help.” Vic sipped his drink.
“No. But it means we have to be smart about it. The Dolan sisters aren’t going to tolerate anyone getting between them.”
Vic watched Maybe finish up with a customer. “That one is clearly soft in the head to be in love with you.”
Alexsei smirked and held his glass aloft. “If you think I won’t use that to my advantage you don’t know me well at all.”
Vic clinked his tumbler against his cousin’s. He too would use all the tricks in his book to make Rachel fall in love with him and keep her satisfied at his side.
“I’m no longer half in love with her. I’m head over heels in love with her,” he said.
Alexsei’s expression told Vic he’d known.
“I think I’ve been in love with her for about a year, but the last few months—even before we started dating—it’s been pretty undeniable.”
Alexsei said nothing, just listened.
“It wasn’t the sex. Not that it wasn’t astounding.” Mind-blowing. Raw and intense and addictive. Especially the part afterward when she was loose and playful. “It’s her heart. A warrior. A poet. She fells me, Lyosha.”
Maybe caught sight of them and smiled.
His cousin smiled back. “Such gifts come to us in unexpected packages,” he said in Russian.
So fucking true.
“I told her about Danil.”
One of Alexsei’s brows rose. “I’d been wondering if and when you would.”
“She feels guilt for this situation with her parents. I wanted her to know she wasn’t alone.” Vic paused a moment. “There’s something about her. Like there’s no one else on earth who sees me the way she does. I just wanted her to know I understood.”
“For a while I was worried,” Alexsei said. “It seemed like she was deliberately not seeing just how destructive their parents were being with Maybe. But I have seen so much since. So much that has convinced me your Rachel would move mountains for her sister.”
Maybe scampered over and slid into the chair between Alexsei and Vic. “Hi!”
Vic smiled at his cousin’s girlfriend. He liked her a great deal. Had already considered her like family. By that point, Vic saw the sisters as a positive influence on one another. And on his family as well.
She was very cheerful, which amused Vic endlessly as Alexsei was dour and liked quiet and he’d gone and fallen for a chirpy little hummingbird, always making noise, always moving.
“Hello, darling. How are you today?” Vic asked her.
“Not so bad. Good tips. Lots of handsome men to ogle.” She laughed as Alexsei rolled his eyes.
“Your sister will be joining us in a bit. Something happened today but I promised to let her give you all the details.”
Her smile darkened. “I like that you told me. I was pretty sure you would. She texted that she had something to tell me. Cora is coming over here as well so whatever happened I’m guessing it happened at the shop and you saw it.”
Naturally Maybe had already been piecing together whatever had happened. Though really the only drama in their lives appeared to be caused by their parents so it wasn’t much of a mystery.
“You have a thing for my sister,” Maybe said after staring at him for several moments.
Vic laughed at that. “You say that as if you’re surprised.”
“Not surprised you’re hot for her. Duh. She’s gorgeous and talented and totally mysterious. Who wouldn’t be hot for her? And you’ve been around the house a lot lately and she’s been sort of goofy and lets you kiss her in front of other people.”
“It’s nice she indulges me as I like to kiss her, and sometimes when the impulse arises we’re around other people.”
Maybe’s delighted laugh made everyone around them smile at the sound.
Alexsei just heaved one of his oh-so-put-upon sighs at the back-and-forth between Vic and Maybe. He, like Rachel, was the quiet one in a relationship with a talker.
But Vic knew his cousin’s game. He adored Maybe, including her constant chirping and playful nature. It evened him out. Gave him balance. The sighs and eye rolls were for show. Mainly.
“When she was with Brad there were very few PDA moments. Granted I didn’t see them on a day-to-day basis as we lived on opposite coasts. But in the time they were together I don’t think I saw her snuggle him. Or kiss him romantically in public. And I bet you would never be with a woman who didn’t like that.”
Vic gave Alexsei a look but his cousin shook his head. “It works out best for me when she’s in other people’s business.”
Maybe sputtered, socking Alexsei’s arm. “Just for that, next round is on you.”
When he moved to comply and order them another round of drinks, Vic turned to Maybe. “I can’t say whether I’d like it or not. It’d be an individual thing most likely. Your sister likes to be petted.”
Maybe’s brows flew up as she hooted her surprise. “My god. She is so sweet on you. Petted. I’ve known my sister all my life and no one has ever said that about her.”
“No one knew she needed petting, apparently. It’s a good thing I do.” If anyone needed petting it was Rachel. She needed cosseting and spoiling, snuggling and adoring.
“You really get her, don’t you?”
“No. Not yet and probably never all the way. She’s got a complicated life full of complicated history. But I do get that she feels a lot of guilt for things she had no control over. And I get that instead of being lauded for what kind of shot she was, or how fast she rose up the ranks of her last job, she needs people who see her heart and don’t flinch away.”
Vic hadn’t really meant to say all that, but it came out nonetheless. He wanted Maybe to approve of him not just as a fun companion to date her sister, but find him worthy of Rachel.
“Yep. You see her all right. That’s nice. You have my permission to court her. Or whatever you want to call it.”
Charmed, Vic leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Thank you, darling.” It wasn’t a joke, he understood that if she hadn’t liked him, or worse, felt him unworthy of Rachel in any way, she’d have made it clear.
“My parents are going to continue messing with her. My dad doesn’t...he’s not used to being thwarted.”
“It’s not even about what’s best for Rachel at this point.” He hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but now that he had, he needed to be careful. There was so much love and loyalty all tied up in the situation.
“No. I’m not sure it has been for a long time. They want to be in charge because that’s what they want. Or, let’s be totally honest, what he wants. My mother is just going to do whatever he tells her to do.”
It made him want to punch her father in his fucking face. At least three times.
“She’s so logical. It’s hard to deal with something so illogical when you’re that way. She can’t understand why they’d want to hurt me to get to her. Or hurt her because she won’t give in to what he wants. He will, Vic. He will destroy whatever he has to to get his way.”
“He underestimates Rachel. And you.”
“He’s high on himself.” She shrugged. “He used to ease back on it around Rachel. Gotta keep up appearances and all.”
“But now she’s seen the truth.” Which would make him far more aggressive, anxious to get his way even if he had to force his way through.
“He won’t be willing to believe he broke their relationship. Not even at this point after that scene in our living room. Not even after she had the court tell him to leave her alone.”
Ice slid down Vic’s spine. He worried for them both so much, protective of each sister for different reasons. Richie Dolan was unstable and that only made him more dangerous to those people Vic cared about.
He’d need to stay on the alert, but be sneaky about it becaus
e his Rachel wasn’t one to be handled. Even when she needed it.
Strong, independent women were a lot of work. But good god above, they were worth it.
“He’ll stay backed off if I have anything to say about it. I’ll stand between him and the two of you. Understand that.”
Maybe smiled prettily. “You and Alexsei are really very sweet. Also if you think my sister is going to let you do that, you’re really missing the point of who she is.”
“More now than ever, I believe. Finding out the extent of the abuses you were subjected to, things that happened and she didn’t save you from. She kept trying to get them to accept you and be kinder and that whole time they were messing with you. And then they used you to hurt her.” Vic wanted to say more but he didn’t want Rachel to feel uncomfortable or like they’d been gossiping behind her back.
“My sister is a mama bear. He really has no idea what he unleashed with this whole thing. All this time Rachel has been focused inward. You know? Getting her head and heart in order as she also got physically better. She’s like a shark, always moving, always thinking. What he’s done is awaken that protective part of her and aimed it at himself. Like a wildfire. He’s the enemy now. The target or suspect. He never really understood how good she was at her old job. He’ll find out now.”
“Perhaps that’s for the best. The painful lessons are the ones that stick.” Vic shrugged.
“I just hate that it’ll hurt her too. But it would anyway I suppose. Now you get to be part of the conspiracy against them. My dad is going to see your relationship with her as something I put you up to. Just more of me interfering in her life to manipulate her. Bend her to my villainous will.”
“I’m sorry this is happening. I’ll help however I can.” He’d shield them as best he could.
For the time being, he needed to head to Ink Sisters to pick Rachel and Cora up. He wanted to be sure her father wasn’t lurking around. Though, to be honest, Rachel could probably handle a physical threat better than he could.
He’d hold her bag while she kicked ass, he supposed with a smirk.
CHAPTER TEN