Page 47 of Misdeeds of a Billionaire

Kol grinned. “Me neither. Even when my sister steals chocolate, I don’t tell on her.”

A choked laugh escaped both Alessio and I. “Is that where all the chocolate is going? Into your sister’s belly?”

Kol gave him a serious look. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I couldn’t hold my serious face any longer. Letting out a full belly laugh, I ruffled my nephew’s hair.

“I’m proud of you, Kol.”

And I was. I was so proud of our family.

Yet, a small ounce of loneliness—or was it regret?—lingered in a dark corner of my soul.

* * *

Three hours later, we all made our way out of the amusement park. Aurora and Autumn looked slightly green. Alessio, Alexei, and I all corralled the little ones. I had Kol sitting on my shoulders. Kostya sat on Alexei’s shoulders, kicking him like he was a horse. Alessio held his daughter in his arms since it looked like the wives would be puking at any moment.

“Well, this was fun,” Alessio remarked. “Let’s not do it again for another year or two.”

“Agreed,” Alexei stated in a flat tone. “Kostya, for the last time, Daddy is not a horse.”

I shook my head, then immediately winced. Kol tugged on my hair like he was steering me. “Jesus, Kol. You know that’s my hair, not reins. You’ll make Uncle bald.”

Kol and Kostya shared a glance and then giggled.

“Son, don’t make your uncle bald,” Alessio instructed Kol. “We still have to get him married. Then he can go bald.”

Alexei snickered, and I flipped both of them off.

“I’ll shave your heads bald while you’re sleeping,” I threatened half-jokingly. It wasn’t as if I had never done it. In fact, I had shaved River’s beautiful locks on one occasion. He cursed so loud, I was certain they heard him on all continents. Possibly all planets too.

“I’m never sleeping in the same room as you,” Alexei stated matter-of-factly, while his eyes shone in amusement. Our father was so fucking wrong not to approve of him. This man would protect his family at the cost of the entire world.

“Good, because that would scar me for life. Sleeping in a room with you is not on my agenda.”

“That’s right,” Alessio chimed in, barely holding in a snicker. “Your agenda is to sleep with a pretty doctor.”

I glared at him while Alexei’s eyebrow curved curiously. “Thank fuck you’re not coming to our family lunch tomorrow,” I muttered dryly. “I can only handle you for a few days at a time.”

Alessio chuckled, unperturbed by my words. Nothing got to my brother. Except for his wife’s and children’s distress.

“I bet,” he mused. “By the way, I heard the beautiful red-haired doctor is back in the States.”

“I feel left out.” Alexei’s monotone drawl made it sound like he didn’t give two fucks. The truth was that he rarely showed any emotions. But over the years, since he and Aurora had become an item, he started to express himself more with words. But only with people he felt comfortable with. Around my father, he behaved like he’d murder him at any moment. Not that I could blame him.

“Oh, Byron didn’t tell you?” Alessio was more than happy to fill my brother-in-law in. “Not surprising. He keeps his love life a secret. But there’s this beautiful doctor who can’t stand him. She’s been all over saving the world, but my intel tells me she’s returned to the States.”

“And why are you checking up on her?” I hissed.

He shrugged. “For your sake.”

I glared at him. “So what do you know about her?”

“Aside from the fact that she’s back in the States, not much.”

“Did she get married?” The stupid question came out of my mouth without permission. I had security companies. I could check into all that myself. I just made a point not to.

“Don’t ask me about her personal or love life, or any shit like that. I’m not keeping tabs on it.”