“Darling,” Vasily interjected quickly, coming around the island to stand before them, his eyes gone cold as he stared at Kaz, even as he addressed her. “Ruslan is very busy. I’ve told you this, no?”
“I’m sure he could make it,” Kaz said, making sure to keep the smile on his face. “After all, nothing’s more important than family, right?”
Vasily wouldn’t deny that, not in front of the girls, and though he was probably boiling with anger, it was his turn to bite his tongue.
“So how about this,” Kaz said giving each of them a squeeze. “You give me a time and a place and I’ll make sure he’s there, even if I have to escort him here myself.”
“You’re the best, Kaz,” Dina said as she and her sister started out of the kitchen, probably in search of Irina. “And we’ll text you the name of the store.”
“Do it now so you won’t forget.”
She yelled her affirmation as they disappeared around the same corner Irina had taken earlier, leaving Kaz standing with a newly pissed off father.
Would it ever be any other way?
“You pull that kind of stunt again,” Vasily muttered. “I won’t be as forgiving.”
“Duly noted. We done here? I’ve got things to take care of.” He had fuck-all to take care of, but he was more than ready to get away from Vasily. If they spent too much time together, tempers were bound to flare.
Dismissing him with a wave of his hand, Vasily said, “Get out of my sight.”
Kaz was almost to the mouth of the kitchen when Vasily called out to him once more, making him pause and look back.
“Stay away from the Gallucci girl. I mean it.”
Offering him a salute and nothing more, Kaz went in search of his mother to say goodbye, knowing that despite his silent agreeance, he couldn’t make that guarantee.
Violet kept her head bent down and her hands joined with her friends on both sides. Her father, at the head of the table like always, finished saying grace with his usual solemn thanks and little else. Violet had always thought that when it came to their family, religion was more for show than having actual faith in a higher power that protected them.
After all, her family wasn’t exactly what she would call good people.
Well-dressed, sure. Nicely cultured and polite, absolutely. Rich, yes.
Sin was still sin, underneath it all.
“The opening collection for your mother’s designs is next week,” Nicole said to Violet’s left.
Violet reached across the table for a bowl of mixed vegetables to add onto her plate. She didn’t respond to Nicole because she hadn’t asked her a question, but instead, she had stated the obvious.
“We decided on what we’re wearing,” Amelia put in.
Nodding, Violet continued filling her plate. Scrapes of utensils echoed in the dining room, along with murmurs from several voices. It was common for her father to have large dinners, and to open his doors to his closest men and their families. Most times, these dinners happened last minute, and Violet would receive a simple text, telling her a time to show up.
Today had been the exception.
Her father sent a car.
Clearly, Alberto was still a little pissed off.
Her stunt, nearly two weeks before, with the club in Coney Island was not being overlooked.
Each time she had tried to sit down and talk to him since it happened, he hadn’t seemed to have a word to say back to her.
Actually, he mostly ignored her.
“Okay, what gives?” Nicole asked.
Violet’s fork, filled with a cut of prime steak, froze midway to her mouth. “I beg your pardon?”
Amelia sighed to Violet’s right. “You’ve been quiet since we got here. You can’t be that pissed off at us, Violet. We didn’t do anything that you didn’t do.”
Violet was still confused as hell. “Again, what?”
“Telling our dads what happened,” Nicole supplied.
Ah.
Violet shrugged. “I’m not angry.”
“Then why aren’t you talking?” Amelia asked.
“Because I don’t care about my mother’s reveal for her upcoming collection or what anyone wears to it,” Violet said.
Yeah, maybe she was a little pissed at her friends, if she thought about it. She understood her father when he explained that she was the one responsible for her friends when they went out because of who she was, but her friends knew better.
And she didn’t feel like pretending that they were innocent.
“Wow,” Nicole muttered.
Violet frowned, feeling just a little bit guilty. Maybe the girls hadn’t done anything that she wouldn’t have done if put in their position. And they’d been her friends—since forever.
“There’s a shop on Sixteenth Street,” Violet said, deciding she didn’t want to play the bitchy game with the girls. “Ma mentioned it. Anything she says is good has to be gold, right? Maybe I’ll head over there and check it out, see what I can find.”
The thought of sitting through another one of her mother’s collection reveals was almost revolting, but Violet didn’t have much of a choice. Her friends weren’t the first to bring it up.