Page 58 of Depraved Royals

“They’re out,” I say. “What do you want?”

“You’re not gonna invite me in?” Vera puts a hand on her chest in mock outrage. “How fuckingrude.”

“I thought about it, but no. I don’t think you’re here to pay a friendly house call.”

Vera looks around the garden, scowling. “It’s pretty here,” she says. “Can’t wait to move in.” Her eyes stop on the jasmine, and she looks like she might burst into tears.

“What are you talking about?” I ask.

“You are the stupidest, most naïve little slut on earth. Not only did you open your legs for my brother, but you thought he rescued you from a fire because hehappenedto be there, like a guardian angel? You deserve everything you’re gonna get.”

Mama can’t hear from the doorway, but she can see my face.

“Dani, come inside,” she calls. I ignore her.

“What are you trying to tell me, Vera?” I ask.

“We set you up, you moron. Right from the start, this has been one big joke to Kal. Simeon and I burned down the gallery, but it was your fiancé’s idea.”

My knees threaten to buckle.No. She’s lying, surely.

Vera continues. “So Kal rescued you, and that softened up your Papa real quick. Manipulated his way into your homeandyour pussy, and now he’s gonna be the next Pakhan, just like he planned.”

I never thought about that before. Is that the real reason he asked me to marry him? To take control?

Of course. He’s anAntonov.

Real life right there, kicking me when I’m down.

“You’re just another Bratva whore, and that’s all there is to it. Kal knows you won’t fight him,” Vera raises her voice, “because you’re having his baby.”

“Oh, sweet Jesus!” Mel cries. I can hear Mama trying to calm her as she breaks into sobs.

“So he’s been in touch this whole time,” I say.

“Yep. Fun and games all around.”

Kal lied when he said he’d cut his family off.

He told his sister about our baby. Given thatIonly told him today, he shared the joyous news with her pretty fucking quickly.

“But he’s been trying to get me to leave with him. Why would he—”

“Fuck knows. Maybe he just wanted to be sure his broodmare would be safe and far from here when he made his move. But you wouldn’t fucking go, would you?” Vera raises her eyebrows at me. “The only person who could stop all this now is your beloved Papa. And whereexactlyis he, by the way?”

My blood chills.

“Tell me one thing,” I say. “If what you’re telling me is true, why didn’t Kal just kill my father when he got the chance?”

Vera shrugs. “He’s wanted nothing but vengeance on your family since he was a kid. Killing Fyodor is one thing, but breaking his daughter’s heart once he got bored with fucking her? What a bonus!”

My father is in danger, and it’s my fault. My carelessness and stupidity got us here.

Papa told me to keep away from the Antonovs. He warned me to be careful, to remember that I’m a Bratva princess and people might take advantage of me. But when Kal ‘rescued’ me, he used my father’s honorable nature against him to infiltrate our family, and I was so distracted by my attraction to him I didn’t see what was right in front of me.

Vera moves closer.

“Don’t,” I say. “Stay where you are. I don’t want a fight.”