Page 61 of Scandalous Kingpin

“I’m assuming they’re on board,” Dante grumbled. “Even though it would be better if we kept it between us.”

Basilio shrugged. “They want revenge too.”

I sighed. “I can see this going wrong in so many ways.”

“Can you see the future now?” Dante drawled, and Emory rolled her eyes.

I was starting to regret their visit. “Why don’t you all go find some hobbies?”

“Why don’t you?” Emory retorted dryly.

“I have one,” I told her coldly.

“Chopping people up doesn’t count,” Basilio said, a smile playing in his eyes.

“Only the sick, irredeemable ones,” I pointed out.

“You all are twice as fucked up as I am,” Emory grumbled. “Can we get back to the point of our conversation?”

My expression darkened, telling her the topic was off the table. And if she didn’t stop pushing, I’d shift the focus of this family group discussion to her. I knew exactly what secrets she was keeping these days.

Her gaze hardened and a smile touched my lips.

She was so touchy when it came to Killian Brennan. Not that she was ever a sharer before, but now with whatever was going on between the two of them, her lips were sewn shut.

I never thought I’d see the day.

“Okay, you two. Stop your staring contest. We all know who’ll win,” Basilio said. “What am I telling your wife’s brothers, Priest?”

I drummed my fingers against the table, holding his gaze. “Tell them to join us, and when we spot Sofia Volkov, we’ll shoot her before she can say a word.”

“Doesn’t it bother you that you will have to kill your great-grandmother?” Emory asked.

I rocked back in my chair. “No.”

I didn’t think of Sofia as my family just as I didn’t think of Aisling as my mother. It took a lot more than genetics to be a family, and neither one of those women ticked the boxes for me. They were nowhere to be found when I needed them, so they missed their chance.

“Charming.” Emory smiled wryly. “We sure as fuck turned out like a gravy family.”

“Basilio seems to be happy with his ice princess, and my brother has found happiness with Juliette.” My eyes settled on Emory. “So fucking sue me for wanting the same.”

Emory’s shoulders slumped.

“You deserve the same and you’re getting it, Christian. I just don’t want you to lose it.” She stood and stopped in front of the door of my office before turning to me. “I’d strongly advise you to come clean with your wife before it all comes back and bites you in the ass.” Her eyes darted to Dante and Basilio. “All of you.”

I held in my response. So did Basilio and Dante.

As soon as she left, I kicked my feet up on my desk.

“You gotta love family meetings.”Fucking not.

A whisper of tension tightened in my body, almost as if I sensed a dark cloud following this yacht drifting toward Montenegro.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

IVY

Hanging out on a 30-meter mega-yacht with split-level decks and a pool with your best friends and your dog wasn’t a bad way to spend your afternoon. Not. At. All.