Paris:Backstage at one of Daddy's concerts. He was a VIP.
Me:Thank you xo
"At a concert. They met at a concert," I rasped. "The trouble is—"
"If you try to push them apart, she'll want to be closer to him?"
"She's a brat."
She snorted.
My lips twitched. "Yes, my parents reared a bunch of brats but she makes me look like a good girl."
"Jesus."
"Yes. Jesus," I drawled with a sigh. "God, as if things weren't complicated enough."
"Maybe it's a blessing in disguise."
"What do you mean?"
"Family and blood—they're the only markers of trust, aren't they? For the O'Donnellys, at any rate."
"I'm not selling my sister out so Aidan can have faith in the Bratva!"
"Does she know what he is?"
"After our conversation, yes, but she probably doesn’t understand it in its entirety."
Even after all my research, Sunday’s events had shaken me.
She shrugged. "Then if she stays with him, you know she wants him. Maybe you're more alike than you realize."
"I hope not."
"No," she agreed, shooting me a worried glance. "It is like jumping from the frying pan into the fire."
"Speaking of... what do you know of a Stepanov? Aidan never mentioned a first name." Sheepishly, I said, "That’s probably more important than what’s going on with my sister."
"Stepanov's the little shit who's bullying Victoria."
I straightened. "What?"
"You heard me. They're at the same school. He's making her life hell. I'm thinking of transferring her to St. Lawrence’s."
"If you move her, you should shift her to the one where Shay is."
"Yeah, you might be right. She likes Shay. He'd be good for her. Her studies have started to suffer because of that little bastard."
"What else do you know about the family?"
"They were suck ups. Always trying to eat at our table."
"That's weird."
Inessa smirked at me. "Not really. Each faction has its ways. Every third Friday, Papa would hold a meal. He invited those who'd pleased him to it. Stepanov had ambitions."
"Funny you should say that..." I pointed at my face.