“He cut me off. I mean, I was already on my own, but he sort of just phased me out of his life. Said if I married Derek not to expect an invitation to family dinners.”
Anger fills me, leaving the erotic thoughts of her throat and my kisses in the background. “And when you became pregnant?”
She blows out a breath in a manner that makes her cheeks puff out. It would be cute if the many ways I could kill her father for being such a cold-hearted bastard weren’t blocking my neurowaves.
“You don’t need to be angry on my behalf, Ivan.” She gets up from the couch and picks up the basket. “He was gone from my life the moment I chose Derek. And you can get that vengeful glare off your face, too. You can’t hurt him.”
She wanders to her bedroom, pushing the door open with her foot.
“He died of a brain aneurism a month before I found about being pregnant.” She enters the bedroom. “He left everything to his new wife—who was my age, by the way—and specifically mentioned in his will that I got nothing.”
With her being tucked safely in the other room, I’m comfortable letting the murderous rage bubbling in my chest show on my expression.
“You haven’t asked about my mom.” She appears in the doorway again, leaning against the frame and crossing her arms. “Did your little file on me tell you about her?”
My jaw tightens. This woman has had nothing but heartache when it comes to the people she loved and those that should have loved her beyond words.
“It did. She died in a boating accident while on vacation with your father when you were three.”
“So you get it now? I don’t need you to swoop in and protect me from everything. I’ve been doing this a long time.”
“Just because you’ve had to, doesn’t mean you need to anymore.”
There’s a fast knock on the door, and then the doorhandles jiggles like someone’s trying to open it.
“Vee?” More knocking.
“It’s just Max.” She waves her hand at me. “I guess it’s good you took off your gun last night.”
She’s right. I left it on the nightstand in the bedroom.
“Your door’s locked. Everything okay?” Max asks, her gaze sweeping past Vee and landing on me. “Oh. You have company.”
“Why do you say that like it’s not usually locked?” I move to the door. “Is it often left unlocked?”
Max looks at Vee as though she just stepped into a minefield and isn’t sure if she should keep going or retreat.
“Ignore him.” Vee sidesteps putting herself between me and Max, who apparently has free range to enter the apartment whenever she wants because Vee doesn’t it keep it locked during the day.
“I’m going to double the men outside.” I mutter.
“There’s men outside?” Max’s eyes widen behind thick plastic-rimmed glasses.
“I told you, ignore him.” Vee laughs. “What’s up?”
“Nicolette is coming over soon. We’re going to head uptown to do some shopping—well, she’s actually shopping. I’m living vicariously through her. And later we’re going out. I wanted tosee if you weren’t working if you wanted to join.” She tilts her head toward me. “If you aren’t, you know, busy.”
“I heard my name. I’m here!” The sweet, singsong voice is heard just before she appears in the doorway, and she squeezes Max.
“Oh! You’re early!” Max twists. “I’m not even dressed to go yet.”
“I know, sorry, but my brother being the overbearing ass he is, heard I was coming over, and he decided to join me. Which meant we had to come early. Anyway, no hurry.”
Lev appears in the doorway next. It’s turned into a whole fucking surprise party.
“I heard you were still here. I have information you’re going to want, so I figured I’d just come over.” Lev glances down at Max, and his expression hardens.
“I’ll go change then.” Max turns to Vee. “So? Are you working tonight?”
