Page 28 of Devious Truth (Vicious Sinners #3)

“ I could have cooked,” Vee says as we make our way through the kitchen. Joann, my housekeeper, has made a full brunch for my family.

“I enjoy it,” Joann assures her with a warm smile. “It’s rare I have anyone to cook for these days.”

She cuts a look in my direction that says clearly, she’s tired of my bachelor days and would like very much if I would get married and fill the house with children.

If only my own mother had half the motherly instincts as Joann, my childhood might have had more happy memories.

Our father’s coldness toward her seeped into her soul. When we were very small, she tried to be attentive, loving. Probably with hopes of bringing our father’s attention back to her. Being the perfect mother and wife might make him want to love his family.

When it didn’t work, she curled into herself.

By shielding herself from the lovelessness that was her marriage, she kept us at arm’s length as well.

Maybe it’s the reason my brothers and I have such fierce loyalty to each other and such proclivity to keep our women safely tucked into our sides.

Never giving them a reason to grow cold.

Maybe Kaz refuses to keep a woman for longer than an evening in order to protect her. Maybe he sees some of our mother in him.

“Does he make you work every Sunday?” Vee questions as she pulls out the orange juice from the fridge to bring into the dining room.

“I do not.” I take the juice from her, handing it to one of the serving staff working this morning. “And she’s not working today, I only asked for help for brunch. She’s leaving now to attend mass with her husband and granddaughter.”

Joann grins at the mention of her little granddaughter. Her own daughter passed away from complications during childbirth and her son-in-law couldn’t see himself raising a little girl by himself, so he took off.

“Helena is four years old and such a handful.” Joann already has her phone out, swiping through photos with Vee.

Vee gives Joann her undivided attention, but there’s a crack in her smile that I can see from a mile away. Pain lives behind that smile, and though she’s fighting to keep it at bay, it seeps through.

“Are you guys coming or what?” The swinging door flutters open as Elana sticks her head into the kitchen.

“We are.” I wave her off. “Joann, enjoy the rest of the day and say hello to your husband for me.”

“Of course.” She tucks her phone into her back pocket and unties her apron from around her neck.

Vee grabs the tray of Vatrushka, a russian pastry filled with sweet cheese, from the kitchen island and takes a deep breath.

“It’s just family, Vee. And you already know everyone.”

“Your brothers are my bosses, so I don’t have a friendly relationship with them, and your sister I’ve only met that night at Alexander’s. And she was a little preoccupied with the fact her brother had been shot.” Her knuckles whiten as she grips the tray of Vatrushka as though it’s a lifeline.

Stepping in front of her at the door, I take the tray from her hands. “No one is your boss here. We’re just family.”

“Right. Just an ordinary mafia family getting together for brunch.” At least the sarcasm has lightened her mood.

“Looking to get your ass smacked before we go in?” I tease; my hand poised on the door.

“Shhh.” She waves her hands at me. “Don’t say things like that; they can hear you.”

I laugh as I push through the door into the dining room. “No one in that room would be shocked.”

“Finally!” Elana grabs the tray from me and brings it to the table where the rest of our family is already seated.

“She’s been waiting for these.” Kaz plucks one from the tray as Elana places it on the table.

“Kaz. How are you feeling?” Vee questions.

“Fit as ever.” He winks, then turns an icy stare at Alexander. “Which is why I need to get back to work.”

“We’re not talking about business. It’s brunch.” Megan says, scooping her fork into the pile of scrambled eggs on her plate.

“You need to eat.” I tell Vee, pulling out the chair immediately to the right of my seat at the head of the table and guiding her toward it with my hand at the small of her back.

Her body tenses, as though she’s unsure if she fits here at my table with my family.

Increasing the pressure on her back, I send a silent message there’s nothing to worry about here, she’s safe with me.

She hesitates again, but only for a moment, before sinking into the seat.

As soon as she’s seated a member of the staff sets a clean plate in front of her with quiet efficiency. The table’s already spread with platters—warm biscuits wrapped in linen, bowls of fresh berries, stacks of crispy bacon, and golden eggs. Joann has outdone herself this morning.

“Thank you,” Vee whispers as her cup is filled with freshly brewed coffee.

Kaz starts talking over Alexander, arguing about coming to Obsidian on Tuesday to oversee things.

Vee leans into me. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you had me pulled from the schedule for Tuesday.”

I bring my coffee cup to my lips, taking a slow sip as I eye her over the rim. If she thought I was letting her anywhere near that auction, she hasn’t been paying any attention. Maybe I should give her a few more lessons on who she belongs to now.

“Why did you keep her from work on Tuesday?” Elana pipes up, being the nosy little sister that she is.

Kaz stops arguing with Alexander and swings his gaze toward me. “You took her off the roster?”

“You knew she was on it?” I grip my fork tighter, suddenly wishing it was my younger brother’s neck.

“She’s an employee at the club; why would you stop her from participating?” Kaz grins, shoots Vee a wink, then shoves a piece of toast in his mouth.

“Don’t start with me about it.” Having them over for brunch was a mistake.

“I’m just pointing out that sometimes the company ink?—”

“You were going to be in one of those auctions?” Megan leans forward to ask across the table from where she sits beside her husband, effectively cutting Kaz off.

“I was, but I don’t need to anymore.” Vee lowers her gaze to her plate.

“She was never going to be in that auction,” I clarify, stretching my fingers over the linen tablecloth.

“Why is that exactly?” Kaz cups his ear, pointing it toward me.

“Why don’t you need to anymore?” Elana questions, tearing apart a Vatrushka on her plate until she gets to the part she really wants, which is the cheese in the middle.

“Because she doesn’t.” I push a bowl of berries toward Vee, keeping my gaze away from my brother, who is enjoying himself too much for my liking.

“Ah, it’s a secret, then.”

Elana nudges my arm with an exaggerated wink.

“You’re fully grown but still a brat.” I shake my head at my younger sister.

“She’s not fully grown yet.” Alexander cuts in. “An adult wouldn’t have dropped all of her classes and hidden it from her brothers.”

“You dropped all of your classes?” I let out a breathless laugh, part disbelief, part frustration. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“It was a bad semester. I can pick them back up next semester if I decide to,” she defends.

“Is that why you’ve been staying with Kaz? You’re not going to school anymore, so you moved out of your apartment?” We should’ve been paying more attention, made her answer when we asked about what was going on with school.

“I’m not going to argue with you about this.” She pops a piece of the Vatrushka into her mouth.

“There’s nothing to argue about.” Alexander fists his hand beside his plate. “You’re going back next semester.”

"We can talk about this later." Kaz barely flinches, but the way his jaw tightens as he reaches for a strip of bacon says enough. Even small movements bring him great pain.

“And he wonders why I didn’t come talk to him about it.” Elana rolls her eyes.

“I’m sure it’s fixable. It’s just an extra semester she’ll need to take,” Megan says, placing her hand on Alexander’s arm. His jaw relaxes, and he sinks back into his chair.

She’s his comfort, the same way Vee has become mine.

“Artem is here,” Yosef announces from the doorway of the dining room.

“Ah, send him in.” I wave over to him.

“What is Artem doing here?” Elana questions, her tone sharpening.

“I asked him to join us; there’s going to be some changes, and he needs to be aware of them.”

“What changes?” She looks to Kaz. “You didn’t say anything.”

“It’s necessary, Elana.” Kaz’s jaw tightens. “You need to listen.”

“Is that what this brunch is for? To gang up on me?”

Artem saunters through the doorway, his eyes immediately landing on Elana.

Alexander stands as Artem steps to the table and offers his hand.

“Sit, eat.” He gestures to the abundance of food Joann has laid out.

“Thank you,” he nods and takes a seat on the opposite side of Kaz. A plate is brought for him.

“What are these changes?” Elana asks, leaning over her plate to glare at Alexander.

“I know we agreed that you wouldn’t have security with you at all times, but things have changed.”

“No.” Elana shakes her head violently. “Absolutely not. You promised.”

I reach over to Vee’s hand and give her a light squeeze. She’s slowly devouring a strawberry while watching my sister get heated across the table from her.

“I know we did, but things have changed. It’s dangerous right now, so until this is done, you’ll have?—”

“I said no.” She slams her fist into the table. Her fork jumps from her plate onto the table.

“We’ll figure it out,” Kaz says, tone calm but firm. “You won’t even notice the extra men.”

Artem’s eyes narrow on her. His jaw grinds tighter the longer she keeps pushing back against the added security.

“Elana, the other night I was out with some friends, and I saw your doppelg?nger,” Vee cuts in, voice light as air, slipping the words into the lull like a pressure release valve.

Elana turns toward her, caught off guard. “My doppelg?nger?”

“Yeah. This woman looked just like you—it was spooky.” Vee laughs. “Probably the wine messing with me. Still, I would’ve bet money it was you.”