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“I know. And you look amazing,” I say, hiding my emotion.
“So do you. I love that dress.” Her warm eyes soak me in. “I can’t wait until I wear something cute like that again.”
Kieran winds his arm around her and kisses her cheek. “Don’t count on it.”
“That’s because he’s a caveman and wants to keep her pregnant.” Riordan, in a tux identical to Kieran’s, struts up to us with his wife. “Hello, Katya. Good to see you again.”
“Hello, Riordan.” I bow my head to the underboss and recognize Priscilla from my wedding day. She’s wearing a blue dress with long sheer sleeves and a stunning sapphire necklace. “Hello, Priscilla.”
When she notices my eyes lingering, she rubs her arm. “Burn scars.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I just thought with the summer heat and everyone wearing strapless dresses…” I trail off, catching her husband hand her a glass of what I’m thinking is water, because she’s pregnant, too, although she doesn’t look it.
“Let’s get to our table. It’s in the front. I paid extra,” Kieran says, putting his phone in his jacket.
“Is the dais too expensive these days?” Lachlan’s hand easily winds around my waist.
“That’s just audacious,” Kieran answers, steering his wife that way.
From inside the ballroom, my father struts out, startling me. I didn’t even think he’d be here, but that was dumb of me. As pakhan, he holds just as much power and prestige as Kieran O’Rourke. These fancy galas were never my life, except for an afternoon party here and there. He brought Stasia to all these evening events, or came alone.
“What is this?” he barks at me. “This is how you dress for a black-tie event?”
“I…”
He grabs me by the arm. “You’re embarrassing me.”
The sudden invasion of a man touching me other than Lachlan pops a shriek from me.
“Get your fucking hands off my wife.” Lachlan lunges for my father, but Riordan snaps his arm down.
“Lachlan, that’sthe pakhan,” his brother warns, sending his family into strange territory.
“I don’t give a fuck if he’s the pope.” He shrugs off Riordan. “I said, let go of my wife,pakhan.”
My father’s fingers loosen around my arm, but I hide how he hurt me. Lachlan might gut him with the knife he’s got on him.
“I holdyouresponsible, enforcer. You stole her from me, and next, you parade her around in a joke of a dress?”
It happens quickly—Kieran and Riordan flank Lachlan, a wall of O’Rourke men blocking my father from me.
“Iamresponsible,” Lachlan sneers. “But I didn’t know this was black tie. I didn’t ask, because I don’t care. I don’t answer to anyone but Kieran.”
“It’s no big deal.” Kieran defends me. “Alexei, do you honestly think anyone will criticize one ofourwives?”
“I want to talk to my daughter.”
“No,” Lachlan bites out.
“You can’t keep her from me, enforcer.”
“Watch me,pakhan.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Lachlan
“What’sgoingon?”Riordanasks me in a private bathroom for megadonors.
