Page 18 of Vicious Heir

“… warned me you were involved with Demir Yilmaz. This is going to be a problem.” Adriano’s voice, low and velvet soft. It sends a shiver down my spine.

I should go inside. But his words make me stop. There’s a frosty, sharp tone to him. I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone speak to Grandmother that way before. It sends an excited shiver down my spine.

“Did you tell me about all your business dealings? I don’t know why Mr. Yilmaz decided to involve you with our private dispute, but I promise you, Mr. Marino, it is strictly between us.”

“Then why would he tell me not to marry your granddaughter?”

My eyes widen a touch. An icy fear slips into my stomach.Someone warned him away from me?

“Scare tactic.” Grandmother sounds totally dismissive. “I can assure you, our lawyers will mention this in court. This dispute will be solved via legal channels and will not bother you.”

“The Gray Wolf mafia doesn’t typically deal with their problems vialegalchannels, much less through lawyers.”

I want to hear more, but a hand grabs me from behind. I yelp but quickly cover my mouth as Kennedy shushes me. She’s holding a tray with tea, and she’s trying not to laugh.

My heart’s going crazy. “You scared me,” I hiss at her.

“Spying?” She nudges me with her elbow. “Or scared?”

A little bit of both.

“I’m just going in.” I glance at the door. The conversation inside went silent, which means they must know we’re out here. I turn away from my friend and enter first, marching with my head held high.

Grandmother is sitting on the edge of her usual couch, her hands folded carefully in her lap. She’s the image of the high-society lady. She’s perfection incarnate. There’s not a single stitch out of place on her thousand-dollar light pink suit.

But Adriano’s the total opposite. He’s in all black. Where Grandmother wants to be light and dewy, he’s darkness and sinew. I’m struck all over again at how absolutely beautiful he is. The scar down his lips makes his mouth pucker in this obscenely sexual way. It makes me remember him down between my legs, kissing and licking, and oh, shit?—

“Lucille,” Grandmother says primly. “I didn’t know you’d be joining us.”

I clear my throat and do my best impression of her, which is how she likes me to act. “I was informed that Mr. Marino was visiting and thought I would come down to say hello.”

His dark, stormy eyes stare at me. He’s clearly not happy about me interrupting their discussion.

Kennedy enters then. She keeps her eyes on the floor as she lowers the tray down on the coffee table and serves three cups. Grandmother gives her a disapproving look.

“Yes, I suppose youwouldbe informed,” she says.

Kennedy doesn’t even flinch. “Anything else, ma’am?”

“You’re dismissed.” She waves a lazy hand. I’m not worried about Kennedy. Grandmother’s threatened to fire her a thousand times, but she knows I’d lose my mind if she ever made good on that.

Kennedy gives me a wink as she hurries out of the room.

“Well, Mr. Marino, I present to you my granddaughter, Lucille. I suppose it’s time for you two to meet.”

Adriano looks at me, and for a moment, his face changes. His eyes move down my body, lingering on my tights and my lips before meeting my gaze. I swear, he seems like he recognizes me, but that can’t be right. He didn’t know who I was that night. He’s probably just seen pictures of me.

“Nice to meet you, Lucy,” he says.

Fuck, that voice. It kills me. I remember what he said.

I’m vocal.

God, yes, he is.

Grandmother scowls and quickly stands. “I will leave you two alone for a moment to get better acquainted.” She turns and strides past me. “I assure you again, Mr. Marino, our family’s best lawyers are handling Mr. Yilmaz. You will not be bothered again.”

Adriano says nothing. He only watches Grandmother leave. Once she’s gone and we’re alone, I awkwardly move over to her couch, feeling weird and not sure what to do. He watches me the whole time.

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