It’s a jab in more ways than one. He thinks I’m just being defiant. He’s also making a sideways comment about Nik. It’s a twisted angle, blaming me for the death of a son that was only a pawn for him.
The thing about my dad is, he knows that the power shift is coming. Like it or not, it’s Bratvatradition for the son of thepakhanto take overwhen he turns thirty. It doesn’t matter whether the current kingpin is ready to give up the throne.
I can’t say that I give a shit. Things are about to change, whether he likes it or not.
“I don’t think you need to worry about losing anything,” I tell him. “Other than maybe your pride.”
After that, I’m done talking to him. Amara is across the room laughing, and I am following the sound. Soon, I am going to be the Rozanovpakhan,and Amara is going to be my…
Your what?asks a snarky voice at the back of my head, one that sounds suspiciously like her.Your arm candy? Your partner in crime?
Your wife?
I silence that voice and cross the rooftop.
When I find her standing with Baron and Maverick and a couple other men, I am both relieved to be away from my father and annoyed with the way the guys are all looking at her. One thing Amara has that Jenica does not? A knack for working the room. And right now, she’s working it a little too well for my taste. That bubbly laugh that is filling the rooftop patio with a fluttery, intoxicating sound, floating into the night air above us and catching the attention of every man within a fifty-foot radius.
That’s more attention than I care for.
“Hey, Ransome,” Maverick calls me over. “Did you know your littleassistanthere is a Dodgers fan?”
“Dodgers?” I ask. I like baseball, even though I usually use it as white noise while dealing with all the more pressing aspects of my life. But I am not a Dodgers fan.
“Yep.” She smiles up at me. “Born and raised.”
“A New York girl with loyalty to the team that left us for California.” Baron tsks, too much booze on his tongue and not enough better judgement.
Amara gasps in faux outrage. “I will have you know that when the Dodgers were still playing Ebbets Field, before they were sold in 1957, my great-grandpa used to go to every game. I would be a traitor to him if I gave up my team loyalty all because the MLB cared more about money than good baseball.”
The guys roar at that one, and I’m almost careless enough to smile. Her expert knowledge on the subject is kind of sexy.
But the thing that keeps my mouth slack is that Mav and Baron are eating it up.
I snake an arm around her and take her drink from her, setting it on the bar. Then I pull her away and we head back to the elevator.
“Where are we going?” she asks.
“We’re leaving,” I state, punching the doors closed.
“Thank you, Captain Obvious. I mean why are we leaving? Did we do what we came to do?”
“Oh, you did plenty.” I rake my hand through my hair as the door opens again and guide her back to the car, where Ivan is waiting.
“Okay, let me rephrase that,” she says once we are both inside. Meanwhile, I tell Ivan to take us to the loading dock. “Did I do something wrong? Because I did everything you asked.”
“I told you to stick with me,” I snap.
“And I did. Until you and your dad were talking alone at the bar. Call me presumptuous, but I have learned to stay out of it when you and your dad are in a meeting. Also, where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” As we drive further from city lights and deeper into the black night, I keep my eyes straight forward.
“Right.” She crosses her legs. “Because you can’t tell me anything. Because you can’t trust me with anything. No matter what I do, it’s not good enough. You tell me to be charming and then it’s too much. You tell me not to be over the top and then you explode at every tiny jab your dad makes. You know what? I don’t think I’m the problem. I think even if you were going to marry Jenica, you?—”
The car comes to a stop. Amara stops too. Her eyes dart with worry until they narrow in recognition.
“Are we at the—” she trails off.
“Yes. Now come with me.”
