Page 38 of Sinful Blaze

“Stay where you are. Call me when she leaves.”

“You got it, sir.”

I hang up and set my phone back down on the desk. My heart has returned—somewhat—to my chest, but it’s not beating any easier. Daphne’s at the doctor? Didn’t she promise she’d let me know about her appointments?

“Hey,” Sofi’s gentle voice wafts over from the small couch. “How you holding up?”

“Fine. Everything’s fine.”

“Then why do you look like you’ve been gut-punched?”

She’s got me there. I feel gut-punched. Daphne made an appointment with the obstetrician and didn’t tell me.

I want to be there for her. I want to be there for our baby.

I don’t want to miss anything.

I glance up at my two younger siblings and sigh. Maybe they’re a little to blame for this, just not intentionally. With all the shit our parents had to deal with—Mama more than Otets—I was the one who poured the cereal, helped with homework, divvied up chores, basically raised them.

Family is everything. And if Makari and Sofiya are anything to show for it, I could actually raise a decent, happy kid.

If I’m allowed the chance.

“Dinner didn’t exactly go as planned,” I explain haltingly.

“What did you do?” Sofi deadpans.

I narrow my eyes at her. “That’s assuming I did anything.”

She stares at me, unflinching.

I sigh. “Fine. I may have come on a little strong.”

“‘A little’?”

If she wasn’t my baby sister, I’d give her a warning glare for questioning me. As it stands, she’s one of the few people who dares to check me. “You might’ve been right. She’s a civilian, and I’m responsible for her safety. I told her as much, and she… didn’t take it well.”

“You told her what, precisely? In what kind of words?”

Again, I sigh. “That we’re a Bratva. And I’m the boss. And… that she’s part of my household?—”

“And that means she has to do what you say.”

The fact that both my siblings fill in the answer in unison does not inspire confidence.

Sofi rolls her eyes and rubs the bridge of her nose, while Mak laughs and shakes his head. “Great job,” he remarks between chuckles. “Oversharing on the first date. Chicks love that shit.”

I’m allowed to hit him. He’s my brother.

Sofi stops me with a hand held up before I can even rock forward in my chair to launch a swing at Mak’s huge head. “What do we know about Daphne?”

“Not much,” I admit as I settle back down. “She works for an art dealer and she’s probably using an alias, because records don’t go back as far as they should.”

“Okaaay…” She sucks air through her teeth and nods. “So what’s the plan?”

“I don’t have a plan.”

Both of them stare at me in disbelief.

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