Page 99 of Shark’s Pride

Abbigail bent down a bit to be closer to the little girl. “Mmmm, I’m not sure. Maybe you could try one and let me know what you think? They’re chocolate too though, so it might be a tough decision.”

“But life is about tough stuff, remember? Uncle Bas just said so.” My niece ran over, tugged on my hand, and looked up to me with adoring eyes. “Uncle Bas, you gave the best speech I ever heard. You didn’t even seem scared, though you also talked about being that way. Good job!” She put her little hand up for a high five, and I smacked it solidly.

“Thanks, Vel. Part of it was because I saw you right there in the front row, you know.”

“Really?” Her round cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and my heart swelled with more love.

“Oh, yeah. Cross my heart.” I crouched to her level and gave her a long, tight hug. “Your smile was so awesome. I just knew I could be brave.” I leaned back from our embrace before saying, “And that’s a lovely dress you have on today, Miss Shark.”

“Thank you.” She smiled wider, revealing a space where a tooth stood the last time I saw her. “We went shopping just for your special day. Mama said it was important.”

My niece’s admission had me pulling my sister into a hug too. “Thanks for coming, Dub,” I murmured to her.

“We wouldn’t be anywhere else Bas. I’m so proud of you, brother.”

Vela began towing my sister through the crowd, in search of the second dessert for the day. Pia was a godsend for so many reasons—right now because of her ability to read a situation without words being uttered. Okay, most specifically, this situation. Of course, she was well aware of my history with Viktor. She’d grown up right beside Grant, Elijah, me, and the rude Russian bully. She knew all the trouble I’d dealt with over the years involving the bastard.

And now, speaking of the blue-eyed spawn of the devil…

“Sebastian Shark,” Blake greeted with ease that, to any observer, looked open and diplomatic. “How nice to see you again, my friend. It appears congratulations are in order today.”

He offered his hand, and I glared at the extended palm. I’d be damned if I would accept his gesture in front of the press and have it caught on camera. No way would I allow his intrusion to become the leading story for the day, instead of anything to do with the Edge. Because damn it, that was exactly what would make the cut with the media. Even the straight news stations went for the ratings-grabbing sensations.

“Cut the bullshit, Blake,” I retorted past a clenched jaw. “What are you doing here?” I fought to keep my voice level so as to not attract any more attention. The people nearest to us had already stopped their own conversations. They turned and openly observed ours. Our rivalry was legendary, and we were rarely seen publicly in the same place at the same time—let alone talking to each other.

Viktor blatantly ignored my demand. “Abbigail,” he drawled instead and pulled my girlfriend in close. He made a show of kissing each of her cheeks while saying, “What a surprise to see you here. You look lovely, as always.”

As always? What the hell does that mean?

I heard Elijah suck in oxygen. It was a little reassuring to know I wasn’t the only one galled by Blake’s disrespect—or whatever the hell this was. I could feel Elijah’s tension ramping too, likely in preparation for a fistfight.

I liked that idea.

I liked it very much.

There was a woman at Viktor’s side. The leggy blonde had an aspiring actress vibe, with her pushed-up chest and too-tight dress. She slipped a coy smile my way while Viktor continued appraising Abbigail. The girl had no issue with the way he was admiring my woman.

I, on the other hand, could feel my blood pressure hammering through my skull.

“Enough,” I seethed. “She’s with me. And she’s also mine—unless you haven’t figured that out by now.” I deliberately went with a term I knew Viktor could relate to. With a possessive arm around her waist, I tucked Abbi closer to my body. “Last chance to explain why you’re here before I have you tossed out. I know for certain you were not invited.”

“No, but my lovely assistant was.”

“That so?” I arched a brow at the vaguely familiar blonde on his arm.

“She has ways of making things happen. But you probably already know that…right, Shark? You do remember consorting with Ms. Dobrochev before you ‘claimed’ Ms. Gibson?”

Dobrochev, who was nearly six feet and all leg, blushed and looked down at the ground. A mix of reactions hit me once. I was supremely uncomfortable for her—and for Abbigail. And hell…for me. I’d likely fucked this woman at the kink club both Viktor and I belonged to in Brentwood. But it must’ve been years ago, because I hadn’t been to The Pike in a long, long time.

I hauled in a gruff snort through my nose, giving myself a couple of seconds to compose a decent comeback for the classless cretin. Thank God that was all the time Elijah needed to push in between us, averting the public train wreck toward which we’d been racing.

“All right, Blake. That’s enough.” As Elijah moved in on the guy’s personal space, he coiled and uncoiled his fists. “Let’s go before this gets really ugly. I’ll show you to the parking garage, if you can’t find your own way.”

I shifted backward, though deliberately locked down my arrogant armor. Banks was handling this, and that was probably for the best. Though he and I enjoyed flinging a lot of shit at each other, Elijah ultimately respected the right side of the honor code—as strongly as he abhorred the wrong. The side Blake was trampling like an ox in a rice field right now.

Honest to hell. What was the man thinking? And how dare he try any of this right now? Insinuating the woman was one of my past conquests and doing it right in front of Abbigail—who, consequently, began shifting subtly at my side. Though I dug my fingers into her hip, molding her tightly to me again, she persisted in trying to put some space between us.

“Abbigail.”