She shoots up and gets in my face. “At the cost of your life, your empire, your brotherhood, and organization?”
“No price is high enough. I’d forsake it all for her,” I say earnestly.
She nods. “I accept that answer. Never upset her again or I am going to torture you. Slowly, brother.”
“I won’t,” I grumble.
“Good. I don’t want Kill to go for your balls. Something tells me Dahlia might have a problem with that.”
“Thank you for your concern, little sister,” I say, sarcasm thick in my voice.
She huffs, not liking the reminder that I am the Pakhan and the older sibling. But my sister does whatever she fucking wants anyway. A lesson my best friend learned the hard way.
“I’ll keep your secret, but I won’t lie to my husband. I love you both, but if he asks me point blank, I’ll tell him the truth.”
I dip my chin in acknowledgement, understanding where she comes from. “So please, the sooner you tell him, the better. After Enzo surely blows a gasket, he’ll realize that there could never be someone better for Dahlia than you.”
I arch a brow, incredulous at her conviction. “You called me a butcher in a suit and said that you have no idea what she sees in me.”
She waves me off. “The appeal of the domesticated monster. It’s an archetype, brother. We women are suckers for that. Cue how I became a wife.”
I chuckle, savoring a few more minutes with my sister. We’ll never have a normal brother-sister relationship. The past made sure of that, but our bond is just as strong.
“He will want to know everything.” Her gaze softens, palming my arm and giving it a little squeeze. “You did what you had to do. I’m proud of you.”
But right then, Enzo comes out, sizing me up. “Gracing us with a visit? Did you crawl out of the hole you dug yourself into?”
“Yes.”
“Good. We have work to do.”
“Sensitive as always,” I mumble.
“Hungry?” he asks, dismissing my jab.
“No.”
“Good,” he grins. “I only cook for my wife.”
I make a gagging sound, but the whipped idiot ignores me and sweeps his wife in for a long kiss.
I can’t even pull the brother card. I am too guilty and not at all repentant about doing the same to him, so I shut up.
“Do you think she’s better today?” he asks Calla, who glances at me.
“I’m sure she is.”
Then she walks with Kill toward the main mansion.
I smirk, thinking how terrified she was of this dog that I swear now listens only to her command. Enzo’s plan of scaring her with him blew up epically in his damn face.
He goes inside, returning with another coffee, and we sit around the table, across from each other.
“The gathering is next month. If one motherfucker pulls something, I will lose my shit,” he looks ahead as if preparing to murder them before it comes to the meeting.
While I shoot first and ask questions later, my friend’s patience has grown thinner since he got married. I don’t have to wonder why. He simply wants more time with his wife. I feel him because that’s all I crave too.
“Nothing will happen. The only people they’re wary of is us.”
