Tempted by Deception (Deception Trilogy #2) - Rina Kent Page 0,99
his ‘brother’ of almost fifty years. Sergei sure likes to throw parties for those closest to him, and doesn’t hold back.
I huddle in a corner, clutching a glass of champagne in my stiff fingers. Usually, Rai keeps me company, but she climbed V Corp’s ladder and became a hotshot who doesn’t have time for me anymore.
Adrian sure as hell doesn’t stand with me, let alone talk to me, when we’re in the midst of his own people. But I guess it’s better this way. At least no one pays attention to me until it’s time to go home and hug my angel.
Gripping my flute of champagne, I stare at my watch, then sigh heavily when I see it’s only eight in the evening.
My clutch bag feels heavy in my hand because Adrian now makes me carry a gun. After the attack on the day I gave birth, he trained me to shoot, even when I told him I didn’t want to. He said what I want doesn’t matter, then made me hold a gun and shoot for weeks until I learned how to use it.
He also trained me to use some self-defense moves.
Adrian said it’s for when I need to defend myself when neither he nor his guards are there. I’ve never encountered such a situation since Yan and Boris are basically my shadows.
I hate that Adrian is forcing me to carry a weapon of destruction, but I’ve come to know that he’s stiff and unmovable on matters like these.
I might win some arguments, like not having the nanny come in every day or being able to teach Jer instead of the Russian teachers. In fact, most of the arguments I win are about Jeremy. He lets me have freedom in raising him, but other than that, he’s been guarded since that night.
As if expecting me to run again.
Not that I could with the heavy security. Besides, the thought of him taking Jeremy away gives me damn nightmares.
“If it isn’t the lovely hidden beauty?” an amused voice calls from behind me before Damien joins me. Soon after, Kirill appears out of nowhere and stands next to him.
I groan internally, even as I nod in greeting. Their company is the last thing I need. Kirill is always somehow trying to interrogate me about Adrian, and Damien seems happy to throw jabs at me.
At the beginning, I found it hard to keep up with who’s who, so I made a long-ass digital document with Ogla’s help to specify who is who in the Bratva. Surprisingly, Adrian didn’t mind and even told Ogla to assist me. But then again, he fully expects me to stay by his side, so he wouldn’t worry about me making an educational file about his organization.
“Adrian said you were sick,” Kirill muses, running his cunning gaze over me. “You look pretty good for someone who’s sick.”
“I got better,” I speak in a quiet voice, glad that Adrian lies about my health all the time so I’m not expected to attend.
Even though he does it because I embarrass him, I’m happy that I don’t have to meet these people often. When I’m with Jeremy back at home or volunteering at the shelter, I feel like I’m detached from them and their criminal activities.
“Now, Lia.” Damien grins. “What’s really going on? Is he bruising you, so you can’t come out? Tell Rai about it, and she’ll help since she’s into all of that women standing up for women shit.”
“That’s not it.” I’m slightly offended on Adrian’s behalf. He might be cold and aloof, but he’s the best family man among all of them. He’d never hurt me or Jeremy.
Kirill adjusts his glasses with his middle and ring fingers. “Then what is it?”
I gulp past the lump in my throat. As much as I’ve seen them over the years, these two scare me, especially after the stories Yan told me about them. How Kirill was in the special forces and killed more than anyone can count, or how Damien beats people to death if they so much as piss him off.
Sometimes, I think I was lucky to land on Adrian’s radar, not theirs. Because spending a minute in their presence has turned me itchy and fidgety.
“He asked you something, beautiful,” Damien insists.
“Why don’t you ask me?”
I release a breath at Adrian’s voice, and I peek at him as he stands beside me, his entire attention on Kirill and Damien who don’t seem happy that their fun was halted.