Chapter 345: Your Name Next To Mine

[KATYA]

When he’d first approached his father about his transition into Romanov Steel, Katya knew he would be challenged. He knew there would come a shift that he was not quite ready for yet.

That was why he chose a mid-level researcher role even though he had the skills that outmatched even their best researcher. He didn’t want to come to a place and start running it just because it belonged to him.

"Not yet, papa. I have to work some things out first. I cannot bring my misfortunes to the legacy you built all these years," Katya had said, and Mr. Romanov stared at his son like he was not even sure they were on the same page.

As a chairman, Katya Romanov still wasn’t ever a liability to the company.

As a father, his son was certainly not supposed to be thinking like that. Yet even then, the Romanov old man had let his son be. Katya had just wanted a research lab, and his father had granted him access to every floor.

"I’ll do my very best to keep scandal out of the company," Katya had promised, and now, barely three weeks in, there was already a dead body out there. A body that was directly related to him.

It was no secret that someone had intended something worse with the delivery. Or maybe the department it was sent to was the actual message.

Because Milan Popova had denied Katya a chance to have a normal family. She had taken every will Katya had to live, and while Sergei strived to bring it back, the ghost of that woman’s touch still lingered.

Here in the research lab, with everyone looking at him, Katya wondered if he was to run away or defend himself. He had not done anything wrong, so why the fuck did he feel like he owed them an explanation?

"Get back to work, everyone," Mr. Romanov said, and Katya stared at the people around him. How skeptical they were. He wondered if they saw him as weak or if they saw him as the spoiled heir with terrible people in his circle.

And maybe...

Just maybe...

That’s why Katya pulled his desk chair and sat on it, ready to continue working.

He would not wallow in grief; he would drown himself in work. Maybe it was the unhealthiest of coping mechanisms. But somewhere between Sergei and every reality that Katya had been forced to endure out there, work was his central point.

"Romanov..." Svet and Andre said at the same time, clearly not approving of what Katya was doing.

He needed to rest.

To be checked.

To be tended to.

"Michka," his father said, staring at him sadly, knowing that his son had already suffered through enough at this point.

But Katya didn’t battle it anymore. He was determined to live again. And a dead Milan was not going to be the reason he didn’t live his life to the fullest.

"I’m fine, I promise. Besides, Greg and I still have some work to do, and you guys are distracting us," Katya said to his father and his friends, who raised a brow at him amusedly.

"Did we just... get kicked out?" Svet asked dramatically, holding her chest like she could not believe her friend was doing that to her.

"He has Greg; he doesn’t want us anymore," Andre said quietly, and Katya facepalmed.

"Papa, take them with you. They’re distracting us," Katya insisted, and Svet let out an exaggerated gasp.

"We really do have work with Greg," Katya insisted, and this time Greg stared at him before voicing the three words that had Andre and Svet snickering.

"We do?" the coworker asked, and Katya sighed.

"I’ll open you guys a tab if you leave now. It’s Friday, is it not?" Katya bargained while everyone around them pretended to work while eavesdropping on the most unhinged conversation ever.

Mr. Romanov, on the other hand, watched the smile on his son’s face as his son’s light came back to his eyes.

He had been worried Katya would spiral with everything, but with both his best friends here in Romanov Steel, he had the pleasure of watching the light return to his son’s eyes just as fast.

Of course, he could assume that it was all for a show.

But where Svet and Andre were, Katya never had a reason to lie to himself. Ever.

His friends made him feel secure in every form he was in.

"Whole night, or I stay here and watch you and Greg work," Andre snickered, making poor Greg look at him confused.

"Whole weekend. Now, go!" Katya shooed them.

"Pinky promise?" Svet added.

"Offer expires in three seconds, Svet," Katya said before he began a countdown.

"Three..."

Andre held Svetlana’s arm.

"Two..."

Andre began pulling Svet away.

"On—"

They were gone before Katya finished his word.

And his father stared at him, gently patting his hair before Mr. Romanov walked out after the two psychos he trusted with his son’s life.

"Katya..." Greg breathed as he looked at him quietly.

"Let’s get back to work, yeah?" Katya said with a smile on his face, and Greg nodded before they got back to their studies of the day.

Around them were relaxed sighs, whispers that spoke of the day’s events, only that this time, Katya was working, determined to forget.

Even though a part of him wasn’t as worried.

He was a good person. He believed it.

Regardless of what happened, as long as his father didn’t have a disappointed look in his eyes because of Katya, Katya would be fine.

Evening came by real soon, almost like the universe was determined to make sure that tab was opened by Katya.

And before Katya clocked out for work, Svet sent him a message.

Bring Greg too.

For a moment, Katya was confused.

Greg?

His research partner Greg?

Sighing, Katya called because he did not trust his friends with anyone other than himself. Those two were maniacs and were probably going to make Greg’s life a bit harder than it was supposed to be.

Katya wouldn’t let them torment his lab partner.

"Give me a good reason why you want him here," Katya breathed tiredly into the phone once Svet picked up.

"Come on, man. He was the one who called us," Svet lied smoothly, and Andre snorted at him.

"What the hell are you two up to?" Katya wondered.

"I asked Greg, and he said he was free and didn’t mind. You just have to guide him over here. I swear you will have your research partner intact by the time the weekend ends.

"Trust me... Romanov?" Svet said, and that last bit had Katya’s uncertainty hitting him hard.

His friends were crazy.

Not to be trusted around normal people.

Yet they wanted normal Greg in?

"He is an alpha," Katya reminded him.

"All the more reason to bring him over. Andre and I are alphas too. Alphas don’t scare easily, you know?" Andre explained, making Katya ever more suspicious.

Katya turned to his research partner, who was staring at him quietly.

"They’re insane," Katya mouthed.

"It’s alright," Greg mouthed back, and Katya let out a low, dissatisfied groan.

He had a nagging feeling this weekend and evening were not going to be as good as Greg was probably imagining.

But surely what madness would be there, right?

Well, they did make it to the club.

An omega and his very alpha friends, and a research partner.

And...

Sergei Vladimirovich Moskowsky.