I stoodoff to the side and waited for Nikolay and Catalina to come down.
She had a lot to pack, mostly because Nikolay was indulgent, so it was only fair that he be the one to help her pack.
Mikhail came out, his blond hair wet from a recent shower.
He seemed to be doing better, all things considered, but he had always been good at hiding his emotions.
Always so quiet.
He would endure death before he let anyone around him know he wasn’t okay.
“Stop looking at me like that,” he said gruffly, coming up and punching me on the shoulder.
I let out a small grunt and glared at him.
He smiled.
Fucker.
“I’m doing okay,” he said.
“You would be saying that even if you weren’t.”
“Oh, like you’re so talkative.”
“You’re just like me. That’s why I know you won’t say anything. I have to keep a closer watch on you.”
He wiggled his eyebrows. “I didn’t know you were in love with me, man. I think I can live with that, but if you come toward me with that humongous dick of yours, I’ll start shooting.”
I rolled my eyes, and he laughed.
“You have been hanging out with Nikolay too much. You’re starting to sound like him.”
“What? Don’t tell me you have a crush on little Nico, too.”
“Who's got a crush on me?” Nikolay asked, coming down the stairs, holding Catalina’s hand. “Is it you, princess? Because I already know that.”
“I don’t have a crush on you,” she said quietly, pulling her hand away. I raised an eyebrow over that. I wondered what he’d done to piss her off.
“Ah, princess, don’t be like that.”
“Whatever,” she muttered, walking up to Mikhail.
I looked at her and knew she was aware of my gaze on her by the blush on her cheek.
She pretended not to notice. I smiled a little at that and was about to say something about it when Gabriel came into the room.
“Were you just going to leave without saying goodbye?”
“Oh, yeah,” I said without heat. “We’ve seen enough of your ugly mug to last a lifetime.”
He pretended to clutch his chest, making Catalina smile.
He turned to her. “Princess, you are looking beautiful today. Are you sure you don’t want to stay with me and leave these bastardos to go home alone?”
I was sure he used Nikolay’s nickname for her on purpose.
Sure enough, Nikolay walked up with a dark look in his eyes and pulled Catalina close.