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“Come on,” Pyotr says. “I’ll drop you off at my penthouse first and then we can go and meet Luka for lunch.”
“I was wondering why he wasn’t here.”
“You know him, always caught up in his work.”
“That antisocial little bugger,” I grumble, though it’s without any real heat. Luka has never really been a people person. I nudge Pyotr in the arm with the tip of my elbow. “If you can convince him to come watchCatswith us, I’ll give you a thousand dollars.”
Pyotr snorts. “That’s all? Come on, at least make it interesting.”
Beside me, Natalya’s eyes light up. “Oh, can I play? I think I can convince him.”
“And if you don’t?” I ask with a laugh.
“Well, I wouldn’t be out anything because you’d be covering me, right?”
Pyotr chuckles. The sound almost takes me by surprise. My brotherneverchuckles. “You’re on,” he says as we climb into the vehicle together, the kids already strapped into their seats.
* * *
I always knew Pyotr had expensive taste. Don’t let his resting bitch face fool you. My twin has been a secret diva since childhood.
His penthouse has a gorgeous view of Central Park, climbing so far up we can almost touch the clouds. Once upon a time, I would have killed to live in a place like this. Polished marble flooring, large floor-to-ceiling windows, a crystal chandelier over the main lobby, an electric fireplace beneath a massive flat screen TV, and an elevator that opens right into his living room.
The whole place is bright and cheery. It’s warm and welcoming, the decor sophisticated and of the highest quality. It’s a far cry from the bland black and white minimalist decor everyone and their mothers think is hip these days. I’m glad to see he’s adjusting to his role as CyberFort’s CEO without a hitch.
I push the stroller into the living room, pulling back the protective visors to check on my little ones. The girls are fast asleep, but Simon is wide awake and taking in his surroundings with an almost awestruck expression.
“Hey, little man,” I greet him, helping to undo his harness and pick him up. “You slept the whole flight. Do you know where you are?”
Natalya giggles. “We’re at Uncle Pyotr’s house. Can you say Uncle Pyotr?”
“Pee…” Simon echoes. “Pe-ter.”
My brother shrugs. “Close enough.”
“Oh,” comes a voice. “I thought I heard people.”
I turn to find Luka rounding the corner. He stands out like a sore thumb, still dressed in a loose sleep shirt and grey sweatpants. His dark brown hair has grown out a lot since last I saw him, curling around his ears and at the nape of his neck. Apparently, we’ve caught him in the middle of a noonday nap.
“Finally crawled out of your dungeon, huh?” I joke, pulling him into a hug. “What happened to getting your own apartment?”
Luka snorts. “Why would I get my own apartment when I can live here for free?”
“Aren’t you the COO at CyberFort?”
“There’s a housing crisis, Dima. New York doesn’t need another rich asshole buying up all the free space. Besides, Pyotr gets lonely. Someone has to keep him company.”
Pyotr immediately crosses his arms. “I’m doingyouthe favor. If it weren’t for me, you’d probably end up on an episode of Mole People.”
Luka waves a hand dismissively. “You’re exaggerating.”
“What are the two of you going to do when you finally get girlfriends?” I tease. “Are you going to rely on the good old sock-on-door method?”
Pyotr sneers. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a little busy running a company.”
“So dating’s the last thing on your mind, right?” I reply dryly.
“I won’t let myself be distracted,” he reasons.
