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He sat up, his body casting a long shadow over the living room. Being married and in love hadn’t taken the dangerous edge off. He might be less volatile, but he was still a force to be reckoned with.
And he had to be if he wanted to stay at the top of the food chain.
“Vanna said I had to stay away until tomorrow morning.” He emptied half his beer. “Kicked out of my own house. Unbelievable.”
“Why didn’t you go to Mom and Dad’s?”
My guest bed at the apartment was the couch. Gabriel still had a room at our parents’ place. As we all did.
We were a close family, working in the family business together and seeing each other almost every day.
Gabriel stood up to get another beer, tossing me one on his way back. “Mom’s been on my back about throwing Vanna a baby shower. And you know how she gets once she plans a party.”
“Got it. You’d rather sleep in my living room than in a comfortable bed.”
He grunted and took a long pull of his beer. “You think we’ll ever find the shooter?”
I rested against the couch, tilting my head back until I looked at the dark ceiling. “I don’t know. But one thing I do know is I won’t give up. Whoever tried to kill Dad will pay.”
“Don’t you think we got revenge when we took out Aleksándr?”
I still couldn’t believe Gabriel shot his wife’s father. But that ruthless bastard had it coming. And even though Vanna had never said so out loud, we could all tell how relieved she’d been.
We chatted and drank beer until neither of us could see straight anymore. Gabriel curled his big body up on the couch, his legs hanging off the side, punching the decorative pillow that somehow had found its way inside my apartment.
I suspected Freya had smuggled it in when she’d dropped by. She’d been in Chicago a lot over the last few months, and we were all hoping it meant she’d move back.
Pulling a blanket out of my hall closet, I threw it at him and then collapsed into my own bed.
* * *
“Was that your brother?” Lenny asked from behind me as I watched Gabriel drive away.
I’d been surprised nobody had stolen his car. A Bugatti wasn’t exactly inconspicuous. Not that we couldn’t get it back, but it was a pain to track down cars.
“That was Gabriel. He’s the second oldest and the one who used to wear dresses when he was younger.” I turned around and winked at Lenny. “Make sure you mention it to him when you meet him.”
“I like his car.”
“Next time he comes over, I’ll take you for a ride.”
His face lit up as if I’d told him he’d never have to go to school again. “Really?”
Messing up his hair, I made my way back to my apartment. “Really. Now, what are you doing out here? Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”
“The police showed up. The teachers called all the parents to get us.”
Frowning, I stopped with a hand on the banister. “The police? Why?”
He shrugged, kicking a rock. “Not sure.”
I’d have to check my phone once I was back inside my apartment. If anyone knew what was going on, it was the PTA. Their phone tree was second to none. If there was news to be had, they’d make sure everyone knew as quickly as possible.
“Where’s your sister?”
“Had to get back to work.”
We’d reached our apartments, and I nodded to my door. “Want to ask her if it’s okay for you to come over and play Xbox?”
