“What is your family, um,situationlike?”
This line of questioning caught me off guard more than the murderer question had. I didn’t realize it, but my hand slowed in her hair. Addy noticed immediately, though.
“You don’t have to answer if that’s weird or if you don’t want to,” she added quickly. “I just realized I know almost nothing about you, except how criminally persuasive and not afraid of using manipulation you are.”
Readjusting against the pillows, I stared at the ceiling for a moment while my fingers resumed to slowly run through her hair.
“My mom … well, she’s still alive at least.”
“Oh.” Her warm breath ghosted over my chest. “I’m sorry you’re part of the Dead Dad’s Club, too.”
I huffed out a laugh. “It’s okay.”
Addy hummed. “Tell me about your mom.”
“She’s beautiful,” I mused. “Too beautiful, maybe. And she never wanted the life my father had.” A small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. “She had an expensive taste … and very little patience for the life my father used to live.”
“Your father was…?”
“Involved in the Russian mafia.”
“… Oh.”
“Yeah. Actually, he wasn’t just involved. He was close to the very top.”
“And your mom was…?”
“The mistress.”
She exhaled slowly. “Oh.”
This second ‘oh’ conveyed a deeper understanding.
“She didn’t particularly enjoy her position,” I calmly continued. “She also had very strong opinions about the Bratva.”
“I’m guessing she was not a fan.”
“She hated it, but where they are from, you don’t really have much of a choice. My father’s family was the law, and no one could say no to them.”
“That sounds … healthy?”
I snorted. “Yeah, fucking tell me about it. She wanted me far away from it all. That’s why we came to America.”
Addy’s fingers resumed their slow movement along my ribs.
“Did it work out for her?” she asked, caution lacing her tone.
“No. My father died — got shot in the head when a deal went wrong, from what I’ve heard — but his brother’s power extended just as far. They never lost track of us.”
Her breath caught. “I’m guessing that’s … complicated.”
I sighed. “It became even more complicated when I went to prison.”
“How come?”
“Mom came to visit at first.” I paused. “For a while, at least.”
“And then?”