Page 164 of Hidden Empire
“Because of the party,” Dmitri points out, answering my brother’s question. I hide my face in my hands. I was half-hoping that he wouldn’t mention the party.
Looks like that cat is out of its bag.
“Party?” Armani asks, jaw ticking.
“Oops?” I cringe, looking around nervously.
“They don’t know?” my husband asks, amused. “Look at you, still keeping secrets, Krasotka.”
“There was a party?” Dad questions, already on edge again.
“First night,” Dmitri answers, nodding.
“Did you sneak out to the first night party to flirt with this guy?” Matteo gapes like he can’t believe it. “Your good girl reputation is taking a hit tonight, sis.”
“I didn’t exactly track him down to flirt with him. We ran into each other?—”
“And she asked me to take my shirt off so she could write on me with her lipstick?—”
“What!?”
The outburst comes from Matteo, of course.
“Claimed me in big, bold, red letters. Mine, right across my chest,” my husband says proudly. “Only party at Empire that has ever been worth attending.”
“I would like some context to be provided before your father bursts a blood vessel, and I have to clean it up,” Uncle Cesar announces.
“It was just a game,” I defend. “Dmitri was and has been a gentleman the whole time I’ve been with him.”
“Gentlemen don’t get unmarried women pregnant,” my father disagrees.
“Well,” I huff, not liking his tone. “If you must know, he tried to wait many times. I’m the one who initiated?—”
“Oh, ewww,” Matteo interrupts, covering his ears. “I did not sign up to hear about my sister being horny?—”
There’s a collective sound of protest at his word choice.
“Don’t say horny at the table,” Apollo cuts in, scowling.
“This is going horribly,” I groan, dragging a hand down my face. “Can we stop treating me like a child sitting at the big kids’ table? If Emilio said something about Melani wanting to have sex with him, none of you would freak out.”
“Yeah, because Melani is hot, and you’re our sister,” Matteo points out. “Totally different.”
I sigh because it is, and it isn’t.
“How about we just skip past this part,” I suggest.
“There is actually something I would like to bring up,” Dmitri cuts in, reaching for my hand. “The marriage contract, while a stroke of genius, has an error.”
“Oh?” Apollo asks, lips quirking up on one side. “Can’t afford it?”
“Afford it?” I ask, scrunching my nose. “What’s there to afford?”
Apollo looks insulted. “You didn’t think I would give you to him for free?”
“Give me to him?” I question, affronted by the notion. “You sold me to Dmitri?”
“It is customary,” my husband verifies, calming a bit of my concern. “I do not care about the money.”