Page 98 of Villainous Kingpin

He shrugged. “It does. Your mom missed her chance to skate. So she probably wanted to live through you. Your uncle has Nico Morrelli’s company erase information on your family on a daily basis. Maybe he thought that was enough. With everyone thinking you two had died and setting you up with new identities, maybe he thought you’d be safe.”

“So many secrets,” I murmured. For some reason, I kept one revelation that Gio told me to myself. “And this Pakhan?” I asked. “Why is the Pakhan so important?”

“It’s power,” Sasha said. “Pakhan rules a big portion of the Russian underworld and your connection to it would tilt the power in DiLustro’s favor. It was the reason Gio wanted your mother.”

“All of it is so fucked up,” I murmured, closing my eyes and I rested my cheek against his wide chest while he held me tightly.

I found comfort in the most unlikely place.

* * *

The Nikolaev living room at Alexei and Aurora’s home was huge.

All the guests were already here when Sasha and I rolled in. The Nikolaevs. The Ashfords. The Kings. Uncle and all three of my best friends.

The moment we stepped into the living room everyone’s attention shifted to us and the air grew quieter. It seemed to be the norm.

“Hey, you two,” Vasili greeted us. He and Alexei seemed to be the only ones that didn’t mind Sasha’s and my friendship.

Cassio frowned and his wife patted his hand, calming him down while she held their daughter with her other arm and their son hung onto his leg. They had twins, Océane and Damon.

Uncle’s eyes darkened and he growled. Actually growled. I told Uncle that Sasha just kept me safe but he got a different scenario in his head. Davina gently nudged him with her shoulder, then whispered, “Stop it.”

“Hey, Brennan,” Sasha greeted him with a wide grin. “Wyn and I had a nice, romantic stroll through Lisbon. It really is one of the most romantic cities in the world.”

Sasha liked to taunt him.

I rolled my eyes. Aurora rolled her eyes. So did Vasili and his wife, Isabella. Alexei was too badass to roll his eyes. The Ashford brothers just looked amused.

“Stop it,” I warned Sasha in a low voice.

Byron and Winston resembled each other, both leaned back casually against the mantel, sipping on their poison and watching everyone with those hazel eyes, while Royce and Kingston stood to the side, each with a beer. That family had some amazing genes.

“Good skating,” Royce commended and I instantly stiffened. It wasn’t good skating and everyone knew it. Kingston smacked him.

“Ignore him,” he grumbled, his voice raspy. “I do. He’s slow sometimes.”

Alexei walked over to me, his wife holding his hand and baby on her hip. “Want a drink?” he offered.

I shook my head. “No, thanks,” I muttered, smiling.

“No alcohol until she wins that gold, right?” Aurora chimed in, while Kostya kept reaching for me.

“Yeah,” I agreed, my eyes on their son. It was so much easier dealing with the little ones.

I learned that Aurora was actually Basilio’s cousin. Aurora’s mother was Basilio’s aunt. Small world, huh? Not that I could ask her anything about them. She had no connections to the kingpins or that side of the family.

“I don’t know what it is with you and this baby,” Sasha grumbled. “Whenever you’re around, it’s like nobody else exists.”

Leaning forward, I smiled and took his little hand. “Hey there.”

Kostya grinned his toothless smile and my heart just about melted. Then his little fingers grabbed a curly strand of my hair and pulled.

“Ouch,” I protested. “When you get your hair, I’m gonna return the favor.”

He smiled even wider.

“Hey, Wyn.” Juliette joined us. She pecked me on the cheek. “I thought you were right behind me. Unless you and Sasha took a hanky panky tour.”