Page 63 of Kings of Cruelty

Giulio shrugs. “I guess so. I have extremely high standards when it comes to food.” He peers at me, and after a beat, he adds, “That’s why I cook with my daughter. So she learns how to make it right. You should try it too, when you have kids.”

My heart leaps into my throat, and I fight the urge to glare at Konstantin. Did he tell this supposed business associate that I’m pregnant? It seems like a weird thing to say otherwise.

Hell, it feels like a weird thing to say anyway.

“Yeah,” I say unenthusiastically. “I’ll make sure to make my…” I stumble over the words, and it’s all I can do not to make an idiot of myself.

I may have told the shoe clerk I was pregnant, but that was different. That had been my choice—as much as a blunder can be a choice, anyway.

“Pandora istwo,” Vanessa says, exasperated. “You aren’t doing any cooking ‘with’ her.”

“Okay, I’m cookingather,” Giulio corrects, laughing. “She likes stirring the pot!”

Konstantin clears his throat. “You cook? You don’t hire a chef?”

Vanessa shakes her head. “Not usually, no. One of my other… staff is usually around.” She casts an amused look at Giulio, but I don’t understand the joke.

Maybe I’m too busy reeling at the overly prescient nature of Giulio’s comment to put pieces together.

The conversation is weirdly informal. I’d expected coded meanings and secret glances, something to justify Konstantin dragging me here. But our food arrives, and Giulio compliments the cooking, and Konstantin starts telling us about traditional Russian dishes.

Vanessa must notice that I’m staying quiet, because she smiles in my direction. “What do you do? Are you in college?”

I nod. “I’m in my last year. Last semester, actually.” I smile back at her. “I’m looking forward to being done, though.”

“What are you planning on doing when you graduate?” she asks.

The question is innocent enough, but it makes me grimace. “I don’t know yet. I’m…” I glance at Giulio, who’s still talking animatedly with Konstantin. “I’m pregnant,” I confess. “I don’t know what I’m doing with pretty much anything right now.”

Her expression turns thoughtful. “One thing I’ve learned about being a mother is that having children doesn’t mean your life is over.”

“I should hope not,” I tell her with a nervous laugh. “There’s a lot I still want to do.”

“And there’s a lot youcando,” she says.

I look at her, reallylookat her, and I realize she’s about my age. “How many kids do you have?”

“Three,” Vanessa replies. “Pandora, Ares, and Kratos. The boys are twins.” I try to fight a grin, but she sees the amusement and rolls her eyes. “Giulio named them.”

“If that’s what men think children need to be named, I’m not letting Kotya name mine,” I say.

“To be fair, I was drugged to the gills at the time,” she says dryly. “By the time I was coherent, it was too late.”

“Better than boring names likeSeanorWilliam,” Giulio interrupts.

All of my amusement vanishes, and my stomach lurches. How much research has he done on me? How much has Konstantin told him?

I look sharply at Konstantin, unable to keep myself from giving him an accusing look.

He seems as shocked as I am. “Pavone…”

Pavone.

GiulioPavone.

I freeze.

Giulio laughs. “What? It’s true. And please, call me Giulio. We’re friends now, remember?” He rests his chin on his hand. “I heard you got into it with Silvano recently, by the way. I can’t decide who to back if it comes to it, but…” Giulio winks at me. “Family’s messy, isn’t it?”

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