Ivory Ashes (Novikov Bratva Book 1) by Nicole Fox

Author:Nicole Fox [Fox, Nicole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

33

MIKHAIL

“Is bacon made from chicken?” Dante asks as he slips his third strip from the plate at the center of the table.

Viviana plucks it out of his hand just as he tries to take a bite. “No, it comes from pigs. And you’ve had two strips already. Eat your fruit and then you can have some more.”

He grumbles, but stabs a strawberry with his fork. “Do pigs come from chickens?”

Viviana sighs and launches into an explanation on why interspecies births aren’t possible, and it’s all so… normal.

I can’t remember the last time I sat down at a table and had a meal. Since Viviana and Dante moved in, I’ve taken most meals in my office. Or I get home too late and eat leftovers at the island in the dark.

This is… different.

Especially as Dante ducks his head and tries to slyly grab another piece of bacon without Viviana noticing. She lets him get all the way to the plate and lift a strip of bacon before she rears back and swats it out of his hand.

“Stuffed!” She picks up the bacon and takes a bite. “Get that outta my house, Dante. You aren’t sneaky.”

He sags in disappointment, but he can’t quite stop a smile from spreading across his face. Viviana ruffles his hair and pours him some more milk.

It’s normal, but also bizarre. Watching them feels like watching some nature documentary. Because this is nothing like breakfasts in my family.

My parents weren’t playing with me or gently reminding me to eat my fruits and vegetables. We weren’t smiling and laughing together. I can’t remember a single time my entire family sat down to share a meal.

The only reason I woke up early this morning and ordered a big breakfast is because I couldn’t stay in bed with Viviana for another minute.

She was asleep next to me, her lips parted, her lashes fluttering as she dreamed. I could have stayed there next to her for hours. But I knew when she woke up and rolled over that I’d be done for. She would blink up at me, a sleepy smile on her face, and I’d want her too fucking much. More than is good for either of us.

What are we doing, Mikhail?

I have no fucking idea.

So I got up and took a cold shower, but here I am anyway.

Wanting her.

Even worse, I want whatever Viviana and Dante have. This ease that lets them love each other and coexist.

They’ve had five years of practice, so it makes sense that they’re good at it. But it still makes me wonder if this is what things would be like if I’d known Viviana was pregnant with Dante.

Would breakfast together be the norm? Would I be the one blocking his attempts to wolf down an entire package of bacon in the morning and ignore his fruit bowl?

No.

Everything would have been different.

I never would have been that parent. We never would have been that kind of family. We can’t be. I stood over Alyona and Anzhelina’s graves and promised I’d never replace them.

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