Vincent scans the riverboat, his ice-cold stare never softening. “It will do.”
I almost want to pull a Kostya and clutch my chest dramatically, pretending to be wounded by such lukewarm praise.
“It will more than do,” I counter. “By my count, this place will be cashing out a revenue of millions every week. Are you ready for that kind of cash flow?”
Vincent turns to me and smiles.
He actually fucking smiles.
And that alone puts every instinct I have on high alert.
“I’m always ready for anything, Kirill. It would serve you well to remember that.”
With those words, he walks off, likely to find his wife.
But I’m not alone.
Dominic is still beside me, standing like a marble statue, eyes sweeping the crowd like a hawk.
“I know what you’re trying to do,” Dominic says, after a while, his voice so low I almost have to lean in to hear him.
“I’m running a business. That’s all I’m doing here.”
“Not true.”
His blue eyes narrow at something across the room, coaxing my gaze to follow his, and land on my Stella. Her face is lit up, happy, laughing away with Annamaria. Vincent and Selene stand beside them, Kira and Lucky nearby, and even Giovanni manages a smile at some joke Kostya must have said.
“You aimed your sights on a bigger prize,” Dominic murmurs. “I know it. Vincent knows it. Gio knows it. And so does Selene. Hell, even the kids have their suspicions.”
My shoulders tense.
I’m ready to play dumb, to tell him I have no idea what he’s referring to, when he turns his back on his family just to look me dead in the eyes. His voice is a deadly calm, the kind that feels like death itself brushing a hand across your cheek.
“That girl is everything to us. She’s everything tome. Tread carefully, Kirill. If I ever see her shed one tear because of you, I will end you. Friend or foe. I couldn’t give a shit. Nod if you understand me.”
And like a fucking idiot, I nod.
Dominic watches me for another agonizing second before turning his back and heading toward his family.
But that’s when I remember who the fuck I am, and he can’t just threaten me without getting a warning of my own. I grab his shoulder and spin him back around. But now that I find myself face-to-face with him, instead of a warning, only three words manage to come out.
“I love her.”
His shoulders sag just a fraction, then he lets out an exhale, looking around the riverboat like the whole place is explanation enough.
“I know,” he says quietly. “Why else go through all this trouble?”
He turns away again.
And this time, I don’t stop him.
Tonight, I was hoping to get Stella’s father’s approval…and I think I just got it.
Chapter 23
Stella
Happiness is a tender thing. One minute you have it, and the next… you don’t.
