Page 67 of Hidden Empire
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” I shrug, feigning innocence.
“Oh, that’s great,” Thiago drawls, chuckling. “Daddy doesn’t know, does he?”
I click my tongue at that. “I assure you, that’s none of your business.”
“Out of pure curiosity, what exactly does the silent Russian brute have that we don’t?” Ares drawls, watching that Ivan stays put from the corner of his eye.
That’s easy.
“Me.”
“Cheeky,” Thiago comments.
“And if we were to combine our offers?” Ares asks. “Would two for one tempt you away from him?”
Ares’ question feels more like a test than a last-ditch effort for my hand. Maybe he’d consider sharing a wife with Thiago, but he doesn’t seem that desperate for that wife to be me.
So while this is a surprising offer, it’s not a tempting one. Maybe in another life, if I’d seen either of them first, things could be different. But I don’t want to be in another life. I want this one, and I want it with Dmitri.
Until proven otherwise, he’s the man for me.
Leaning just a bit closer, I smirk. “Sorry, even the two of you put together aren’t my silent Russian brute.”
“Jade, we have to go,” Ivan warns, cautiously interrupting.
Raising my chin, I give the two men one last glance each. “Well, that was a very enlightening conversation. I’m sure we can keep it between us,” I hint heavily. “Consider it a show of goodwill between our families. I wouldn’t want anything to disrupt the balance we’ve created.”
“Threats disguised as sweet talk,” Thiago hums. “She’s a Moretti, after all.”
My responding smile is gleeful. “So I keep hearing.”
I turn my back on them, happily gliding to the door and snagging a bag of Skittles on the way out. I’m not a huge candy girl, but I definitely just earned a treat.
Right as Ivan and I are leaving, I hear one of them muttering under their breath. “Wouldn’t want to be that poor fucker.”
When the door shuts behind us, I’m immediately tugging him around the side of the building, keeping us away from too many prying eyes.
“Why did they say that as we were leaving?” I ask urgently.
“Say what?”
“I know you heard them,” I argue, not even humoring his attempt at lying.
He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s complicated, Jade. Family stuff that you don’t need to worry about.”
Frowning, I give him an impatient look. “I want to worry about it.”
Ivan blows out a puff of air and checks our surroundings. Deeming them to be too public, he guides me further behind the pantry building, maneuvering around bushes and small trees.
When he decides we have sufficient privacy, he runs a hand down his clean-shaven face. “They’re talking about my position, being under Dmitri.”
My nose scrunches up. “Why would that make them feel bad for you? Just because they’re heirs and you’re not?”
“It’s complicated,” he repeats. “Second sons aren’t the same for the Morozovs.”
I lean in, interested. Matteo didn’t say anything about this before.
“How so?”