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When we shed our coats, handing them to a uniformed servant, I felt like I’d lost a layer of coallery At the end were two solid wood doors We paused just outside them "Here’s his office"

I faced the doors, filled with apprehension Up until this ical parents had been a distant dream, a farfetched hope I smoothed enuinely like hith seemed to permeate into me

In a small voice, I asked, "Will he like ht ahead, he muttered, "On tebya polyubit"

He will love you

Chapter 12

Alland clouds of cigar sht and airy Nuhappily Others in various stages of repair covered a workbench

Kovalev was literally a clockmaker? I felt silly for my comments on the plane, hoped Sevastyan wouldn’t recall the the man himself on the phone Pavel Kovalev was so not what I was expecting He had black hair with gray at the sides, ruddy cheeks, and a slim build No tracksuit--he wore a crisp navy sport coat with a blue button-down that highlighted his twinkling eyes Zero gold chains

Kovalev, the Russian mafioso, looked less like a Godfather and more likea thin, dapper Santa Claus He couldn’t be further fro up the phone at once With his blue eyes lighting up, he rose to hurry over to ht, maybe sixty years old His arrin

But for all that we shared DNA, he was a stranger to me What should I call hi a glance at Sevastyan, who gave a brisk nod His way of encouragement? In the end, I just said, "Hi" La in to press a kiss on each of e ofwo on a paneled wall

I did look like her My grand, occasionally wicked "Unexpected?"

He gave lish was as excellent--and accented--as Sevastyan’s "I assume Aleksei filled you in on our current circuaze at Sevastyan, Kovalev added, "Aleksei speaks forthat Kovalev trusted him so much that he knew Sevastyan would say exactly what he would in any situation

"Does he, then?" Was Sevastyan’s face a touch flushed? Thinking about his "indiscretion"?

"Absolutely He is a son to hter I don’t think I’ll ever be able to say that enough" When his eyes got a little oner for this mafiya Santa

"Sevastyan kept ht was pleasantly uneventful" Burn, Siberian

"Good, good Are you hungry? Shall we have tea?"