Page 5 of Desperate Crimes (Mergers & Acquisitions #6)

P resent—At Lucy and Balor’s Party

“I don’t know what you mean, Mom,” I say, careful to keep my tone light as I sip my drink.

Sweet. Fizzy. Not strong enough.

I’m twenty-four, but she still treats me like her baby. But I know she loves me, so I let her.

Across the patio, string lights glow warm and golden, casting a soft, dreamy haze over the whole affair.

Laughter bubbles from the corner where Lucy’s cousins are gathered near the fire pit, and Balor and his new acquisition, a reggaeton star named El Tigre, huddle near the bar, all broad shoulders and expensive watches.

Beside them are their wives. My cousin Lucy looks at her husband like he hangs the moon, and I’m happy for her, I am. But I can’t help but envy her a little bit.

She’s always been blessed, though with looks, brains, and charm. Not that it’s always been easy for her. I know that.

But now? She has it all.

The house. The husband. The dream. This party.

It’s beautiful. Loud. Perfect.

Maybe a little too perfect.

My mother studies me over the rim of her wineglass, eyes sharp behind her lashes.

She means well. I know she does. But sometimes I wonder if she really sees me.

If she knows how much I’m like my father.

Not the polished, press-friendly version of Adrik Volkov the world’s so in love with. I’m talking about his alter ego.

The Dark Wolf.

The ruthless tech billionaire.

The man, the myth, the legend.

My father is perhaps the most dangerous man I have ever met.

He’s the one who’s quiet in a room full of power because he doesn’t need to speak to be heard.

The one who controls more than anyone realizes and feels everything beneath a mask of nothing.

That’s the part I got from him.

And my sister Michaela? Michaela got the rest.

The shine. The brilliance.

The ambition that makes people want to follow her.

She’s the golden child. Always was. Always will be.

And I say that with love.

She’s great.

No, more than great.

A literal force of nature. Two kids. A husband who still looks at her like he won the fucking lottery. And ODI, the company she runs with him that just hit Forbes’ Fastest Growing list.

She knows who she is. She always has.

Me?

I’m still figuring that part out.

“I just worry sometimes,” my mother says, interrupting my reverie, gentle but persistent. “You haven’t brought a boy home since Richard, and that was what? Two years ago?”

“Richard?” I snort. “Oh my God. What made you think of him?”

I nearly choke on my drink, mostly because I’m not about to explain that Richard was never really a boyfriend.

More like an experiment.

A box I tried to check off.

Try dating a nice guy from a nice family who wants nice (but boring) things.

Yeah, it was no surprise Richard wasn’t right for me.

Not really. Well, more like not at all.

I just wanted to see what would happen if I walked into the family Fourth of July BBQ with a man on my arm.

Okay, fine, I wanted to see if he noticed.

My secret crush.

The only man who has ever made my pulse race and my heart pound.

The one I think about when I use those special toys, the ones I bought myself for my twenty-first birthday.

But he didn’t notice.

I wasted my time. My hopes. My secret dreams.

As for Richard?

Pfbbbt.

I didn’t want him. Like at all.

Not to pretend to date.

Not to give my virginity to.

Not in any way that mattered.

The two of us fizzled before we ever even had a chance to burn.

“Mom, Richard was years ago. How did you even remember his name?”

“But there’s been no one since, so I thought?—”

“No! Nooo,” I exaggerate the word. “He was about as thrilling as unsalted toast,” I add with a smirk, hoping humor will deflect the next question I really don’t want to answer.

She laughs politely, but her eyes narrow. “So is that it? You’re just not interested in anyone right now?”

Not anyone I can have, I want to say.

But I bite my tongue.

Because how do I explain to my mom that the only man who’s ever actually stirred something real in me is Nico Fury Jr. and that he doesn’t even know I exist outside of honorary cousin status?

Worse—what if he does know I exist? And what if his ignoring me is his way of making it perfectly clear that I’m nowhere near his radar.

Not in the way I want to be.

Not that it matters.

He’s off-limits. Untouchable.

And me? I’m just Leanna Volkov.

The second child.

The restless one.

The one who still doesn’t know what the hell she’s supposed to be doing with her life besides look good in pictures and keep the family from guessing anything is wrong— that I’m restless.

“I’m good, Mom. Really,” I say, softer this time. “I’m just taking my time. That's all.”

“Well,” she says, squeezing my hand, “just don’t take too long. You deserve a bit of happiness—and some good sex.”

“Oh my God! Mom, no! Bad Mom! I am not talking about that with you.”

I can’t even pretend not to be horrified by this line of conversation.

“Fine, then let me just say this. You deserve someone who sees you, Lee-Lee. Really sees you. I just want you to be as happy as I am.”

“It wasn’t always sunsets and roses with you two,” I murmur, smiling fondly at the memories of tales I’ve heard about their epic love story.

“No, it wasn’t. But I found true love with your father. And Michaela has found that with Liam. I just want you to do the same, Baby Girl.”

“Thanks, Mom. Someday, yeah?”

I offer her a smile, even as something tightens in my chest.

If only she knew.

If only he did.