SILENCED: A Russian Mafia, Hades & Persephone Retelling (The Forgotten Boys Book 1) by Serena Akeroyd

Author:Serena Akeroyd [Akeroyd, Serena]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Serena Akeroyd Publishing Ltd.
Published: 2023-05-31T18:30:00+00:00

27

CASSIE

Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap

I can tell he doesn’t want to, but Nikolai spells, “This is Dmitri.”

The younger man beams a grin at me as he holds out a hand. When he doesn’t shake mine, just raises it to his lips to kiss my knuckles, I get the feeling he knows he’s playing a game of Russian roulette—ha, I’m so fucking funny—from the twinkle in his eye.

Beneath me, Nikolai is like stone. Every second within Dmitri’s proximity has him growing tenser and tenser until the other man lets go of me and flops back in the seat opposite us.

We’re sitting in the courtyard beyond the pool with a parasol shading us.

Though I’m wearing yet another sundress that was laid out for me by the housekeeping fairies, the only concession to the unseasonably warm weather from these two is a pair of shades.

Their three-piece suits—they’re even wearing vests—have to be miserably hot but they don’t look flushed or overheated.

Maybe it’s the Russian in them? Ice-cold to their souls…

Still, they might be frigid in nature, but in appearance, I’m the one who needs to be chilled. They do a lot of things wrong over in the motherland, but breeding beautiful men is something they do very, very right.

Dmitri’s bright blue eyes dance as, without asking, he pours himself some lemonade from the glass jug that’s perspiring on the table, confirming what I already know—they’re close.

Most of the people around the estate don’t dare make eye contact with Nikolai, never mind pour themselves a drink without invitation.

Is he one of the brothers Nikolai saved from that orphanage fire?

I’ve seen a few men approach Nikolai and when they do, I imagine it’d be my response to coming face-to-face with one of the alligators that he insists aren’t pets.

But, in my opinion, if you name an animal ‘Vasily,’ they’re a pet, no?

“It’s nice to meet you. ‘Mute’ has been all quiet on the western front where you’re concerned,” Dmitri mocks, his accent purely American.

Not a hint of their home to the words.

Huh.

So, maybe he was born in the US?

Is he…

The kid with the Yankees cap!

Now that I’ve put a name to the face, I can see it in the smiling eyes and the cocky smirk.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but who are you?” What are you? That’s my real question. Aside from rude, that is.

Who calls a mute person, ‘Mute?’

“He’s a pain in my ass.”

I hide a smile at the words Nikolai signs—I knew it. Affection. No anger so that must be a sucky nickname?

“Nikolai is my father.”

My brows go for a hike. “You have a son?”

I can’t see behind his shades, so I don’t know what’s going on with his eyes. “You’re looking at him.”

“You were young when you…” I clear my throat and, spying Dmitri’s amusement, mutter, “I mean, you’re in your mid-twenties, surely?”

“I am,” Dmitri agrees. “Unfortunately, I had a sperm donor before Nikolai.”

“Oh!” I glower at him. “Would it have been so difficult to clarify that?”

Nikolai waves a dismissive hand that makes me want to throw the lemonade at his head.

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