“Sounds good,” Eva says. “But where?”
“How about Vanders?” I ask.
Oak arches a brow. “Not sure everyone will be into Russian food.”
I narrow my eyes. “Why the fuck not?”
He chuckles. “It’s just not the standard food people are used to eating.”
I sigh heavily. “Where do you suggest, then?”
“I know the perfect place,” Eva says.
“Where?” Camila asks.
“Just trust me,” she says.
“Fine, can we just leave as I’m fucking starving?” Elias asks.
Adrianna and Archer return, both looking a little shifty. “What’s going on then?” Arch asks.
“The group of us are going to go for dinner and drinks,” Oak says, looking at Arch. “You are welcome to join.”
Arch nods. “Sounds good.”
Adrianna’s cheeks redden the moment he agrees, and something tells me that whatever was happening between them isn’t exactly over.
“Let’s go,” Oak says, glancing at me. “You going to drive too?”
I nod. “Sure.”
As a group, we head out of the hall and out front where Oak and I head to our cars, followed by passengers. Natalya, Elias, Killian, Mia and Camilla come with me since my SUV can seat six. Arch and Adrianna go together in Oak’s car.
I drive into town, following Oak with my hand firmly placed on Camilla’s thigh the entire time. She’s not my student anymore, so I’ll be damned if I don’t make it clear to everyone that sees us that she belongs to me.
Elias leans forward. “So you two are serious, then?”
I give him my most intimidating stare in the rear-view mirror, which forces him to sit back in his seat. “Yes,” I say simply.
Camilla relaxes once I say that, and I still find it amusing that she believes I took on the Morrone Mafia for someone I’m not serious about. The comment she made about Natalya and Elias’s wedding being a while away is because she doesn’t want to presume we’ll be together by then, which is fucking ridiculous.
“Thanks for the invite to the wedding, by the way. I’ll be there.” I squeeze Camilla’s thigh as I say it and a soft smile twists onto her lips.
“Great!” Natalya says, actually sounding genuine.
“Yeah, great,” Elias adds, sarcasm dripping from his tone.
I notice Natalya nudge him in the ribs for it.
Mia and Killian are in the very back of the SUV and are oddly quiet. I sense that perhaps Killian is taking advantage of the short window of privacy they’ve got back there.
Oak pulls into the parking lot of the new all you can eat buffet that opened about two months ago on the outskirts of town called Cosmo. It’s supposed to serve everything from Asian to Mexican food. Makes sense. Eva suggested this place as it will have something for everyone.
Natalya sits up straighter in her seat, glancing out her window. “I’ve wanted to try this place ever since it opened.”
I park next to Oak and everyone jumps out. Camilla is about to, but I grab her hand and yank her back into her seat. “Not so fast, malishka. I haven’t given you your gift.”
Her eyebrows lift. “Gift?”