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I scoffed, “Obviously, not one I can keep with my siblings.”

Every day, every single day, one of them needs me. I’ve already had a call from Rome, who I have to meet in two hours. But why bother explaining that to Nikolai. No. The man is hungry and I’m suddenly his lunch bitch.

I’m going to kill him. He said lunch. Not a lunch function with other people. Glaring at his back, walking behind him.

Whose fucking wedding anniversary is this, and why did I have to be here? Practicing my breathing exercises before I throw him through that obnoxiously large cake.

He must have woken up this morning and thought, how can I make Vince suffer? Oh. Great idea. I’ll drag him to some old fuckers’ wedding anniversary.

Wait. That sign said Voss.

Only now did I notice how silent the room went as Nikolai walked towards a table. Looking around at the guests. Are we crashing this wedding anniversary?

Every muscle in my body went tight, as I saw Noah Voss at the table Nikolai had stopped at.

If he brought me here to make some fake peace or a gesture of respect. I might just end up hurting my brother. Throwing him through the cake would be less painful.

“Nikolai Crow,” Noah’s father, Chris stood up, “What do we owe this unexpected visit?”

Glaring at my brother’s back. He better not ask me to shake that fucker’s hand, because I’d break it.

The room was silent. Everyone staring at us. I hated people. Even more so when I could feel their attention.

“I just need a moment with your son, Chris. I’m sure you understand why.” Nikolai looked down at the table. Noah got out of his chair while I kept my focus on Nikolai.

One wrong look from Noah: I could end up strangling him. Though, if this was his family event. I looked at the empty seat beside him. Madeline mustn’t have attended.

“Lay down on the ground.” Nikolai kept his hands in his pocket.

I was confused as I watched Noah listen.

Nikolai applied his foot to his throat. I had clearly missed something. He stomped repeatedly on his neck with enough pressure to fracture his voice box.

My smile got bigger when he started coughing up blood. With enough luck, he might drown on it.

Even as Nikolai walked away, not one of his family members risked getting out of their seats.

It was a glorious sight to see that man in so much fucking pain.

“Wait until he fully recovers,” Nik stood at my side, “then you can kill him.”

My grin got bigger, watching him choke, struggling to breathe. Fuck. I hoped he didn’t end up drowning now.

Walking backwards a few steps before turning around to walk beside Nik. I grabbed his shoulder, pulling him to my side. “So how about that lunch, brother?”

CHAPTER 15

Madeline

Holding back my groan after a knock on the bedroom door. What are the chances she has now found a night exercise class to add to my daily routine?

I pushed the blankets off. My legs were aching from this morning’s class.

If only I had known the chef now lodges and reports back every item I ate from the kitchen.

My stomach twisted again. Reliving the shame from last night when Mom read out a week’s worth of calories just before dinner. I had never agreed to a fluid diet quicker.

Each day for seven days I made it to two thousand, when her rule is nine hundred.