I hug Lily tightly. Seeing her face is exactly what I needed after hearing Keir say the things he did.
“Hi, Lil,” I murmur, then glance at the Max standing behind her. “Maximus.”
He pulls me into a hug and kisses the top of my head like he hasn’t seen me in years.
A throat clears behind us.
I step away from them and let them into the apartment.
Lily’s eyes roam slowly over each of the men before she looks at me with a sly smile.
“Maximus, Lily—this is…” I gesture toward the guys. “Keir, Kazimir, and Dario.”
Lily beams at them while Max scowls ever so slightly.
“Hi, fellas. I’m Lily Dovermen—we had a chat yesterday.”
The boys step forward, each shaking her outstretched hand.
“It’s a pleasure,” Dario says, flashing her a megawatt smile. Jealousy pricks at my chest.
Max steps in closer behind Lily. I try not to laugh, which causes me to choke.
Kaz is in front of me in an instant, scanning me with concern. His hand cups my cheek, and Keir and Dario close in beside him.
“Are you okay, malyshka?” Kaz asks, his voice low and smooth.
I crane my neck up to look at him. “Yes, I’m fine—just had air go down the wrong pipe.” I smile to reassure him.
That’s when I realize—they’re all touching me.
Keir’s hand rests on my waist, Dario’s fingers stroke my arm, Kaz’s hand lingers on my face.
This time it’s Max clearing his throat, snapping me out of the spell.
I take a small step away and glance at Max and Lil. Lily is grinning like a psychopath, and Max looks like an unimpressed older brother.
“Uhm, let’s all go sit down,” I say quickly, turning on my heel and heading for the living room.
As I go to sit, Kaz grabs me and pulls me into his lap. My body tenses for a second, then relaxes against the heat of him. His strength. His comfort.
Everyone sits, the silence thick as we wait for someone to speak. Max and Lily both look at me, waiting.
“Why are you after the Russians, Selene?” Keir asks, his voice serious.
So I tell them.
I tell them about Barbra. What she did to my father.
I explain the timeline they mentioned and how we did a deep dive into everything.
I tell them about the kidnapping. About my plans for Barbra.
All the while, Kaz holds me—strong, silent support while my voice falters talking about my father.
Dario’s hand rests on my leg, grounding me.
“Well, fuck. Now this makes sense,” Keir mutters, his voice low and deadly.
