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“It’s okay, Lachlan.” She bravely defies me. “I’m part of this family. I protect what’s mine.”
She swaggers up to Alexei wearing jeans and a black blazer with a white tank top underneath. Wisps of rich, dark hair brush her long neck, and I never would have recognized her as the high-heeled, ice-blonde Russian submissive she transformed into for the undercover assignment to nail the Koslovs. She now works with Griffin and Connor, investigating for us. Even gets her hands a little bloody when the mood hits her.
My brothers and I made a pact to protect her identity especially since she’s pregnant. But she just outed herself. For me. For Katya, who shejustmet.
“You were spy?” Alexei mutters, furious.
“Aye,” she taunts him. “You ordered the death of three federal agents. I was undercover gathering evidence. The D.C. office has audio and video against Grigori, but he fled.”
Alexei shrugs. “That had nothing to do with me. You can’t prove it.”
“Ah, but I can. I also have wire transfers from you to Grigori for the mercenaries he paid to gun them down. I lived in that house for three months. I had access to his computer.”
Alexei’s lips quiver briefly. “You would have turned them over.”
Priscilla removes her jacket to show arms scarred from first-degree burns. Scars similar to Riordan’s from diving into the burning building to save her.
“I spent weeks in the burn unit after Grigori tried to kill me.Me, after I told him who I really was.” She slinks back next to Riordan, who pats her stomach, identifying her as pregnant. She was already untouchable, but pregnant spouses walk on water. “The FBI didn’t promote me like I wanted. Why should I help them when I can make better use of this evidence?”
Only… She’s bluffing. She never got that evidence. Alexei seems to believe it, though.
“Now, get the fuck out of here, pakhan.” I take over, not wanting to put anyone else at risk. “Don’t even think of making a move on my family. That now includesyourdaughter, my wife. Her name is Katriane O’Rourke. Don’t forget it.”
“I saw you murder Rahil,” Maksim whines, now on his feet, hobbling, holding his bleeding knee.
All over the carpet. Kieran will have a fit. He’s a savage, but likes nice things.
“Half of mybratokssaw you.” Alexei folds his arms across a white suit. “We are owed something.”
I know enough how things work, and he’s right. Seeing Maksim is out of commission, my bullet ricocheting around his knee, I groan, “I will cover for your enforcer.”
“Lachlan!” Kieran barks.
Before I can argue, I’m shot down. Not literally, though.
“No. Lachlan stays with us,” Eoghan protests vehemently. He is probably thedeadliestout of all of us because no one would expect a Harvard lawyer to pull out a knife and slit your throat in a contract negotiation.
“I’ll personally help your team find Stasia.” Balor steps forward and adjusts his glasses, looking at my wife. “Katya is our sister now.”
She gasps from behind me, and I turn to stare down at her. She looks terrified, and it enrages me, what she’s been through. Glancing at my family, the ‘crowd’ I grew up with, I see for the first time how overwhelming so many people with the same last name in one room can be.
I’m used to it. I’m third born, but five more kids filled up this house after me. A bulk of my childhood memories include me, Kieran, Riordan, Eoghan, and Balor beating the hell out of each other. Or rather, the four of them trying to beat the hell out of me.
Katya grew up with one sister. How alone that must have felt. Feeling protective, I hold her even tighter. The O’Rourkes will have to come in small doses. She’s overwhelmed. This is not the sassy girl I talked to last week outside the church. That girl intrigued me. This girl is shaken up, understandably so. I need to make her feel safe. Considering I spend my life making people feel the exact opposite, I’m out of my depth.
“I’ll walk Alexei and Maksim to their cars.” I glance at my brothers and wonder who I want to take my place protecting my wife. The choice is obvious.
“Priscilla, guard Katya for me.”
“Aye,” Priscilla agrees heartily, and stands at my wife’s side.
“After you, pakhan.” I open the office door.
Alexei shakes his head and pushes Maksim, who’s still whining and seething, hopping on one foot. “Get the fuck out of here and get your knee looked at.”
Outside, Sergei puts Maksim in his car. His smirk hints at a crack in the brotherhood armor. Is there a silent mutiny happening within Koslov’s Bratva? In front of his Town Car, Alexei stares at my suit covered in blood.
Plucking the rose from my lapel, he leans in. “Is it too much to ask that you leave my Katya untouched? When you get over yourself and tire of her, I want her back as pure as she is now so I can…” He stops talking when my expression turns murderous.
