Page 128 of Lovely Venom

I rake a hand down my face and expect any second that Griffin will order me to hand over Raina to Tahiri.

“Are you sure we’re talking about the same Valdrin Sokolov?” I ask.

“It’s the ghost himself,” Shane says with disbelief. “I have photos and videos coming. I’m digging into his connection to BerishaandRaina, but he didn’t come out of hiding for nothing.”

I stare out the window. Raina never said a word about Sokolov. Not when she confessed, not when I pushed. Hell, especially not when I pushed.

Why?

Maybe she doesn’t know how lethal he is. But my venom is not an amateur. She can read people.

The Albanians keep playing dangerous games. When will they learn? We already killed one of theirkyres,and I have their princess in my bed every night.

Depending on who her father really is— I stop, my throat going tight.

“Shane, how old is Valdrin?”

“Documents I found years ago would put him at about forty-six now.” Shane exhales and settles into his chair. “You’re going down that road, too?”

“ThatValdrinis Raina’s father?” Ineeda cigarette. I need nicotine’s familiar bite to flood my system, dealing with this earth-shattering twist. “How can we prove or disprove paternity?”

“We need Sokolov’s DNA,” Griffin suggests.

“Shane, get another cleaning lady over there,” I snap.

“That won’t work if Sokolov is at a black site, tied up with a gun to his head, and only your girlfriend can get him out,” Shane says sternly, knowing full well that means I can lose her. “Raina needs to contact him before Tahiri ices him. Have her set up a meeting with him.”

“Why not just find him ourselves?” Fury floods my veins. “Grab him and poke him for the DNA? I don’t want her anywhere near Sokolov. He lied to her once for Tahiri. Who knows what he’ll do to keep Tahiri from killing him?” I stand up and pace. “If Valdrin isn’t her father, that means he’s on board for whatever the hell Noel’s plans are. That makes him even more dangerous.”

“And what if he is Raina’s father?” Griffin asks.

“Then we turn him,” I say, the answer stark and clear. “Bring him over to our side.”

“Christ, how serious are you about this woman?” Shane barks.

“Why is that important? I never questioned how you were sneaking around with Lennox while you were engagedto her sister, Shane.”

“Brats!” Griffin roars, waving Shane off from going for my throat. “You’ve made it clear you’re serious about her. That meansweneed a plan for how to deal with your future father-in-law, who is a dangerous and notorious killer.”

“Whoa.” Hearingfather-in-lawsets me back, and myheart gives a hard thump in my chest.

“Breathe, brother. Remember, we all have to deal with crap in-laws,” Griffin says, since he still clashes with Ava’s brother Ares Zervas, the head of the Greek Mafia.

“No one’s had it worse than me with Richard Donnelly,” Shane says, trying to make this a contest.

But he loved Lennox forever, and I just met Raina.

“That’s step ten in this project,” I bark. “Once we get Sokolov, I’ll have my guys turn him. If he’s Raina’s father, he’ll want to be with her. Because there is no way she’s going back to Tahiri.”

I’mdoneletting that scumkyrethink he can take what’s mine without consequence.

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

Raina

Icontinue to make small talk with Ava and Lennox, who tells me she grew up across the street. That surprises me since every house on the block looks like peasant dwellings. But that means she and Shane grew up together. And I heard something that he was supposed to marry her sister.

Interesting.