“Excuse me?” Matvei replies. I can’t tell whether it’s amusement or warning in his tone.
Kelly doesn’t care and glares up at him. “You heard me. You’re the reason my sister is here. You’re the reason she’s in danger.”
Now I can see its amusement glimmering in the dark blue of his eyes. “You must be Kelly.”
My sister, however, is not amused. “Yes, I must be,” she answers flatly.
“Sonya talks about you often, and fondly. I can see how close you two are.”
Matvei’s reply isn’t what Kelly expects, and for once, my sister is brought up short without a word spilling from her mouth.
Matvei’s eyes find mine as Kelly scoffs and continues to glare at the Russian crime boss.
“Well, anyway, I need to get your statement. Yours and that giant bear over there. And Sonya, I’ll need yours, too. Do you want to come down to the station? I can take you home afterward.”
I shake my head, feeling cold again without adrenaline running through my veins or Matvei beside me. “No, I just want to get it over with. I don’t want to sit in any room.”
Kelly nods and weaves her arm through mine, giving Matvei a warning look. He offers a bemused smile as he follows us.
“Damn it. Does he really have to be so good-looking? It would make hating him on your behalf a whole lot easier.”
I have to bite back a giggle at my sister’s comment. “You don’t have to hate him, Kelly. I don’t even know what happened.” Kelly gives me a look that tells me I’m not getting it, and I drop my voice to a near-whisper. “There are a million mob guys here. There’s no way this was about me.”
Not with the heads of a bunch of Italian mob families in the building behind us. Not during the bratty princess’s wedding. Not when my escort is the head of the most powerful Russian crime syndicate in Chicago.
Kelly stays glued to my side throughout the process of taking my statement, and so does Matvei, with Evgeny not too far off, hovering around us like a shadow.
“They’re still processing the scene, but I’ve got permission to take you home,” Kelly announces.
“She’ll come with me,” Matvei steps in.
Kelly’s green eyes snap to his face, her chin raised in defiance. “Like hell she will. My sister just went through a drive-by shooting. I’m not leaving her side.”
Matvei meets her gaze, just as determined. His voice is low and deliberate as he says, “Out of the two of us, which one do you think is the safer bet? I believe you know very well who I am and what I can provide.” It’s not exactly a threat, but it isn’t a friendly reminder, either. It’s more like an assertion.
The standoff is interrupted by voices coming from behind us, one particularly loud and full of bravado.
Rodolfo Mancini’s hands are balled into fists at his side. He turns to the men in dark suits who surround him. “Find out who did this,” he orders, spitting with anger. “I want their names. I want their families’ names. I want their heads on a platter in front of me by tomorrow morning. I want to know who tried to ruin my daughter’s wedding!”
Evgeny happens to be standing behind the old man, and I wonder if I’m the only one who sees him roll his eyes.
“Sonya, I’m so sorry.” Genevieve draws out the “o” as she takes my hands in hers, suddenly all concern and kindness, ignoring the look Matvei flashes at her. “I can’t believe someone would dothis! And I can’t believe they used my wedding as a cover. This is absolutely terrible, and I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
I offer a small smile I don’t feel and squeeze her hands before pulling mine back. I find one of Matvei’s instead to banish the feel of her touch from my skin.
“Who knows what this was about. I’m just glad no one was seriously hurt.” I look around to double check my words are valid and see no one lying on the sidewalk in a puddle of blood.
“Oh, that would have been so terrible,” Genevieve moans, swooning like she’s about to faint. Samson puts his arm around her shoulders to steady her, something he never did for me. “Someone dying on our wedding day would be a horrible way to start a life together.”
“Do you need her anymore? Or can I take her home?” Matvei cuts in.
“Excuse me?” Kelly sets her jaw and folds her arms over her chest in a move that tells me she’s gearing up for a fight. “I’ve already said I’m taking her home.”
Matvei sets his jaw, too, his eyes narrowing.
“Kelly, I’m fine. I promise,” I tell her, trying to ease the tension. “You know where I am, and you have my number. I promise I’m safe.”
“Safer with me than with you,” Matvei mutters. I throw him a warning glare that, amazingly, he heeds and shuts up.
