She shook her head. “No.” Beside Evette, Sergei stood rock solid. His hard expression no doubt hiding all the pain and panic he’d felt throughout the afternoon. Cassie smiled at him and shifted her attention back to Evette. “I think your guy needs some alone time with you and Emerson. And frankly,” she said laying her hand on Kir’s where it rested on her hip, “it’s going to take an hour or two before my adrenaline tapers off.”

Standing slightly to Sergei’s right, Roman chuckled and shot Kir a knowing look. “I suspect my brother would be more than willing to help you with that.”

Apparently, Evette had the same idea because her laughter was just as wicked. “Yeah, that might be on Sergei’s agenda, too. Right after ice cream.”

Emerson frowned as if confused at what everyone was talking about.

Sergei released Evette, stepped forward and gripped Cassie by both shoulders. The hardened mask he’d kept in place slipped, revealing a man who’d fought many fears over the last hours and wrestled with terrible outcomes.

Kir squeezed his hand on Cassie’s hip, and the group got frighteningly quiet. Even the cicadas stopped singing and the wind rustling the leaves overhead seemed to still. “You saved my bride and my son. Both halves of my heart. I am in your debt.”

Cassie couldn’t move, the strength of Sergei’s hold and the reverent sincerity in his words leaving her mind and her body utterly dumbfounded. To some degree, he’d always been the one she felt least confident with. The most hesitant to approach. But in that second—hearing the tenderness he’d so openly expressed for those he loved in front of others and seeing the depth of emotion play across his face—she wasn’t afraid at all.

“Family doesn’t have debts,” she said. “They just look out for one another.”

He smiled at that. A soft one she suspected was usually reserved for only Emerson and Evette. He cupped the side of her face and shined the tenderness she’d heard in his voice down on her. “This is true. And you are family. In every way.”

Releasing her, he stepped back, wrapped Evette close to his side and laid a hand on Emerson’s shoulder. His gaze shuttled to Kir and a string of Russian words flew past his lips, delivered on a low and somber pitch.

Kir dipped his head in what looked like formal acknowledgment and blanketed Cassie’s back, his hand at her hip wrapping around her waist. “Spaseeba.”

Sergei smirked, kissed Evette on her temple and steered his family toward the main house. “Come. It’s time to forget this day and plan for tomorrow.”

The crowd dissipated quickly, the guards moving back to their stations, and Olga and Frieda hustling toward the kitchen well ahead of Sergei, Emerson and Evette.

“You know,” Cassie said, “as tight as Frieda’s gotten with Olga the last few weeks, you might have a hard time moving her out of here.”

Kir chuckled, kissed the top of her head and steered her toward the carriage house. He held the front door open for her. “It would not matter. Sergei would begrudge them nothing, and it is no hardship for her to live here.” He followed her inside and shut the door behind him. “Besides, you will be moving in with me.”