Page 88 of Dark Angel
“Before you point fingers,” Gabriel seethed, his hands curling into fists, “I was telling Greystone—who’s panties are in a fucking wad, by the way—that we took out one of the Bratva from the ambush.”
“He was a convicted pedophile who applied for work at my center for runaway children,” Sin said.
Silence.
“Yeah, so chew on that, asshole,” Gabriel bit out. “I’m taking off.”
“No, G,” Teddy said. “Stay. Please.”
Gabriel wanted to clock Greystone in the jaw. “Stop busting my balls, Grey.”
In a seething anger, Gabriel followed Teddy down the stairs and into the guest suite.
“You’re a good brother,” Gabriel said.
Teddy grinned at him. “Elsa tells me I’m a good boy.”
Gabriel smiled, patted his cheek. “I’m not.”
“I love you no matter what,” Teddy said.
“Your kids will be lucky,” Gabriel said. “I hope I don’t fuck mine up.”
“You’ll be a great dad… as long as you don’t act like ours.” After a beat, Teddy asked, “You okay?”
“I’m never okay, but I did what had to be done.”
Teddy set the change of clothes on the bed. “Let’s keep the vibe chill tonight.”
“Tell that to Greystone.”
Teddy left, shutting the bedroom door behind him.
Gabriel wasn’t sure why he was even there, but he’d have a drink, take off before midnight, welcome in the New Year at the hotel.
As he turned on the shower faucet, his thoughts turned to Barbi. Who was the mysterious faux-Russian vixen welcoming in her New Year with?
Of one thing he was certain…She’s got more secrets than I do.
He stripped down, stepped into the expansive shower stall. As he rinsed his latest sins down the drain, the pooling water turned rosé. What he did was wrong. He knew that. But this was what he’d been taught, the way he lived. Ruthlessness and cunning had served him well, and it would continue to do so for as long as he ran Cosa Nostra.
After dressing in the pants and the quarter-zip sweater Teddy had left him, he made his way to the first floor. Rounding the corner, he stopped in the kitchen entryway to check out the group.
I’m not walking into another ambush.
Teddy, Greystone, Sin, and Evangeline had been joined by his cousin Carrera, his brother Luciano, and Luciano’s wife Simone. They stood talking in the family room. He circled back, his attention focused on the women at the kitchen table. And that’s when everything went into slow motion.
The mysterious Barbianna Bogdanova, was seated at the table, Caroline beside her, Sydney at the head. A glass of wine for each while they chatted away.
His lips tugged into a sly smile. Barbi had gotten looped in to the party, and Gabriel’s evening had gotten a lot more…exciting.
“I’m thinking about ditching my disguise,” Barbi said.
“Hell, yes!” Sydney squealed. “One hundred percent.”
“Yes, definitely.” Caroline put her arm around Barbi’s shoulder. “I promise. You’re safe with us.”
After a few beats, Barbi pulled off the blonde wig, tucked it into her tote.
