“Yeah, I noticed that,” I said. “Your father is a creep. No offense.”
“None taken,” he sighed. “My fatherisa pig. He’s vicious, and a bully. There’s something here that I’m missing. He hates your family.”
A ball of ice forms in my gut. “He does?”
“He always used to rant about your father, how he didn’t deserve his success. Getting an alliance with the Aslanov Bratva is good, but…” Aleks shakes his head. “The way he looked at you in the clinic, as if he was making sure his asset was intact.”
“I've been brainstorming with Mariya, trying to think of something that your father would accept to maintain the alliance without the two of us having to go through with this,” I said.
He shakes his head glumly. “I suspect he would enjoy ruining your family over the broken engagement even more than having access through our union.”
“Aleks…” I said slowly, “Do you think your father is part of this attack against my family?”
He looked out over the ocean. The water’s gray today and the waves are thrashing against the rocks. He’s very handsome in his way, but the grief twisting his features makes him look ten years older.
“Yes. I do.”
We sit for a moment, watching the turmoil of the ocean. Finally, he stands up. “There are people in his organization that are sympathetic to me. I think I can get some answers with promises for more power for them in the future and some cash.”
“I can help with the money,” I offer.
He shook his head. “I’ve got it. Call your brothers. See if they’ll talk to you.”
“Okay.” He nods and turns to walk away. “Aleks?”
“Hmm?”
“Thank you. For what it’s worth, you will make an amazing husband one day,” I said.
A strange smile crosses over his lips. “I hope so.”
Sitting for a while longer, I try to organize my thoughts, wondering if I could approach Ilia first. Finally, too cold to stay longer, I stand up and realize I still have Aleksandr’s sweatshirt. As I pick it up, his phone falls out of the pocket.
“Crap!” I stuff it in my coat, looking around to make sure no one’s watching.
It’s not until I’m almost back to Lucca’s room when his phone cheerfully ‘pings!’ and I curse, pulling it out to silence it. It’s a text with an image. A picture of a man, handsome. Dark, curly hair and olive skin, probably Mediterranean. And naked, with his dick in his hand and a smile.
I miss you, baby. June can’t come soon enough.
“Where were you!?” Lucca comes striding out of his room in his boxer briefs, looking outraged and I try not to laugh.
“I’m sorry, I went out to talk to Aleks.” He’s already pulling off my coat, patting my arms and back like he’s expecting bullet holes, or something.
“You’re freezing,” he says accusingly, pulling me over to the couch.
“No, I’m fine, I promise,” I said, watching him build up the fire. He’s so beautiful, the colorful tattoo of a sea serpent that coils over his back moves as his muscles do, biceps bulging as he adds wood to the fireplace.
“What did he say?” he asks, coming back to sit with me.
Eyeing his gorgeous expanse of bare skin, I ask, “Do you want to put some clothes on first?”
The conceited bastard. He grins knowingly. “Am I distracting you, baby?”
“No!” I scoffed. “A little. Stop gloating!” I call after him as he goes to get dressed.
“What did Aleks say?”
Lucca made me some good, strong coffee and I sipped at it gratefully. “He agrees with us,” I said, enjoying the warmth of the mug in my hands, “he thinks his father is part of whoever’s trying to destroy my family.” Shuddering, I said, “I wonder if his father was the one who tried to kidnap me that night. Would Leonid have forced me to marryhim?”
