“Gabe, can you elaborate on what I did this time?” The three men look at me, dumbfounded.
Caleb speaks first; his voice softens. “Vee, you don’t remember?”
I shake my head because everything hurts. They all look at each other, as if deciding who’s going to remind me of another fuck-up. But it’s Felix who speaks.
“Vee,whatdo you remember?”
I try to think back to last night. After I saw the photograph, I went to my freezer, pulled out the vodka, and took a couple of shots, but I don’t tell them that. “I remember calling my driver to take me to the club and making my way inside.”
“That’s all?” Felix asks.
“I went to the bar and got a drink, then danced.” I leave out the part where I went to the bathroom and took a pill from a waitress.
Caleb interrupts, “So you don’t remember dancing with my potential business partner and then stabbing him with your pocketknife?” I see he’s holding back a smile, trying to be serious.
“I did what?” My head is spinning.
Caleb continues, “He was about to hit you when security stepped in. You blacked out; I figured you drank more than what you had at the bar. You were brought here. What did he say to you?” I try to remember, but if my reaction was to stab him, then it must have been bad. “Miles is going through the footage, but regardless, you don’t hurt women, and especially the women in our family, without consequences.”
“Caleb, I can’t remember. I’m sorry.” I can’t hold back the tears. I feel like complete shit.
“Caleb.” Felix pulls me close. “Let’s wait for the footage before you decide to do anything irrational.”
“Irrational? Me?” Caleb raises his voice at Felix. “If Ruby hadn’t called security when she did, there is no telling what would have happened. Do you know the strength it’s taking to keep Damon from going after Eric and skinning him alive? And Serena is upstairs trying to rein in Ian.”
Fuck I’m so screwed. Just then, I hear the front door open and slam shut. Speak of the devil. Ian all but barrels in; there is no sign of Serena. Fuck, they’re inseparable, and if he’s here, I want her here as well. She has a way of calming, no, controlling my brother.
“I-Ian.” I look at my brother. There are so many emotions conveyed in his face. I’ve learned that with my brother, I need to put up a strong front, or at least try to. “Where’s Serena?”
“She’s indisposed at the moment.” He looks livid. “I just spoke with Miles. He went through the surveillance video and didn’t find anything new.” He says it loud enough for everyone to hear, but his eyes are on me. He continues, “I don’t know what the fuck you were thinking, Veronica Kayde, but this behavior has to stop. Eric is a powerful and dangerous man. This could have led to a fucking war between Eric and Caleb.” He looks at the other men. “Once he found out who you are, he apologized.”He runs his hands through his hair, a clear sign of frustration. “Still, there must have been a reason for you to stab him. Even if you don’t remember. That itself is a declaration of war.”
“I’ll have Miles dig deeper into him. But I agree. Regardless of the situation, no one touches our family. The deal is off,” Caleb tells my brother.
Ian looks at me, then at Caleb. “She is not to go near any of your clubs and bars, is that understood?” My cousin nods. He isn’t done. Ian turns his attention back to me. “Get your shit together, little sister.” Then he turns and walks out the front door.
I stay seated on the couch. I can’t look at anyone. The weight of their disappointment makes the air around me thick. It’s hard to breathe. Not only did I fuck up my evening, but I’m fucking up my cousins’ business. I fidget with my manicured nails and wish the floor would open and swallow me whole.
Miles
Chapter 5
I’m in London finishinga job, tracking the CEO of a pharmaceutical company who’s being investigated for security fraud. His wife hired me to obtain additional proof of infidelity. She plans on taking him for everything she can. Fuck, women are ruthless.
I got a call about a situation involving Veronica. So here I am, watching the footage from last night’s incident at the Korolovs brothers’ club. I see her enter; I can tell she’s been drinking. She goes to the bar, dances, and then walks into the restroom. I noticed one of the new waitresses enter and exit the same restroom within moments of Princesa.
That looks suspicious, but I did a full background check on all the employees. I see Eric Harrison approach her. When I check the other cameras, I notice he’d been watching her from the moment she entered the club. A predator who’s chosen his prey. He approaches her, but she’s too drunk to care who it is. Fuck, I hate seeing her like this—the lackof awareness of her surroundings. She’s comfortable because she’s at her cousins’ bar, but she has no idea the men they entertain. It’s her luck that Eric decided to stay after his meeting with the Korolov brothers.
I see the moment she grabs her pocketknife from her small clutch. She does it so fluidly, as if she doesn’t even know she’s doing it. Then Princesa stabs him in the leg. She is her brothers’ sister. I don’t know why that elicits a laugh. When I think of Veronica Kayde, I don’t think dangerous.
I rewind and try to make out what he whispered in her ear right before the blade pierced through his leg. In the background, security is running to her and makes it just in time. He was going to strike her, that motherfucker. She may not be my favorite person, but I sure as hell don’t condone violence against a woman. She faints but is caught just in time. What the fuck was that about?
I hack into Caleb’s phone and listen as she’s being reprimanded for her actions. There are times that I feel for her, then I’m reminded of all the stupid shit she’s done to put herself in danger. Felix volunteers to take her home. She trusts him without a doubt. I wonder if she has any idea what kind of monster he is. Why do I even care? I pull out my phone and click on the message button.
Me: Still can’t stay out of trouble?
Princesa: Fuck off, lapdog.
Me: Tsk tsk tsk.
