Page 43 of His to Ruin

“The U.K.,” Evie says. If she thinks I’m a complete moron, she doesn’t show it.

I swallow hard as I think about the people I’m going to sit down to dinner with tonight. They’re all highly accomplished. Even Damiano and Lorenzo have impressive resumes. I wish Piotr had warned me who I’d be meeting here.

“Don’t worry.” Evie must pick up on my anxiety. “Everyone’s really friendly once you get to know them.” She elbows Niko. “Go get Olivia a drink, will you? That stuck-up butler of Sev’s isn’t going to offer.”

“Of course.” Despite looking like the sort of man who’d rip his enemies’ heads off with his bare hands, Niko smiles fondly at his sister-in-law. “What can I get you, Olivia?”

“I’ll take a vodka, please. Neat.” It’s not what I’d usually go for, but this feels like the right moment to try Piotr’s favorite drink.

Niko nods approvingly, then leaves the room. Evie steers me over to one of the sleek white sofas and we sit.

“You’ll do great, Olivia.” Evie’s kind to soothe my fears, which I wish I was doing a better job of hiding. This is so unlike me. I attend dozens of social events every year. Usually, people are nervous about meeting me.

“I don’t want to let Piotr down,” I admit.

“I was afraid of disappointing Daniil at first. I didn’t know how to behave around his business partners. At least you were born into this life.”

“You weren’t?”

Evie shakes her head. “No, before I met Daniil, I didn’t know a thing about how the Bratva, or the Mafia, or any of this works.”

“So, how did you meet?”

“I worked at a swimming pool Daniil used to come to. One night he was there after hours and I spotted someone suspicious outside. I realized they were coming for Daniil, so I warnedhim.” She laughs, a melodious sound. “Actually, I threw a shoe at him to get his attention. You should have seen his face.”

“That’s a story to tell your grandkids.”

“I know, right? Anyway, he killed the bad guys, but couldn’t leave me as a witness, so he carried me off on his private jet and the rest, as they say, is history.”

She rubs a hand over her belly.

“Is this your first child?”

“Second. It’s a boy. Our daughter, Mirabel, is back at the hotel with her nanny.”

“Mirabel.” I test out the name. “That’s pretty.”

“Thanks. She’s a sweet wee thing, but she can also be a holy terror. Daniil’s brother has twin sons, and the three of them create havoc together.”

“I can imagine.”

Suddenly, it occurs to me that Piotr and I haven’t discussed children. I mean, we haven’t talked about much, but the subject of kids seems like an important one for newlyweds to broach, especially since we fucked without a condom. Though I want a family, I want to achieve something of my own first. I have ambitions I’ve never told anyone about. Will Piotr give me a chance to fulfill them or will he insist I focus all my energy on being his wife and then a mother to his children? As much as I hate the thought of having that conversation, I guess it’ll have to be done.

When Niko returns with a glass of vodka, filled halfway, I take it gratefully and drink it in a single gulp. It’s got a pleasant,fragrant taste, but it burns the back of my throat. Somehow, I manage not to embarrass myself by spluttering.

“You sure you’re not part Russian?” Niko says with a laugh.

“Not even a little.”

I jump to my feet as people trickle into the room. Damiano is the first face I recognize. He’s closely followed by Lorenzo.

“Did you forget to put a dress on?” Lorenzo murmurs by way of a greeting as he leans in to kiss my cheek.

His comment pricks my insecurities about how I look, but I cover it with a haughty glare. “Don’t you have a pretty restaurant owner to harass?”

My cousin scowls, but if he thinks his obsession with Lucia Lazaro is a secret, he’s in for a shock. The entire world knows he wants her, and she’s giving him the runaround.

Before he can snipe back at me, Piotr appears by my side. He slides a possessive arm around my waist. “Olivia.”

---