Page 236 of Barinov

“Ooh,” Haley squeals. “I love Grandpa B. He’s such a sweet soul.”

“Yeah,” I mutter, laughing as I take a sip of my beer. “When you get here, you can take Cade’s spot.” The sizzles rise from the grill as I flip another burger. “Just get your asses here.”

“Be there soon!” Haley says before the line goes dead.

I toss my phone onto the side shelf of the built-in grill, the metal clanking against the stainless steel.

A few burgers later, the back doors of the Whitmore mansion swing open.

Mom steps onto the patio in her signature ice-blue silk blouse. Every strand of that white-blonde hair of hers perfectly pulled back in place. Dad follows wearing pressed slacks and a black button-down, one hand resting on the small of her back as they make their way down the stairs.

Savannah greets them at the bottom of the stairs and wraps Mom up in a quick hug. She pulls her out of Dad’s grip and ushers her off to the side for what I’m sure is the newest Manhattan gossip.

I love that the two of them finally are getting along. Dad and Roman burying the last bit of their bad blood between them has really helped smooth everything over. Not that Mom and Roman are exactly best buds or anything like that, but they are trying.

Funny how life works. A Bratva queen and a mafia king with years of history, some good but most of it bad. Then throw in the Whitmores of Wall Street and none of this shit should make any sense together. But somehow, we’ve become a big, twisted, and chaotic family through it all anyway.

Bella steps out onto the patio. And fuck me running.

She’s wearing tiny black shorts and a tight burgundy crop top that hits right above her belly button. Showing off every single inch of her killer waist. Her dark hair falls down her her back in these thick, beautiful waves, bouncing with every step she takes in those black high-heeled boots that make her ass look fucking radiant.

A sudden and heavy throb against my jeans makes itself known.

“Cool it, Little Lex,” I mumble, adjusting myself before taking another sip of beer. “Not the time.”

She spots Dad before even looking my way. A rare smile breaks across his face when he sees her heading toward him. He steps right in, catches her around the waist, and lifts her clean off her feet.

Watching them makes this weird lump form in my throat. She finally looks at my dad the way she’s looked at Clay for years. And after everything she’s been through, Dad treats her like the daughter he never had.

He sets her down and they start chatting. I can’t hear what they’re saying over the roar of the fire beneath these burgers. Bella throws her head back and laughs. It’s a real, genuine sound that rings across the yard.

She presses her hand affectionately against his forearm, using her other hand to tuck a stray onyx wave behind her ear. The movement pulls her crop up even more and reveals more of her perfectly toned body.

I’m officially losing my goddamn mind.

Bella stands on her tiptoes, plants a sweet kiss on my dad’s cheek, and points toward the outdoor kitchen before walking off to join Mom and Savannah.

Dad watches her go for a moment with this proud look smeared all over his face. He turns his head and locks his eyes on me. Bastard just smirks, clearly reading the feral and impatient expression plastered across my face as he makes his way over to the grill.

He stops right beside me, leaning his hips against the stone counter. “You’re gonna burn those, son,” he says, his voice low.

“They’ll eat,” I grunt, not taking my eyes off the path our girl just walked.

Dad chuckles deep in his chest. He reaches out and claps his heavy tattooed hand onto my shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. “I know that look.”

“What look?”

Dad doesn’t answer my question. Instead, he just reaches over and plucks the spatula out of my hand. “I’ll take it from here. Go get your girl.”

The smirk on his face is infuriating, but I’m too wired to give a damn. I wipe my hands on a dry towel and throw it onto the counter. Then make a beeline to the couch where Bella, Mom, and Savannah are huddled.

“…and then she had the nerve to suggest we host the benefit in October,” Savannah is saying, rolling her eyes while sipping her chilled rosé.

“The audacity,” Mom murmurs, though there’s a subtle amused glint in her eyes.

“Excuse me, ladies,” I interrupt, stepping right into their circle.

Bella glances upward, her eyes lighting up the second they land on me. I don’t even give her a chance to open that pretty little mouth of hers. I reach down, wrap my fingers around her wrist, and tug.