Tex shrugged, gun still pointed. “I’m the Godfather.”
I mean, he wasn’t wrong…
“Shoot him, Chase, I’m next in line.” Another male voice snickered, earning my attention. Yup, all beautiful. Every last one of them.
“Dom doesn’t have the balls,” Tex said dryly.
“I don’t need a sex talk.” I felt the need to say. “Is this how every family dinner goes?”
Everyone fell silent as if the silence meant they agreed with each other.
I moved away from the table, needing some space away from the crazy, well that and my uncle’s watchful eyes. Asher joined me, clutching my hand in his.
And then I found myself walking away while Nikolai chased Asher and me down.
“Hey.” Nikolai grabbed my hand and spun me back around. “You know we’re just giving you shit, right? I only flew down to scare him, and he’s still wearing a smug expression handed down by his equally smug father.”
“Standing, right here.” Asher waved at us.
“You know—” Nikolai’s face darkened “—once you’re in… that’s it, there is no escape…”
“Are you talking from experience?” I asked in a weak voice.
“We all have blood on our hands,” he said somberly. “Some more than others.”
“He’s some,” Asher piped up. “Just in case you were curious.”
“Coming from the guy who had his first kill at twelve?” Nikolai made it seem like it wasn’t a big deal. I dropped Asher’s hand, my legs heavy, head swimming with questions.
Twelve?
Years?
Old?
I was still playing with Barbies! And he had a gun? Okay, maybe not Barbies, more like makeup, but the thought of it was outrageous!
“Thanks, Nik.” Asher rubbed the back of his head with his hand and did a small circle like he wasn’t sure whether to strangle something or just let what Nikolai had said take root in my mind. “Give us a minute?”
Nikolai bit back a curse and then turned on his heel and called back. “Get her pregnant I cut off two fingers and your pinky toe.”
“Pinky?” I whispered hoarsely.
“Helps a person balance and all that.” Asher waved me off like it was a joke when I knew that it wasn’t—Nikolai meant every word, didn’t he?
I frowned.
“Something wrong?” Asher cupped my face with his hands. “I mean other than the obvious.” The corner of his mouth lifted in a beautiful smile, one that I wanted to focus on because if I could focus on that smile, then everything else didn’t matter, right? It just faded into the background.
I exhaled a slow and steady breath. “Do you think my mom knows? About Nikolai?”
His eyes searched mine. “The truth?”
I nodded. “Always.”
“I’m going to assume your mom and dad both know more than they’re willing to admit. I’ll let you in on a little secret.”
I waited.
He licked his lips and lowered his mouth until I could feel his air, his words against my face. “Telling you anything about this life only puts you in danger. So, I’m going to bet they kept you in the dark on purpose. Not that it helped. They sure as hell aren’t going to give you daughter of the year award for associating with me.”
“Shoot, and I was so looking forward to the ceremony.” I teased.
He captured my mouth like he couldn’t help it then wrapped his muscular arms around my body. I sighed as his tongue dove deeper, his hands gripping my ass and jerking me against him.
Asher pulled away his eyes searched mine. “He always said it would be like this.”
“He?”
Asher kissed my forehead and wrapped an arm around me, guiding me toward the back of the house, the suits as he called them ignored us completely, but each of them had earpieces in fit for the CIA.
“My dad.” His voice was filled with pride. “He said that when you find that person, the one who reaches into your soul and refuses to let go—that you make sure never to give them any reason to run.” His face darkened as he stopped walking. “His first wife…” He licked his lips. “It’s why I wear the horse necklace.”
“But you didn’t know her.” I fished. “Right? I mean that gorgeous woman sitting next to Chase is your mom?”
“Absolutely.” He shrugged. “But it still bothers him, every year on that day, it bothers everyone that you could love someone so deeply so painfully, only to have them rat you out. Money…” He shook his head and looked down at the wet grass. “It wrecks the best of us.”
“I’m sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say.
He was silent as we kept walking. I dumbly followed him, at this point I’d probably follow him into a grave and go, cool we spooning while they pour dirt on us or what?
I was acting insane.
He made me insane.
I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a laugh. This was crazy. Wasn’t it?
“How did he know?” I asked once we reached what looked like a pool house. Asher opened the door and then shut it behind us.