an annoyed look.
“It was weird, at first,” Benny admitted, “but there are apps on our phones that let us check in during the day. If I’m at the bakery, I can open the app and see the two of them having breakfast or playing. If he’s late coming home, he can check all the doors and windows and drop in on the nursery to watch our bedtime routine.”
“See?” Vivian’s brows arched as she pinned Lena in place. “Dimitri is a good dad and husband.”
Lena made a rude face at Vivian, causing Sophia to giggle. Distracted by the baby, she said, “Is Ivan going to allow your sister to come here when she gets out of jail?”
Remembering the shocked look on his face when I had asked that question earlier in the emergency room, I nodded. “We talked about it, and we’ve agreed she’s still coming here.”
“I think you’re making a mistake.” Lena gently tugged her hair from Sophia’s hand and gave her the chunky wooden bracelet from her wrist. “It’s a risk to let her back into your life.”
“She’s family,” Vivian argued. “We don’t turn our backs on family. If we did, all of us would be alone right now. All of us have had issues with our siblings or parents. None of us are perfect. Ruby made a mistake. She went to jail. She served her time. She deserves a chance to prove herself.”
“My brother turned his life around,” Benny interjected. “If she has the right support system, Ruby can make a change for the better.”
“Sure,” Lena agreed, “but Erin got attacked today because of something her sister did or knows. That’s not going to go away just because Ruby gets her life together.”
“And that’s what our men are discussing right now,” Vivian stated rather imperiously. “They’ll figure out the best way to handle it.” She tucked her skirt around her knees in a prim gesture. “Now,” she said in a tone that signaled the end of that line of discussion, “what are we going to do about Erin’s bruises and sutures? She can’t walk into Denim and Diamonds looking like she tussled in a cage match.”
Grateful for Vivian redirecting our discussion away from Ruby, I said, “I’ve been thinking about getting extensions. Maybe if one of the stylist’s at Allure can work me in, I can get them done before the gala.”
“You can have my appointment tomorrow afternoon with Nisha,” Lena offered. “I can hold off on my cut and color until her next opening.”
“Are you sure?” I knew how hard it was to get on Nisha’s book, and Lena had been going to her for years.
“Totally fine,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I’ll give her a call. If it’s okay with her, the appointment is yours.”
“Thank you.”
“Here.” Lena stood up and thrust Sophia at me. “You’re on baby duty while I make that call.”
Sophia happily clambered onto my lap, standing on my thighs to examine my face. Her big eyes took in my bruises, and she seemed to decide that pulling my hair or poking at me wasn’t the best idea. Instead, she wiggled around and plopped down on my lap, blowing raspberries and kicking her little feet. Her soft hair smelled of citrus and vanilla as I gently brushed my fingers through the wavy curls. After all the playful roughhousing with Lena, Sophia was sleepy and turned Enjoying every moment of baby snuggles, I listened as Vivian and Benny talked about their outfits for the gala.
My thoughts drifted toward Ivan and the men in his office. Whatever they were discussing, he would try to keep it from me. He always tried to shield me from that side of his life, and after the kidnapping that had happened right here on our front steps, he was paranoid about keeping me safe. Considering what had happened today, he would probably be consumed with worry.
My gaze drifted from the sweet armful of snuggly baby cuddled up against me to the entryway of the house. I tried not to think about the day Artyom had been shot and I had been taken. The memories made me feel panicked and anxious. They made me feel uncomfortable and nervous in our home.
That first day back in our home after the kidnapping, I had immediately wanted to sell. I wanted out of here. I wanted a new start in a new place without any bad memories, but I hadn’t been able to work up the courage to tell Ivan how