Page 65 of Hate to Love You
Polina jumps. Hell, everyone jumps.
“We are trying to get answers for you, but I also need you all alert, and on edge,” I say, pointing to each of them. “Until I hear, definitively, that it was just a heart attack or some other medical condition, I’m going to assume it was a hit. A hit well organized and planned by the Irish, because that will keep me alive, and I suggest you fuckheads do the same!”
The room falls quiet once again.
“Polina, we need to wait until we get the coroner’s second report before we burn everything down, or shoot the hired help,” I say, giving her a reproachful look. “Our staff is carefully curated and trained to keep their mouths shut. But if you go flying off the handle, threatening them with guns and acts of violence then you risk one of them going to the police.”
I run my hand over my chin.
“Right now, we need to keep all of our alliances open.”
“Alliances?” Polina whispers, glaring at me. “Oh, you mean like the alliance that father made with my absentee in-laws? The parents of my late husband, and the same people that haven’t said or done jack shit to help me since their son dropped dead in the middle of the club floor?”
“Pol—–”
“Tell me, Roman, what good is your precious alliance now?” Polina snaps angrily. “Because that’s all I’ve ever been to this family, right? An asset. A possession. Just a piece of ass to marry off so that you and father can line your pockets?”
“Polina, be reasonable,” Ana says sympathetically, placing her hand on Polina’s arm. “No one here is saying that, and we’re going to help you through this.”
“Fuck you!” She screams, pulling her arm away. “I’ll be damned if I let any of you assholes feel good about yourselves for one minute at my expense!”
“That’s not why we want to help,” Ana tries to say, as calmly as she is able to manage. “We’re trying to tell you that this is going to be a lengthy process and you’re going to have to learn to adjust.”
“Yeah, and also how to not spend as much money,” Pasha says, deliberately taunting her. “You know since you’re going to have a smaller income now.”
“Pasha!” I hiss between gritted teeth, shooting him a very direct look. “Shut the fuck up. Now!”
But instead of biting Pasha’s head off, like she normally would, Polina laughs quietly to herself, shaking her head.
“You know, I don’t need any of your help,” she says, her voice low and venomous. “And I certainly don’t need your fucking charity. I can provide for myself just fine.”
She then slides her chair backwards and grabs her purse.
“You know,” she says sarcastically. “I think I’m not actually hungry anymore.”
And without another word, she turns and storms out of the family meeting.
“Well, I think that went well,” Ana says sarcastically as we watch the twins and Pasha drive off together. “At least no one got maimed or murdered this time.”
“Yeah, I was fearing for Pasha for a second there,” I rub my chin, shaking my head. “I swear the kid doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut sometimes.”
“That’s kinda rich coming from you, ya know,” Ana snorts. “And it’s not entirely Pasha’s fault. Polina can be a lot.”
“That’s an understatement,” I say, turning toward the ballroom.
“She was worse before you got here. She’d insulted all of us, as well as every living breathing human in this house. I was sure that Mrs. Devan was going to quit if you hadn’t shown up when you did.”
“The maid did quit,” I say, walking over to my chair. “But then changed her mind, when Mrs. Devan delicately explained that it doesn’t really work like that.”
Ana chuckles.
“If that’s how you’re handling staff turnover then no wonder you’ve got rats for assistants. They’re all just looking for a way out.”
“They don’t get out. They know too much, Ana,” I shrug, reaching under the table.
“What are you doing?” My sister asks, confused.
But when I rip my gun, securely stuck to the underside of the table by a Velcro strip, she murmurs to herself.