Page 59 of Inked in Devotion

“He’s what?” Kolya gritted. “Twenty years older than her?”

“Fifteen,” Lucy corrected. “I’ll try to reason with Aralina, but acting like an overbearing warlord is not helping.”

“Quite the opposite.” Kirill downed his vodka and poured another glass.

Lucy snatched it away, and just to spite his wife, Kirill drank from the bottle.

“Ivan is waiting at the main house,” she informed him.

“Ivan is here?” Kolya asked, his gaze falling on me. A slither of complex emotions snaked its way up my spine, making me shiver and then stiffen.

“Should we knock some sense into the old man?” Kirill suggested.

“I’ve got your back, comrade.” A gleam entered Kolya’s eyes. It was the killer instinct. His face right now was so different from the doting dad of the past five days.

Lucy rounded the counter and grabbed her husband’s arm before looking at me. “I’m sorry for barging in here.”

“I…this news is…huge.” I was still at a loss for the right words, especially with Ivan close by. It sent me into stasis.

“Isn’t it?” Lucy grinned. “Come on, big guy, let’s go see Ivan.”

Kolya came around to me, his gaze searching mine, sensing the turmoil inside me. “Are you all right?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” But a bitterness started saturating my tongue. It was a mixture of Ivan’s presence and the fact that I had caused this problem. If I hadn’t come out of hiding, would this have been necessary? “You should probably go and back up Kirill.”

Kolya’s expression looked torn.

“You’re his second-in-command.”

“Not really.”

“Yes, you are. He came straight here.” I blew out a breath. “Go back him up. Except promise me you’ll say no if he suggests getting rid of Theo.”

Kolya laughed briefly before giving me a peck on the forehead. “You got it.”

Chapter

Thirteen

Chloe

“Got a minute?”

I looked up from my computer screen, surprised to see Theo and Gage. It had been a week since Kirill showed up at our house. Three days ago, I returned to work at the shelter. It was also the day the publicity department of King Industries announced Theo and Aralina’s impending marriage. King Industries’ stock soared.

The public had forgotten the scandal I created because the market was focusing on what Wall Street called: the union between American and Russian royalty. Not only was Theo given full control of Jeremiah’s shares, but the board voted him to continue as CEO.

It was the first time I’d seen a relaxed expression on his face. Okay, maybe he’d gotten more grays at his temples. It reminded me of the age gap between him and Aralina. I’d only seen her in pictures.

“Hi, Aunt Chloe.” My eight-year-old nephew waved and gave me a small smile. Gage had always been reserved around me. I was glad Theo wasn’t forcing him to give me a hug. It was the first time I’d seen my brother out of a suit. He was in a navy-blue sweater, with a collar of a white polo peeking out and dark blue jeans.

“Wow, is it the weekend? You’re not in a suit?”

Theo approached my desk. He had a fancy envelope in his hand. I had an idea what it was.

“I wanted to give you this.” He extended his arm, handing me an ornate pink-and-gold wedding envelope. I accepted the tastefully vintage invitation. It was heavy. And wow, that was fast.

“Is this made of gold?” I joked.