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I watched Emerson leave with my jaw just about on the floor, then pulled my phone out of my pocket with a scowl. “Great timing, Mila,” I muttered.

I wanted to wring my sister’s neck for wholeheartedly throwing herself into the family business and keeping me updated on every little move either Arkadi or my brothers made. All of a sudden, she was a super spy, and it was cute and all, but I was kissing my wife, damn it. Enough was enough.

However, it wasn’t actually Mila, but Ivan. I hadn’t heard from him since the wedding, and I considered no news good news. Now, I really grumbled as I answered it, not the least bit optimistic it was going to be something I wanted to hear.

“Your marriage is no longer a secret,” he said without so much as a greeting. Oh, wonderful, it was worse than I imagined.

“Who knows?” I asked, thinking I could still contain things a little while longer.

“Aleks, and he’s not happy about it,” Ivan told me.

No containing anything if our eldest brother had found out and didn’t seem inclined to send a new toaster or set of fine china. I didn’t blame Ivan because he would have taken the secret to his grave. We had too many eyes and ears in the city for Aleks not to find out eventually. I had hoped for at least a few more weeks, though.

“How pissed is he?” I asked.

“He wants a family meeting,” Ivan answered. “Right away.”

Our family meetings weren’t too common. We got together all the time for dinners and outings, but actual meetings usually meant someone was getting their ass chewed. My ass was going to be on the block this time.

“Well, he can wait until the weekend,” I said. “I’m not going to foist Emerson on him when he’s about to erupt. He can take a few days to simmer down.”

Ivan made a small coughing sound. “There’s probably no reason to even bring her along.”

I started pacing, bristling with anger at the mere mention of leaving her behind. “It’s a family meeting,” I snapped. “Emerson is family now.”

“Hey, I get it. Don’t shoot the messenger. I’ll talk more with Aleks and try to calm him down.”

“Do that,” I said, ending the call.

Ivan had been a huge help to me and I felt a bit bad about taking out my disgruntlement at this new situation on him, especially when I’d need him on my side at the meeting. I hated that Emerson was going to meet my family— her new family now— under such tense circumstances. My protective instincts welled up, and I was determined not to let any of my brothers make her feel like she wasn’t welcome or that she was a problem they needed to figure out.

She was my wife, and she was going to stay my wife. I had to make the rest of my family understand that, all while shielding her feelings. As an only child, she probably wasn’t used to the heated exchanges that big families had when they disagreed. I hated to think she might see me take a few swings at my older brothers, but if that’s what it came to, so be it.

I was getting ahead of myself, but only because I knew exactly how stubborn Aleks and the rest of them could be. I could count on Ivan and possibly Dima, but we’d still be in a deadlock. Maybe Ivan was right, and I should leave Emerson home for this one. But how would that make her feel? She was pissed off enough that I paused our makeout session to take a phone call.

Fuck, I needed to spend more time with her, starting right now. Poor thing was wandering around the house all alone the last few days while I scrambled to make it safe for her to return to the restaurant. Determined to show her she was at the top of my priorities list, I headed upstairs.

When my phone rang, I stopped dead in my tracks with one foot on the stairs and answered it.

“Not now, Mila,” I said. “Don’t call me back for twenty-four hours, I don’t care what’s—”

“Arkadi’s men are heading to your jewelry store on Sixth,” she interrupted. “I’ve got someone running surveillance on them, but he’s just one dude against a van full of armed brutes.”

“Fucking hell,” I nearly shouted, turning on my heel and heading for the front door. “Fucking, fucking fuck.”

“Sorry,” she said. “Should I call Ivan or someone else?”

“No,” I grumbled, halfway to my car as I waved for a handful of men to jump in and others to follow.

Half my brothers might be my enemy in a few days. Aleks was already pissed off at me. They all had families of their own and needed to keep safe. My jewelry store was my problem, and I’d deal with it on my own.

I remembered to thank Mila for keeping me updated and raced downtown to where my multistory fine jewelry store was about to be under siege. The fact it was barely past business hours boiled my blood. Arkadi was getting much too bold. Fine with me, since this gave me a much-wanted excuse to beat the living shit out of him without it having a thing to do with Emerson.

Although all of this was because of Emerson. Because I’d wanted her and claimed her and wouldn’t let her go. Even better, then. I’d enjoy turning his face into ground beef for my wife’s safety and honor.

We rolled up as some of Arkadi’s men were trying to bypass my building’s security without somehow alerting either me or the entire Los Angeles police department. I might not have been their favorite person, but the LAPD wouldn’t let a major store like this take a huge hit. Wouldn’t have looked good for them at all.

My men and I got them rounded up and under control with minimal fuss and, shockingly, no gunfire. The only disappointing thing was that Arkadi wasn’t there. Too much of a coward to face me, or was this just another distraction? I still got to throw some punches and my store was saved, but I still wasn’t happy about it.

What if he decided to target one of my brothers’ businesses next, igniting the war we’d been holding at bay for years? That certainly wouldn’t help my case to stay married to Emerson.

Not that it mattered, because I wasn’t giving her up. Not even if Arkadi tried to raze everything I owned to the ground, or if every last one of my family members turned against me. She was mine.

I just wished I could have one damn day of peace with her.