Page 110 of The Billionaire's Baby

I gape. What the hell? Now they are uniting against me? At least, on this issue. Speaking of, I scowl up at my father. "Why is it that you are not more upset about him marrying me?"

My father glances down at me, then back at Arpad. "Of course, I'm upset." He shuffles his feet. "But, you could do much worse than him..." He tugs on his shirt sleeve.

"Bullshit." I stare at him. "You used to lose your temper if I so much as mentioned dating a boy. You'd put them through the wringer with your questions. You'd show them your collection of guns to throw a fright into them. You made sure you scared away any boy who dared look at me, something you didn’t stop doing even after I grew older and began dating men. No one was good for me and now... You...you...just accept this guy... This complete stranger... As my possible future husband. You..."

I blink, glance between them again.

Arpad's staring at my father, who's looking back at him. Something passes between them.

"Oh." I gulp. "Oh." I grip the arms of my chair. "Unless," I blink rapidly. "unless you are not strangers?"

Neither of them replies.

"I mean, Arpad interrupts his trip to visit his family... To bring me here and meet mine. The family I’ve tried to keep my distance from..."

My voice trails off. I swallow. My heart begins to beat faster. "No." I turn to Arpad. "It can't be."

"Stop." Arpad frowns. "Don't let your imagination run away with you."

"Oh, you have no idea what I'm thinking right now." I try to rise to my feet and Arpad presses down on my shoulder.

"Sparks, stay for a while longer."

"Are you threatening me now?" I scowl at him, then turn to my father, "And you... Why aren't you telling him off for manhandling me?"

My father's jaw hardens, he opens his mouth, then closes it again. What the hell? Since when has my father stayed quiet before anyone? I glance between them, then shake my head again.Shit, shit, shit. This can't be happening.Whatever I'm thinking, it can't be true, can it?

"Sparks," Arpad's voice grows urgent, "don’t work yourself into a panic. I'll explain everything, in just a few more minutes."

"Why?" I glower at him, "What are we waiting for?"

That's when the door opens and two guys stride in—tall, broad-shouldered, wearing suits in a different shade of, you guessed it—black. Of course, it had to be them. Somebody really needs to tell my family to tone down this entire over-the-top villain-in-a-Bond-flick thing they have going.

The slimmer of them, my second brother Roman, pulls up a chair at the far end.

My oldest brother, Nikolai, prowls over to Arpad. The two men size each other up. Arpad’s shoulders seem to bulge and grow bigger, his entire demeanor taking on that of a man who’s had his favorite plaything threatened. Or rather, a dog who’s about to have his bone snatched from between his jaws.

Soon, they’ll indulge in a pissing contest, which is par for the course amongst my family and others with whom my brothers associate. But Arpad? He’s a billionaire investor, for hells’ sake. Sure, he’s alpha, but he hasn’t seen the kind of violence these guys have… Or the bloodshed. Arpad widens his stance. "You have something to say to me?" he growls.

Niko cracks his knuckles and Arpad laughs. Outright. In his face. I wince. Shit, that was a bad move.

Arpad raises his fist, draws it back. So does Niko. I squeeze my eyes shut, waiting… Waiting…for the inevitable clash between them.

"Niko fucking Solonik."

"Arpad motherfucking Beauchamp."

What the—?I snap open my eyes to find my brother and my husband bumping their fists, then doing that half-hug thing that men do, when they like each other, but don’t really want to show how much, but still want to acknowledge the bond between them.

I blink, once, twice. My pulse rate ratchets up. Sweat beads my palms. "What the hell is happening here?"

38

Karina

"Seems you’re not the only one with secrets, my darlingwife." Arpad releases my brother and turns to me. His features wear that smirk that is hot and sexy and so bloody annoying.

I grip the edge of the table and lean forward. "How do you two know each other?" I snap.