29

It was only when Odran walked slowly to the door, keeping his gun trained on it, that I realized the full extent of the threat.

Since I only felt fear and no longer knew where to go with all my feelings, I retreated a few steps to stand right next to Senan, who thoughtfully put his arm around my shoulder, while Rian now also took a few steps on the closed the door.

"I asked who the fuck was standing in front of the door!!!", he called again, this time more menacingly and from outside you suddenly heard a loud laugh, which immediately made Rian put down his gun, cursing softly. Odran also took a relaxed breath and lowered his pistol to put it away and then open the door.

Then I saw something that almost made me laugh if the situation wasn't so tense.

Odran opened the door and I immediately met sky blue eyes brimming with amusement. The guy also wore a dark blue kimono with dark dragons on it.

Kinda looked like a prankster with the pale legs and sandals...

"Paranoia isn't a good thing," he said amusedly and then ran towards Rian with open arms to give him a kiss on the cheek. "You really need to fuck, that's relaxing, brother."

“OK! I already couldn't stand him! Stupid kimono ass!”

"And you should fucking answer next time!" Rian said, still tense, causing the dark blonde to turn his attention to Odran, who was still standing at the door, staring at the three beefcakes who greeted the man with a Russian accent had followed in.

Apparently he was important because his guards carried multiple guns and looked a thousand times more dangerous than the idiots we had employed just by their demeanor.

"Odran, my dear. You seem to have taken a liking to the food," he then greeted them as well and then turned his gaze to me and Senan, who still had his arm around my shoulders, which Rian then noticed with a frown as well he turned to us.

"And there is the black sheep", said the Russian and came towards us. My heart was beating like crazy, but since I could feel Senan tense up, I knew he meant him and not me.

That had to be Juri, but he didn't look dangerous at all.

Juri stopped just a few steps in front of us, gave me a quick glance before giving Senan a dirty grin.

"Rian," he said and turned to him. "It's a mystery to me why that junkie doesn't have a stuffed head hanging over your bed yet. So he would have killed my mother then-"

"Juri!" Rian immediately interrupted him and although I felt trapped in the moment, I turned my stunned face to Senan and watched his eyes reluctantly fill with tears.

I couldn't believe what that Russian had just said, but that reaction made it a reality that explained much, but not everything.

"What?!", Yuri asked immediately turning to Rian and ran his hands through his dark blond hair. "Are you not allowed to speak your mind anymore?"

I turned my gaze back to Rian, who seemed just as upset as Senan and even Odran, who hardly showed any emotion, just looked dead sad.

"Well, I would say the scum is pissing off upstairs now. I don't want someone like that in the room when I'm doing business," said Yuri with a disparaging look at Senan, who immediately took his arm off my shoulder and himself turned towards the stairs until Yuri started again. "Don't forget your hooker."

“I beg your pardon?”

As soon as he had spoken the words, Rian grabbed him by his kimono and immediately the three muscular men next to Odran aimed at my husband, who didn't seem to mind. But my heart almost exploded and without thinking about it, I ran towards the two and put my hand on Rian's back.

"It's okay," I said softly and didn't dare to look up at this Juri, but when I did it fleetingly, he laughed at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh Rian. And I thought you lost strength, but apparently your priorities are elsewhere now," he said amused and then looked deep into Rian's eyes. "I didn't mean to offend your wife. I misjudged the situation."

Rian let go of him and still I felt under my hand how his whole body was shaking with anger.

"And you!!! Fuck off!"

Juri stared at Senan, who also quickly disappeared up the stairs, making me think again that he really did seem to have something to do with Rian's mother's death... but there was so much going on here that I had to wait until I would learn more.

"Keeva, please go upstairs too," I heard Rian, who didn't look at me, just put his hand on my back to push me towards the stairs, but I didn't get very far.

"Rian, please. I would love to meet the woman responsible for having to shoot one of my husbands."

“What?”

I stared at the Russian, who smiled and grabbed my hand and kissed it. I heard Rian growl, but he seemed to accept it from him. Either he trusted him or he knew that Yuri was the only way we could protect ourselves at the moment.

"I'm Juri, I'm really pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Keeva," I whispered softly, completely overwhelmed, while looking at Rian for help. Since he too smiled mildly, I knew everything was okay... or he just wanted to reassure me. I had no idea!

"Now, Keeva dearest. Please bring us men glasses and a bottle of the best alcohol you have in the house."

"I'll do it," Odran replied and made his way to the kitchen, while Yuri let go of my hand and turned to his three beefcakes, who hadn't even moved since they'd been there.

“Even better than playing on mobile.”

"Wait outside."

One word from the crazy one in the kimono and the three of them immediately disappeared outside while Yuri suddenly stared into the living room and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

"How much?" he asked and when my gaze fell past Rian to the couch, I saw Nero, who was staring tensely at Juri.

"Not for sale!", I said immediately and looked at Rian, who fortunately nodded in agreement.

"It was a wedding present."

"Everything is for sale," Juri said, shrugging his shoulders, but to my relief he averted his gaze from Nero to sit down at the head of the dining table. "So, and now to the deal."

While Rian took a seat next to Juri, Odran placed four glasses and a bottle of whiskey on the table. I looked uncertainly at my husband, who gave me a short nod towards the stairs, making it clear to me that I should rather go, even though Yuri probably "wanted to get to know me".

But it was probably really better to run away. I knew nothing about the business anyway, and even less about contracts, so I took a deep breath and looked back and forth between the three.

"Please excuse me, but you men would probably prefer to be alone," I mumbled softly and turned to the stairs before Yuri suddenly cleared his throat loudly.

"Wait, love," he said in a calm voice, and I reluctantly turned back to the table, where the three of them were all staring at me. "I would like to know from you why I had to bring my best men here."

He pointed to the chair next to Odran and in the brief moment when I hesitantly looked at Rian, Juri suddenly pulled out a pistol from under his kimono and placed it on the table in the same way that the barrel pointed from it to Odran.

So he was into mind games.

I reluctantly took a seat and was immediately handed a glass by him while he eyed me intently. Rian looked at me as if he himself was curious to hear what I would say, which only made me raise an eyebrow in question.

He probably just wanted to see for the first time how I would prove myself in front of another mafia guy.

The main thing is not to show fear... which had already happened, so much as my hands were sweating.

"There's a man who's been watching me and-"

"How do you know he was watching you?" Yuri interrupted rudely and fixed my eyes while I nervously avoided him and stared at my glass, which was between my damp hands. The brown liquid inside was already smiling at me.

"I saw him from my window," I explained shyly, then took a sip of the burning whiskey, hoping it would loosen me up, but it didn't. "When I wanted to see who was down there...

I calmly told Yuri how the stranger had stared at me, how he had cocked his head. Told about the loaded gun in my hand, the finger gun and also that Nero had saved me and that otherwise I would probably have been dead along with the guard.

"And then I saw him again on the golf course."

Fortunately, Juri let me describe everything in detail without interrupting me again and when I was done, I drank my glass and Rian stretched out his hand across the dark wooden table, which I took in my own with a mild smile.

His nearness immediately gave me a reassuring feeling...

"That must be a really sick bastard," said Yuri, impressed, and then pointed to the stairs behind me with a thoughtful expression. "That junkie upstairs has an alibi?!"

Rian immediately released his hand from mine and when I looked at him questioningly, I realized how tense and angry he seemed at the moment. Juri and Odran also noticed his reaction and the tension at the table suddenly became so uncomfortable that I unsteadily helped myself to the whiskey, which became really problematic with my now trembling hands.

"Enough!", I heard Rian say seriously and his voice was so cold that I shivered down my spine. "Despite everything, he's my brother! I have the right to judge him, but you don't, Yuri!" he growled at the Russian and despite the fear of Yuri's reaction to it, I was internally pleased to finally see that he stood by Senan despite all the differences.

"It's okay!" Yuri raised his hands apologetically and then turned to me again. "Now that everything is settled, I wish you a nice day."

I nodded and then waited for them to continue until I realized, flushed with embarrassment, that they were trying to get rid of me and that was my signal.

"Sorry," I murmured in embarrassment and hurriedly got up from my chair to turn to the stairs, but I stopped again and turned to Yuri one last time of the day.

"I also have a question," it came out of my mouth shyly, while Juri raised an eyebrow and Rian was visibly nervous.

What did he think I wanted to ask?

"What do you mean I'm to blame for a man's death?"

Juri laughed out loud and looked at Rian, who immediately avoided my gaze.

What the shit was?

"Well, your husband insulted our honor," Yuri shrugged his shoulders in amusement and took a sip of his whisky. "You know, he had a half-naked woman on his lap, it's our tradition. But your husband thought he had to throw her halfway across the room when she grabbed his cock."

I widened my eyes in disbelief and remembered the evening. In the pool he told me for the first time that he only needed me and that he had realized it... The blood on his collar was also explained by Yuri's words... But no matter how proud I was that he didn't after getting involved with a whore, the thought of another woman having her hand on his cock infuriated me beyond belief.

I gave Rian a death glare and hoped he would fall off his chair, but he just looked at me blankly, which was probably because Juri was watching us closely and he didn't want to show how he really felt for me.

As if he could hide it!

"Well, then. Have a nice day!" I said with a raised eyebrow and only gave Juri my attention and a sweet smile at that moment.

Then I turned away and ran upstairs to compose myself briefly in front of the mirror in the bathroom. My eyes looked at me in the mirror with mixed feelings, while I was glowing from the alcohol and only slowly beginning to understand what was actually said today.

Actually, I should be proud that Rian had taken on the Russians because of me, but one topic was more on my mind at the moment.

His mother and the question behind it, whether Senan was really to blame for her death.