Page 84 of Doc

“We shouldn’t keep you any longer,” Cristian says. “We still have the rounds to make.”

“Of course, of course,” Mother says gently. “It was wonderful to see you again.”

“We’ll get together soon,” I tell my parents, before leaning in and kissing my mother again.

“We would love to get to know your paramour,” she says automatically. “Call soon and we’ll arrange something.”

Oh, how easily we lie to one another.“I will.”

My father has the grace to look away from his conversation long enough to give me a nod goodbye, and Cristian shepherds us away.

“Sory,” Nikolai says, following us. We stop and the older man looks between the four of us before saying, “I would like to speak to my son alone.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Cristian says evenly. “Soren is mine now, and he has my full support and protection. I would hate to have to tell your brother that you were…less than gracious over that.”

Nikolai glares at Cristian, but in a room full of virtually innocent people, there’s nothing he can do about the not so subtlefuck youCristian just gave him. He says something sharp in Russian, and the way Soren tenses against me lets me know it’s not pleasant.

Without another word, he stalks off and gets lost in the crowd.

“Well,” I say slowly, “he’s pleasant.”

Soren lets out a tense laugh. “Let’s go find our table and get a drink,” he says.

“Good plan,” Cristian agrees.

Thank God for open bars.

Fuck my fucking life.The anxiety of knowing this is the last thing I ever wanted to happen swirls in my gut, and by the time we find our table and our companions, I’m shaking.

“Hey.” Doc’s voice and his hands on my shoulders help ground me. Looking into his cognac eyes, seeing the concern in them, and the slight pressure he’s applying to my shoulders, helps to keep me in place mentally as well as physically.

Sucking in a deep breath, I manage to regulate myself enough to nod and answer honestly. “I’m okay, baby.”

There’s doubt in his eyes, but I reach my hand to his and grip it tightly, moving it from my cheek to my lips before pressing a long, lingering kiss there. “I’m okay,” I say again.

Before Doc can respond, there’s a commotion and I’m swept to the side, Doc pushing me behind him, even as Tennant, Carter, and the rest of the guards herd us between them.

Looking around Doc, I roll my eyes and huff when I see who’s caused such a ruckus. “It’s fine, baby,” I say. “It’s just my cousin.”

Roman snorts. “It’s neverjustthe Russians anything. No offense, Soren.”

I wave the younger man off and gently push Doc to the side. “Davidik, mind telling my companions that you come in peace?”

David smiles. “But it’s so much fun getting under Italian skin.”

Tennant takes a step forward, but Cristian stops him with a hand on his arm. “We don’t need a confrontation,” Cristian says mildly.

“Correct,” David replies, though I’m not sure Cristian was actually talking to him. “Especially not when my uncle is chomping at the bit to get his son alone.”

I groan. “So soon? It’s only been a few minutes since I spoke to him.”

David shrugs. “You know Uncle Nisha. He is…” David trails off and raises his hands to sign before I can warn him. “He’ll be asking for your return.”

“No,” Cristian says firmly. “As I already told your uncle, Soren is mine. I do not care where he came from, as far as I am concerned, he is no longer Russian.”

David flicks his gaze between me and the mafia Boss. His position as my uncle’s heir means he knows how to play the game, but I know by just a look that he’s not going to let the wholethe Amatos know ASLthing go.

“Positions can be negotiated,” David says calmly. “Soren is not a hostage.”

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