I stepped into my uncle and gave him a hug.
Just then, the lock to my apartment rattled before it opened, and Dom stepped in.
It was early in the morning, barely nine, but usually my brother never left his penthouse looking anything but suave. Right now, he was in jeans, a half-haphazardly tucked-in tee, and I didn’t think he’d even taken a shower.
“Are you all right?” He stalked straight toward me, pulled me from my uncle’s arms, and squeezed me so tight, I yelped.
“I will be once I recover my blood circulation.”
He drew back and studied my face before he gave me a head-to-toe appraisal, and his brows scrunched in annoyance. “You’re dressed like you’re about to attend a fancy brunch while I was going out of my goddamn mind this morning.”
“As you can see, I’m fine. I lost my phone.”
“Uh-huh.” Dom stepped back and crossed his arms. “Doesn’t explain why your tracker was disabled.”
Luca stood beside my brother. “Your tracker was disabled?”
“What? She didn’t tell you?”
I was going to retort that it malfunctioned, but I was already squatting on a pile of lies that were starting to reek. And one thing I’d learned about fabricating lies was you didn’t want to tell too many of them before you ended up contradicting yourself.
Not to mention I had the dons of both the Moretti and De Lucci crime families giving me an interrogation.
“Kirill,” I said. “He said he didn’t want you tracking me anymore.” Still a lie, but closer to the truth.
“What the fuck is Kirill’s game? And what was that display in front of his house this morning?” Dom asked in a raised tone. “You kissed him. And don’t tell me you’re having a secret relationship because I know you two can’t stand each other.”
“He’s blackmailing her or something,” Luca said.
“Or something.” I shot them a warning glare. “Don’t go badmouthing my future husband.”
The way their jaws slackened and their eyes widened was picture-worthy. I had the oddest desire to laugh or to run away.
I’d never rendered Luca speechless before. I braced for an explosion, but I beat them to it.
“Kirill and I have signed an intent to marry. Margo Winthrop should inform Dad and Mamma shortly.”
Chapter
Six
Kirill
I strodethrough the elaborate marble-pillared entrance of my parents’ house and went directly to the outdoor patio where they were having breakfast with my sister.
“Is it true, Kirill? Viktor is dead?” Ivan boomed. I took my time in answering my father because, frankly, I no longer answered to him. I was the pakhan of our bratva now. I gave Irina a peck on the top of her head and did the same to Aralina. My sister signed hello and gestured that I had some explaining to do after showing me theManhattan Tattlerheadline on her phone.
“Romeo and Juliet in the making?”
Jesus Christ.
“Did Lucy De Lucci spend the night in your house?” Irina asked me.
“She did.”
I sat at the other end of the table. A maid appeared and poured me a cup of coffee.
“Orange juice, sir?” she asked.
