Gavriil (Stepanov Mafia)

Chapter Fifteen

Samantha

Devin didn’t call me for a few days, and I took that as a good sign. It meant he was digesting the information and coming to terms with it. He’d done the same thing when Dad left us. Mom told us both that Dad wouldn’t be coming back, and Devin went into his room, stayed there for three days, and when he came out again, he didn’t want to talk about it anymore. Devin just needed time to process new information, and then he would be fine.

So, when he called me after three days, I knew everything was okay.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” he said a little sheepishly. “How are you?”

“Still pregnant. How are you?”

“Supportive. Or, at least, as much as I can be. I don’t like Gavril, and I never will, but you’re my sister, and I want to be here for you.”

I smiled. “Thanks, Devin. That means a lot.”

“The kid is still going to be half of my DNA, so he’ll be half-awesome at least.”

“First of all, that is not how that works,” I said, laughing. “You are the baby’s uncle, not their dad. The baby is half of my DNA.”

“Same difference. It’s half Conway, so it’s half-good.”

It had been weeks since I’d bantered with my brother, since things had been even kind of normal between us. It was nice.

“Hopefully one day you’ll realize my child is all good.”

He grunted. “Maybe, but don’t get your hopes up.”

I sighed but didn’t say anything. This was a good start. A really good start.

“So, did you just call to tell me you are okay with me being pregnant?” I asked.

“Kind of. But I was also thinking you could meet me again.”

I bit my lower lip. To my surprise, Gavril hadn’t found out that I had met up with Devin at the diner, so I never mentioned it to him. However, risking another meeting so soon felt dangerous. At some point, I’d have to tell him I was in contact with my brother, and if I waited too long, he’d be angry with me for lying.

“Come on, Sam,” he said. “I can tell you are hesitating, but I swear I’ll be nice this time. I just want to see you.”

“Maybe we could do it next week,” I suggested. That would give me plenty of time to warm Gavril up to the idea of me spending time with my brother.

“I can’t guarantee next week. I might be busy.”

I snorted. “Doing what?”

“Working,” he said haughtily.

“Are you serious? You got a job?”

“Interviewed this morning, and they offered it to me on the spot. I’m going to work the phones at a collection agency.”

“You’re going to be those annoying people who call and pester people about paying their bills?”

“I know, I know. It’s lame, but it pays well and has benefits. It’s honest work.”

My chest warmed. Everything was turning around. My mom was being taken care of, my brother was using his second chance at life to put himself on the straight and narrow, and I was going to be a mom. Nothing was happening the way I’d expected, but it was perfect in its own way.

“That is amazing, Dev. I am so proud of you.”

He dismissed my sappy compliment with a cough. “I’m free today, and I drove by a baby store on the way to the interview this morning. I can text you the address. I’d love to buy something for my future niece or nephew.”

“You don’t need to get me anything.”

“First, I have a job now, so I can afford it. Second, it isn’t for you. It’s for my niece or nephew. What do you say?”

Devin sounded happy. He sounded like he was finally getting his life on the right track, so it was hard to turn him down and disappoint him. The last time we’d met, I’d told him that it didn’t seem like he cared about me, but now he was trying. He wanted to be supportive and be a good uncle, and I wanted to encourage that. I wanted him to be in my child’s life. So, I agreed.

“Thanks, Sam. I’ll text you the address. Be there in an hour and ditch the security if you can. I’d rather it just be the two of us.”

“Unfortunately, the security is part of the deal. But I’ll be there.”

Eric didn’t question me when I told him I wanted to leave; he just plugged in the address for the baby store into the GPS and left. He even kept his distance, waiting twenty seconds after I got out of the car to walk inside and follow me.

The store was in a large metal building, like a warehouse. Metal shelving was stacked nearly to the ceiling, and employees had to ride on scissor lifts to reach the merchandise on the top shelf. The building was an explosion of blue, pink, and pastel, and everything was soft and plush. Devin wasn’t waiting at the front of the store, so I walked down the first aisle, dragging my hand across stacks of fleece baby blankets and stuffed teddy bears.