Where the Snow Falls (Seasons of Betrayal #2) - London Miller Page 0,16
the kitchen. Nervousness settled deep in Violet.
He hadn't said people were coming over.
She wasn’t even properly dressed.
Still, his hand tightened to her leg as if he didn’t plan to let her leave, either.
“Kaz?”
The new voice stunned Violet for a second—it was female.
The second voice, gruffer and deeper, didn’t sound pleased at all. “Maya, goddamn, woman. You don’t need to be shouting in someone’s house, no? It’s not even noon yet. Ostanovit with that shit, huh?”
“Shut up, Kolya.”
Violet’s brow raised a little higher as a petite, dark-haired woman barreled into the kitchen with a grin firmly planted on her face. Her gaze quickly took in Violet, but just as fast, it moved to Kaz. She was almost pixie-like in appearance and small-framed like a dancer, maybe. The short, spiked style of her hair certainly added to her whole fairy aura.
“You are here,” Maya said. “And that asshole didn't tell me.”
“That asshole is right here, Maya.”
The man who strolled in behind Maya, a scowl etched onto his strong features, looked like he wanted to be just about anywhere but there at that moment. He stood a good foot and a half taller than the girl did and looked to be at least two-hundred pounds, if not more, of solid muscle. His size, mixed in with the dismissive attitude he sported, screamed ‘back off.’ Violet wasn’t quite sure what to make of that, but the man’s—Kolya, the girl had said—dark eyes barely passed Violet a glance.
In fact, he only looked at Kaz.
“I tried,” he offered, saying nothing else. “She’s nosy as shit.”
Maya’s hand swung out and smacked Kolya hard in the stomach. “Shut up, you.”
Kolya barely reacted. “Sorry, Kaz.”
Kaz shrugged. “All’s good.”
For him, maybe.
Violet still didn’t know who these people were. She put her hand over Kaz’s on her thigh and squeezed, trying to convey her questions without outright asking. She didn’t want to be rude to people she figured were probably his friends.
Even if the man across the room still didn’t look all that approachable or friendly.
She really wished she had put on some goddamn pants.
Kaz pressed a quick kiss to her cheek and helped her down from the stool. Standing, Violet was grateful the dress shirt fell to her mid-thigh and kept her decent enough. Kaz stood, too, taking his coffee with him.
“Couldn’t wait a couple of days, Maya?” Kaz asked.
Maya rocked on her heels. “Why should I? You didn’t even bother to tell me you were coming to the city.”
Kaz nodded in Violet’s direction. “Maybe I had a reason for that, no?”
“I didn’t know that, either!” Maya’s bright blue eyes swung back to Violet’s quiet form; she looked her over and grinned a little wider. “Hi. Maya”—she pointed at herself then at Kolya—“and Mr. Asshole here is Kolya. Don’t mind him; he didn’t get his hugs this morning.”
For a brief second, Kolya’s schooled, cold features cracked as surprise flitted over his face, and he glanced down at the woman. “Maya—”
“What’s your name?” she asked, ignoring him completely.
Kolya sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Maya, no.”
Kaz chuckled. “Be nice, yeah? She’s not hurting anyone.”
“Maya, sure, but—”
“I was talking about Violet,” Kaz interrupted smoothly, his smile gone as he passed Kolya an indecipherable look.
Even Maya quieted at that, and the girl seemed like a ball of energy that didn’t know how to be silent or still. Violet figured out that much in just the short time she’d spent in her presence. People like that were hard not to like.
Kolya’s features blanked again, his gaze hard as he looked at Violet and then at Kaz. “She cares—likes you. I don’t want those sorts of problems. You know how she is.”
“She is right here,” Maya snapped.
Kaz’s hand came up to cup the back of Violet’s neck gently, but he looked at Kolya as he spoke. “Somewhere else, yes? Upstairs, outside. Whatever. Not here.”
Kolya frowned. “Fine. Maya—”
“Stays,” Kaz said. “No harm.”
Then Kaz gave Violet a smile and another quick kiss to the corner of her mouth. “Drink your coffee, get dressed, hmm? I’ll be back.”
Still not quite sure what had happened or what was wrong, Violet watched Kaz stroll out of the kitchen with Kolya following close on his heels. But not before he tugged playfully on a short strand of Maya’s hair as he left.
The action alone was affectionate enough for Violet to know the two were in a relationship.
As soon as the two men were gone, Maya turned back on Violet.