Page 18 of No Longer Mine

Or, depending on who it was, maybe their timing was perfect.

Don pulled the door open, his broad frame blocking my view of the visitor.

I watched him carefully, noting the subtle shift in his stance, the way his shoulders tensed just slightly.

A familiar voice cut through the quiet.

“You have a maid now?”

Griffin.

My youngest brother shoved past Don without waiting for an invitation.

Don shot me a questioning glance, his fingers twitching like he was just waiting for the order to detain my unruly sibling. I shook my head slightly, and though he didn’t look convinced, he backed off, retreating to the kitchen where his laptop waited.

Don made himself at home here, and I didn’t mind it. If anything, it was necessary to have someone like him hangingaround. Even if it meant he’d likely get his hands on the thief before I could.

And I so desperately wanted to be the one to catch her. If she even came back.

I closed the door and turned to Griffin, who was already rummaging through my kitchen like he lived here.

“Don is my security detail and my driver,” I said, my voice calm but firm. “Treat him with respect, or I’ll have him throw you out onto your ass.”

Don smirked from his seat, clearly entertained by the threat. And honestly? I knew we’d both enjoy it.

Griffin held up his hands in surrender. “Duly noted.”

He wasn’t a fighter. Never had been. Griffin was a lover, a hopeless romantic who still believed in fairy tales despite being raised in this family. Father used to say it was a good thing Griffin wasn’t in line for the Cristof fortune—he was too soft, too naive.

Most of the time, I would have agreed. But even I knew we needed his brand of recklessness to keep the rest of us from going insane.

I folded my arms, watching as he rifled through my fridge. “What do you want, Griffin?”

He scowled over his shoulder. “Really? That’s it?”

I remained silent.

With an exaggerated sigh, he pulled open the fridge door fully and leaned inside. “Where’s your beer?”

My mouth almost watered at the thought. I wanted a beer. Fuck, I needed a beer. But I had no time for indulgences.

“I don’t keep it in the house anymore.”

Griffin’s head snapped up. He slammed the fridge door shut, his scowl deepening. “What the fuck?”

I spread my hands in a nonchalant shrug.

He shook his head, looking at me like I was some stranger standing in his brother’s place. “I knew this running-for-councilman bullshit was a lie. And I was right. You’re changing—just like everyone else.”

I arched a brow. “Changing?”

“Ace doesn’t answer my calls anymore,” he whined. “Alexei’s suddenly a respectable businessman—” He spat the last part like it offended him. “And now you—you, of all people—are running for office?”

I tilted my head slightly, unimpressed. “And what does that have to do with me?”

Griffin exhaled sharply, and to my complete irritation, his eyes watered slightly.

Oh, for fuck’s sake.