Consumed by Deception (Deception Trilogy #3) by Rina Kent

“You sound just like Adrian right now.”

“Hey! I’m younger. I can’t possibly sound like him. Besides, he’s not entirely wrong. She seems off.”

“Because she’s scared and homeless. Anyone would be off in that situation. Stop making it worse.”

“We’ll see.”

“I mean it, Yan.”

“I mean it, too. If she poses any type of threat, I’m shooting her between the eyes.” He motions outside. “Time to go.”

I shake my head as we leave the safe house. Winter is fidgeting by the car, probably contemplating whether she wants to be inside the same vehicle with Boris. However, upon seeing Yan, she opens the door with trembling fingers and slips inside.

Yan tilts his head to watch her and I snap my fingers in front of his face. “Stop it.”

He lifts his shoulder and gets into the passenger seat. I’m about to join Winter when a little voice calls me, “Mommy!”

I crouch as Jeremy throws himself at me in a hug. Resting my nose against his scalp, I inhale his marshmallow scent. “I’m going to miss you, my angel.”

“It’s okay, Mommy. I’ll play with Papa.”

“I’m sure you will.” I straighten and glimpse at Adrian who’s standing behind him.

A scowl is etched across his beautiful features and his shoulders crowd with tension. If it were up to him, he would’ve chained me to the bed or at least come with me. But due to everything that’s happened within the Bratva, he’s under close scrutiny and will get a visit from the brotherhood’s kings today.

But he also said he’ll play with Jeremy while I’m out with Winter.

After stroking Jeremy’s hair, I take a step toward Adrian and place a hand on his chest. “We’ll be fine.”

He makes a vague sound but says nothing.

“Adrian…I told you I dislike your silent treatment.”

“It’s not a silent treatment. I just don’t want you out there and in danger.”

“I won’t be. Do you have so little faith in Boris and Yan?”

“After they went against my orders, yes, I do. That’s why I’m sending Fedor and two others in a separate car.”

“I’m not even surprised.”

“As you shouldn’t be.”

I touch my lips to his, careful to not reopen the cut on the corner of his mouth, but Adrian wraps his arm around my waist and nibbles on my bottom lip until I open them with a moan.

By the time he releases me, I’m dizzy. Adrian’s mouth finds my ear and he whispers, “Be good.”

I bite my lower lip. “Do I get a reward for that?”

“Depends on how good you are,” his voice drops with dark dominance.

Jeremy tugs on my coat and Adrian reluctantly lets me go. After kissing my son one last time, I get in the back seat beside Winter. She’s glued to the farthest corner of the vehicle, her attention on Yan, who has his gun on his lap. I poke him, and he pretends not to notice.

I didn’t think I’d ever say this about my friend, but he can be a major jerk.

During the ride, I try to distract Winter from the two men in the front and the car following behind us. At first, she seems too scared to even listen, but with time, she starts talking, too.

As we round a corner, something catches in my peripheral vision. I stare out the window because I swear I just saw a man in black leather clothes, a black baseball cap, and a mask, riding a motorcycle, staring at our car despite the tinted windows.

I strain my neck to search the crowd of people and cars, but there’s no trace of him.

That was my imagination, right? Otherwise, I think I just saw Luca.





30





Lia





We’re at a party.

Well, not exactly, but it’s something similar to one. Sergei is throwing a banquet to celebrate the unification of the Bratva and the Luciano families.

As in, my family.

I’m still unable to wrap my head around that idea, but I guess it’s too soon.

It’s been a week since I nearly lost Adrian. A week since I met my father for the first time and asked him to help me.

My husband, who’s currently placing a firm hand at the small of my back, is wearing his tux that might be responsible for making me fall further in love with him. He just looks so delectable in formal wear, as if he was born for this type of appearance. Add his sharp features and his untouchable aura, and he’s a sight to behold.

I’m wearing on a knee-length satin gown with a somewhat deep neckline that reveals a hint of my cleavage. Its dark blue color compliments my skin tone and makes me look elegant. When I was getting dressed, Adrian kept glaring at the neckline and asked me to change. But we were already late, so I put on a scarf, then removed it as soon as we were in the car.

That’s one reason for his sour mood, but the main reason is that I insisted on coming to this celebration.

He was against it, saying that Sergei will only be angrier if he sees me and that Lazlo won’t leave me alone. While both of those are true, I’m done hiding away like a porcelain doll.

If there’s anything I learned from temporarily losing my identity and everything that followed, it’s that I can’t keep watching my life like a spectator. I have to take action, even if it ends up being wrong. At least I will have tried, not sat around, waiting for someone else to make the decisions.