Lap of Luxury (Love Don't Cost a Thing)

“Fuck you.”

We glower at each other across his desk. Time for thorn number two. “Georgios came to my office yesterday. He wants to get married.”

Mikhail shrugs. “I hope they’ll be very happy together.”

I slam my hands onto the desk and shoot to my feet. “How fucking dare you?”

“Damir,” Mikhail bites out, glaring up at me, “I don’t care what Georgios does anymore. That was a long time ago.”

My own brother, my blood, speaking indifferently about the vilest thing that’s ever happened to us. “You cold bastard.”

“Me?” Mikhail laughs. Actually laughs. “You never let anything go, and you call me cold? Nothing can change what he did.”

“He can still be punished for it.”

“For the rest of his life?” Mikhail sighs. “Do what you have to with Georgios, and leave me out of it. But what are we going to do about Alders? Have you called the police?”

Do what you have to do and leave me out of it. The selfish prick.

“Of course I haven’t called the police.” I take a long, slow look around the room. His office, separate from mine. His clients. His deals. This wasn’t what we agreed when we started Ravnikar Enterprises. Once, it meant everything to me to have my brother by my side, but has he ever been grateful for me? Does he ever think about how much of our past I overlook for his sake? When mama was dying, she reached for him. When I ran away, father decided that Mikhail was better. Nataša loved him, and it’s clear he never gave a shit about her after all. Everyone loves Mikhail, and he doesn’t deserve it. Everything just falls into his lap.

Like Bethany.

My blood starts to boil. Mikhail could never give a woman like her what she needs. He just doesn’t have it in him. How many dozens of women have I been through over the years? Weak, pathetic women who whine and cry and aren’t worth the money I spend on them.

I don’t like blood, Damir.

It makes me faint, Damir.

Why is the door locked, Damir?

I’m so fucking tired of it. And I’m even more tired of my brother.

My phone rings, and I see that it’s Boris. He might have an update about Alders, and I answer. “Yes?”

I listen, and I start to laugh. Mirth takes hold of me until I’m doubled over, wheezing and shaking. “No, no, I’m listening. What? They left her behind?”

I’m still snorting and chuckling when I hang up, and I can barely see straight to end the call.

“What’s so funny?” Mikhail asks crisply.

“He’s dead!” I exclaim. “Alders and his wife. Their plane crashed

in Ukraine.” I look up at the ceiling and shout with glee, “He’s fucking dead and I didn’t even need to kill him!” He died in fear while fleeing me. That’s as good as killing him myself.

Mikhail rubs the back of his neck and sits up. “Well, that’s that, then.”

I stop laughing. “No, brata. That’s not that. I want my money, and they left a daughter behind.”

Mikhail’s eyes narrow. “Damir, she probably had nothing to do with this.”

“We don’t know that. There’s no way I’m going to let some spoilt little bitch profit from her father’s treachery. I’m going to take every penny back from her if I have to wring it out of her corpse.”

Being an orphan isn’t going to make me pity her. Her family, her responsibility. Family always pays.

I turn my phone over in my hand. “I’m not unreasonable. I’ll get the lawyers onto recovering the money, and if we get it all back, then Miss Alders has nothing to fear from me.”

“And if we don’t get it all back?”