Then again, after I’d discussed it and now thought of it, I did find it cute also.
Adrik got my heart racing, palms sweating, blood pumping, and my dick thickening.
Still, I wasn’t ready for the next move. I still had doubts and fears to work through.
A knock sounded on the front door. Dimitri, who sat in the living room with Country, Tech, State, and his woman, Courtney, called, “I will get it.”
Wreck glared down at Adrik for some reason. Of course, Adrik reciprocated it with a sinister smirk. I didn't understand their hate for one another, but Lucas told me not to worry about it. Kylo had also mentioned it was just their way of measuring who had the biggest dick. I wasn’t sure who had won, since they ignored each other most of the time.
“Adrik,” Dimitri said, coming into the dining room.
“Da?”
“It is your parents.”
Oh shit.
My stomach dropped to my feet, and I gulped. Adrik had told me about them. Said they’d stuck around to meet me before they went back to Russia, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready to see them, because they knew what had happened.
Paling, I stood. “I’m… um, going for a walk.”
Shit, the front door was through the living room. My bedroom was through the living room.
“Now?” Lucas said, shock evident in his tone.
“Ah, sure.” I nodded. At least I could go out the back door.
“But your back,” Lucas tried.
“It’s better.” And it was. The ache was always there, but from what Lucas told me, the burn, that fucking burn, had scabbed over. The cuts were also healing, so I didn’t see why a walk would be bad.
“West,” Adrik started.
I couldn’t look at him. Shame had my stomach twisting. “Sorry,” I whispered.
“Son?”
I jolted from the voice behind me and then froze.
Fuck my life. I should have kept an eye on the doorway behind me instead of my exit.
Adrik stood. “Father, it is good to see you.”
“You also.”
“Lucas, we have that thing to do,” Wreck said.
I pulled my wide gaze up as my pulse sped up. Don’t you dare leave me, I sent telepathically, but of course, I didn’t have that power.
“Right, yes, that thing.” Lucas nodded. “Excuse us.”
“Adrik” came a female Russian voice.
“Mama.” I saw Adrik embrace a shorter woman out the corner of my eyes.
“Saint.”
“Yeah, we’ve also got something to get to.” Saint smiled.
“Good to see you both, Mr. and Mrs. Mikhaillova,” Kylo added before he too deserted me.
“I ain’t got a good lie, so I’m just gonna say I’m outta here to give you all some privacy,” Death said as he stood.
My mouth unlocked in time to reach for my last escape. “Death, I have to talk to you about that job.”
Death snorted. “Kid, don’t even try it. We can talk later.” He gave me a two-finger salute and left.
“West,” Mrs. Mikhaillova said softly.
I was out of luck. I had to face them, since running from the room wasn’t a cool thing to do. Not if I wanted to keep Adrik in my life. Sweat formed on my hands and the back of my neck from nerves.
My face bright red, I turned to see an older version of Adrik and a woman who looked like a fairy with beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes.
“West, this is my father, Nicholai, and my mother, Annika. Papa, Mama, this is West.”
Tears pooled in Annika’s eyes, causing my bottom lip to tremble and emotions to rise. I cleared my throat, opened my mouth, but only a sound came out. I pressed my shaky fingers to my lips. My eyes widened again.
Nicholai’s jaw clenched. I worried I’d failed him or Adrik for a moment until he stepped forward, cupped the back of my neck, and pressed his forehead against mine. I slammed my eyes closed as they welled and a sob caught in my throat.
“I am sorry for what you have been through.”
Reaching up, I gripped his wrist and held on.
“I am sorry for the pain you have. But you are here. You have the heart of our son, so I know your life will get better. You will have a cherished life wanting for nothing. A life well deserved to you.”
My throat thickened. He didn’t know me. He only knew his son cared for me.
Nicholai pulled back. My eyes fluttered and tears dropped. Nicholai smiled and gently patted my shoulder. “It is good to meet you, West.”
I nodded, unable to speak, worried I’d cry like a little boy.
Nicholai moved aside, and Annika stepped up. I flinched when her hands cupped my face. Shivers ghosted over me, and more tears pooled at her soft expression. But I couldn’t stop the fear from rising. My breath became ragged. After all, it was a woman who did the damage to me.
“Nyet, Mama,” Adrik tried.
She didn’t listen. “It is hard knowing others have heard what happened. You are a brave, handsome man who was mistreated by people who should only love.”
My blood froze.
I didn’t want to hear this.
I didn’t want to deal.
I shook my head, lifting my hands. I pressed them against her arms and shook my head again.
“Mama,” Adrik growled.
She ignored him. “It was they who were born wrong. Their minds were corrupted. Not yours.” A noise escaped through my lips. My body vibrated with the need to get away from her words. But her hands slid to my shoulders, her grip tightening a little.
“Mama, dolvol’no,” Adrik clipped, and I felt him move closer.
“Adrik,” his father warned.
Annika said softly, “No mother should hurt their child.”
“Don’t,” I begged.
“Dolvol’no,” Adrik yelled. I heard a shuffle, but I couldn’t look away from Annika.
One of her hands cupped the side of my neck. “She was a monster. She was evil. Know that if you were my son, I would love you with every breath I take.”
“Please,” I choked, tears blinding me as they filled and dropped.
“I would love you, West, because you are none of those things she said to you.”
“Then why?” I screamed. “Why did she do it to me?” I dropped to my knees, and Annika came with me, cradling my head as I bent over, letting the agony take over. “Why would she do it?”
“Because she was never blessed with love. She did not understand what an amazing child she created. She was lost in her own created world of lies and hatred. She was lost, West. But you are not. You are here with us. You are loved. I may not know you, but I already know I will love you, my boy. I will.”
“It’s not fair,” I uttered through cries.
“You are right. It is not,” Annika said softly. “But all we can do is keep moving, keep going, and pray nothing like that happens again.” I nodded and held her tightly as I cried once more over the injustice of all that happened to me.
“Enough now,” Adrik said, his tone harsh. “You are in America, not Russia. Not everyone likes tough love,” he snarled.
I didn’t want him upset with his parents. Even though I felt as if a truck had hit me, I knew I needed this.
Lifting up, I scrubbed at my face and sucked in a shuddering breath. The agony seemed easier to breathe through. I glanced up at Adrik, who stood with his arms crossed, glaring at his parents.