Page 14 of Cherished By the BRATVA Grump

I adjust the boxes in my arms and continue to the door.

The music gets louder as I approach, enough that I can make out the heavy beat of something I don’t recognize.

I lower the boxes enough to see over the top of them, and that’s when I see her. She is dancing while she mops the floor. Moving fluidly around the tables where the chairs are hanging upside down.

I want to knock, but I’m frozen to the spot. She asked me to leave, and now I’m watching her again. As though she can feel me, she suddenly stops and turns around. She blinks a couple of times, her head tilting to the side. Then she comes to the door, and the lock clicks before she pulls it open.

“Demyan?”

Tamsin

Demyan carried the three large boxes into the café and places them on the counter.

“Eduard told me the place would be closed,” he says. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“You didn’t.” I place the mop back in the bucket. “I was just finishing up. It’s taken me longer than normal because I couldn’t find Rhodes.”

He looks around, counting the cats.

“He was hiding in the treat cupboard.”

Demyan nods. “Well, I better get going. Have a nice evening. Say hi to your mom for me.” He pushes his hand through his hair and nods before starting back towards the door.

“Wait,” I say, against my better judgment. “You said watching me move made you feel at peace. What did you mean.”

His head drops, but he lifts it again before turning around and offering a half shrug.

“I don’t know. Watching you makes my brain go quiet. Turns off all the demands that are firing off at once.”

“Can you dance?” I ask, and he immediately shakes his head.

“I’ve never been shown, never had occasion to learn.”

I lean the mop against the table and beckon him over. “Put one hand here,” I say, placing it on my lower back, “and one here.” I slide my hand into his. “Follow me and don’t think too hard about it.”

I pull him into a waltz until we’ve done it enough times that he slowly begins to lead me. He only steps on my foot once, and I pull him straight back into position when he tries to back off muttering about being sorry.

“You learn quickly,” I say. “How did that feel.”

He doesn’t say anything for a moment, but to my utter surprise, a flush creeps over his cheeks. “It felt good. But that might be because I was with you.”

“Grab the bucket,” I say, heading to the front door and locking it again. I follow him through to the back and wait for him to pour it away. Then I rinse the sink while he takes the bucket to the back corridor. “I met your other cousin yesterday. Mechislav. I’ve never seen such big burly men so utterly besotted by their women. It’s next level.” I slide my coat on and grab my purse from the hook.

He huffs out what might be a laugh.

“Yeah, that’s one way to describe it.” HE pushes his hand through his hair again and I realise he is uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry I went off the way I did the other night. I’m not going to pretend that I understand what you do or why you do it. But I should have been a little calmer and a little more respectful.”

“I don’t blame you,” he says, opening the door for me. I walk through it, and he follows, checking it’s locked by pushing back on it. “It’s just that I was born into this family and I have a duty to them. I’ve never really known anything else.”

I nod. “Yeah, I think I understand. The duty part at least. I feel a bit like that about dancing.”

“Don’t you enjoy it?” he asks, and I shrug.

“I’m not sure anymore. I feel like it will always be a part of me, but I can’t go any further with it and it’s left me feeling a little…stagnant?” I look at him to see if he understands what I mean, and he nods his head.

“That makes sense,” he says. “I think that’s how I feel with…work. Eduard said I can figure out what I want to do next and let him know and that it won’t mean I’m not part of the family anymore…but it’s all I’ve ever known.”