Free When I Love (Vassi & Seri 3: Russian Stepbrother Romance) by Marian Tee

any of my friends’ places. I don’t want to get them involved.”
    Vassi nodded even though half of his attention was still attuned to Seri. In the corner of his eye, he saw her head to the couch, where she had placed her bag and a couple of graphic novels.
    “Can I ask a favor, Grachyov?”
    As Daniela spoke, Seri looked up and he swiftly turned away before Seri realized he had been watching her.
    “What is it?”
    “Could I crash at your place tonight?”
    He saw Seri stumble almost right after Daniela’s question, and something inside of him felt… glad.
    Vassi heard himself say, “Sure.”
    Seri walked out of the recording studio in a daze. Had she heard them right? Had Daniela asked if she could stay at Vassi’s place, and had Vassi really said yes? Granted, she knew that Vassi was still staying in the family home, and that meant they wouldn’t even be alone.
    But even so---
    It wasn’t like not being alone had ever mattered to Vassi , she thought numbly as she pressed the up button for the elevator. Shelby was proof of that. Oh God, she herself was proof of that.
    Behind her, Seri heard Vassi and Daniela’s voices, and she quickly pressed the button again even knowing it wasn’t going to do any good. A few moments later, the doors finally opened, and she nearly threw herself in it. She reached for the down button---
    Vassi suddenly appeared in front of her---
    D’err mo.
    He grinned. “Hold it for us, will you?”
    Never. She grinned back at him. “Of course.”
    “Ladies first,” Vassi said as he turned towards Daniela.
    The other girl unceremoniously shoved him inside. “Stop pretending you’re a gentleman. It’s just making my skin crawl.”
    Vassi chuckled. “You always did have a way with words.”
    As the doors slid close, Daniela rolled her eyes. “No, Grachyov. It’s just that I’m the only girl who tells you the truth.”
    Seri stared hard at the elevator doors. Why couldn’t she have superpowers? Why? Why? Right now, she just needed something simple, like being super deaf, so she wouldn’t feel she was about to puke at Vassi and Daniela’s banter, which was oh so cute and witty.
    The elevator reached the lobby and she stepped out, but the two stayed behind.
    “Basement parking,” Daniela told her with a smile.
    I didn’t ask. She smiled back. “Oh.”
    “She’s driving me home,” Vassi added unnecessarily.
    Like I said, she wanted to scream, I DIDN’T ASK. But out loud all she said again was, “Oh.”
    Walking out of the building, she wasn’t surprised to see Max’s limousine already waiting for her.
    Max put his phone away as soon as Seri climbed inside the car. The door shut, and a moment later, the car was speeding steadily down the building’s driveway. He took one look at her face and asked sympathetically, “That bad again?”
    She managed a smile. “An understatement.”
    “I always have a shoulder for you to cry on if you want.”
    Slowly, she shook her head. “I don’t want to cry anymore.” Wry humor flashed in her eyes. “I’m sure you’re sick of the sound of me crying, too.”
    Never, Max thought. What he did feel was anger – not at her, but at Vassi Grachyov for being so damn blind.
    He told her, “If my shoulder’s not what you need, then maybe this is?” He patted his lap, hoping to tease a smile out of her, but to his surprise, she inched closer towards him---
    His eyebrows shot up.
    But instead of curling up in it, she put her legs up on the seat and laid her head on his lap.
    Her eyes closed.
    And then she whispered, “I really wish I could be smart enough to fall in love with you, Max.”
    Ah.
    “Unfortunately for both of us,” he told her evenly, “you’re an idiot.”
    She laughed and choked. “Oh, Max.”
    Slowly, he started to stroke her hair, knowing that it was what a friend would do, and – in spite of what she had said – they both knew a friend right now was also what she needed him to be.

Chapter Nine
    D aniela tossed