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Everest releases a shaky breath. I’m sure part of that is from relief over getting her hero out of the line of fire before Dima finds out he failed but the other, the greater part, has to be from nerves.

I don’t blame her. Fuck, even I’m a little nervous, though I’m nervous for her not myself.

“Want me to go out there? It’ll look weird if I walk out with you three,” Kat says.

Don’t know this chick, but she seems to make Everest feel calm and anyone who’s good to my girl gets my respect.

I look at E with a raised brow. “Up to you, sweetheart. You want Katarina to walk out with us?”

She squares her shoulders, raises her chin, and gives me a shaky smile. “No. It’s fine. I’ll see you out there, Kat. Um…where’s Flora?” Everest asks me.

“She’s at the first table outside the door. Look for a tiny dark-haired girl with a bunch of scowling men around her,” Madd answers.

The face Everest pulls makes all three of us chuckle. “You just described every single Greek woman from any part of the syndicate.” Except the dark-haired Flora isn’t Greek.

Kat gives Everest a reassuring smile, fluffs E’s hair, then steps through the door.

“You got this, beautiful,” Madd tells her, wrapping his hand around the knob and preparing to pull it open.

We can hear Kato’s deep voice coming through the speakers around the room, so the attention won’t be on the back of the banquet hall when we exit. As long as Kat didn’t garner any extra attention, no one should notice us at first.

I really don’t care whether anyone sees us, as long as Dima doesn’t spot Everest until she’s in full view of the party. So many fucking witnesses at one fucking time.

This could go so many ways, but I hope we were all correct in assuming Sidorov won’t start any shit with cameras, journalists, and pseudo celebrities present.

“Show time,” Everest whispers as Madd pulls the door open and steps out first.

The guard, Karolos, who’d been watching the door when I approached, straightens and starts to walk ahead of us. Dimitri follows behind as Madd and I flank her on either side.

She’s surrounded by a wall of muscle and firepower. Yeah, we made everyone check any firearms at the door before entering. There’s even a discreet metal detector at the door to keep anyone from sneaking shit in, though it would be impossible to knowwhether the little alerts were set off by jewelry, belt buckles or such without fully wanding the guests.

We’re trying to keep the attention off the fact this is a mafia party. Pretty sure forcing everyone to stand still while they’re searched for weapons would send the wrong idea and cause a front-page story in tomorrow’s news.

Doesn’t mean our men aren’t prepared for any and every possible situation, including the pistol at my ankle.

The spotlight is on Kato as he rattles on about finding the love of his life, about proposing, about being so excited to spend his life with his future wife.

He doesn’t bother announcing her name yet. This whole thing is planned down to the most minute detail.

Murmurs start to rumble through the crowd as we escort Everest onto the stage. She has her head tilted down slightly, her hair creating a curtain to conceal her identity.

Until she’s mere feet from Kato.

“Please join me in celebrating the future Mrs. Antoniou…Everest Sidorova.”

The crowd instantly silences.

Chaos erupts as one by one the attendees realize who has joined Kato on the stage…

And Kato’s fiancée is none other than his family’s enemy’s daughter. The same daughter everyone believed was either dead or married off and living in another state.

Chapter 27

Everest

All I can do is hope and pray no one can tell how hard I’m shaking. I know my men have my back; I know they won’t let anyone come near me.

But damn…I’m freaking out a little.