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“I have one stipulation I need to add.” Ariana glanced at Christina, who nodded as if they’d had some silent communication.
“Go ahead.”
“We want to be involved. You will not leave us out. I’ve heard about how the Mykos Syndicate operates. Even with the eldest brother running things, all four brothers and one sister have an equal say in major decisions. We don’t need you to protect us constantly. Honestly, I’m so over it.”
“I second that shit.”
“Christina, language,”Mama admonished.
This prompted Fiona to defend Christina with, “She’s only speaking the truth. What do you say, big sister?”
“Agreed. It makes complete sense.” Fiona’s triumphant smirk had me narrowing my eyes at her. “Why do I suspect you are behind this line of thought and that you’re the one who put it into their heads?”
“Because you’re a suspicious person.” She smiled. “And you know I’m the smartest one out of all of us.”
“And the least humble,” Christina and Ariana said in unison, which had them laughing.
Ignoring the twins, Fiona asked, “Now that this big life-altering decision is over, can I ask a question?”
Whatever she had to say, I had no doubt it would be a doozy—the last few years had changed her from the high-energy little girl to this firecracker of a teen who knew her mind.
I almost cringed as I said, “Shoot.”
“So, is it Xander or Theo? Who will be the husband, and who’s the side piece?”
I should have expected that.
“Fiona Maria Angelos, that is not something you ask your sister.”
Oh no, Mama had pulled out the full name. Fiona was in trouble. It took all my strength not to peek in Ariana and Cristina’s direction to see if they were about to burst out laughing like I was.
“Why not? If not my sister, then who?”
Mama closed her eyes, lifted her head up, and made the sign of the cross.“Lord above, help me. These girls are going to drive me to drink. I don’t know where I went wrong with them.”
* * *
Around five in the evening, after a quick shower, I stepped into my closet wrapped in a towel. Devani had only given me a few days of respite from my training and then sent a car to bring me to the Drakos estate to reestablish my schedule.
Every muscle in my body hurt, from my toes to my ears. I wasn’t sure why Devani thought it was a good idea to fight as if we were in a match to the death. She’d knocked me so hard on the side of the head that my hearing hadn’t entirely normalized.
Yes, we had been wearing headgear, and I towered over her by a good seven inches, but for a five-foot-two woman, she packed a punch.
Her excuse was that I never knew when someone would catch me off guard, and I needed the skills to protect myself. I couldn’t argue with her since that had happened when Andraius attacked me.
I glanced at the mirror in the back of the space and angled my face. Thank God, there was only a light redness on my jaw and cheek.
Xander would lose his shit, probably threaten to attach himself to my side, and give me no space. And there was no telling what Theo would do. He’d likely confront Devani or Nyx. That was all we needed, pissing off an ally’s wife.
Opening a drawer, I selected a set of workout clothes, slipped them on, and grabbed a pair of trainers. After donning my shoes, I pulled my hair into a ponytail.
Approaching the mirror again, I lifted my shirt and studied my scars. They’d faded so much since I started using the products Nyx gave me, but I could still see the word. Maybe I’d always see it, even if it eventually completely disappeared from my skin.
WHORE.
The lines were all over and not even properly written. He’d done it to hurt, to make a point.
The bastard would never know that every time Xander and Theo kissed over them, as if it was just part of my body they wanted to enjoy, the pain of what he’d done eased away.
