Page 13 of Prince of Control
“How was orientation week?” I ask, remembering how a normal brother would act. I already know where she’s been and what she’s done because I’ve tracked her every move. It helps with the nightmares to feel like I have control of every possible outcome. Now I have Lara to add to my worry list. “Fun,” she says lightly. Lili lived through the same trauma I did, but it hasn’t affected her the same way. Maybe she was too little to have that danger impelled into every cell. Or maybe she has too much trust in my being able to protect her from anything.
I believe her because she looks bright. Happy. That’s good because I would want to solve any problems she has or kill anyone who hurts her, but she would hate me for it. “I made friends. My roommate’s cool. It’s good. So what’s the big emergency?”
“I’m getting married.”
Lili gapes at me the same way the rest of them did when I brought Lara into the house. I explain the situation to everyone, including the part about Lara’s father lying to Anatoli Rostov about us being betrothed since birth, and Lara not knowing that was a lie.
“So basically, I have to keep her safe, but she thinks I’m the enemy.”
Leo nods as if it all makes perfect sense. Alex and Feliks are like stone men, absorbing it all without expression, awaiting orders. There’s no battle I could fight that I wouldn’t want them beside me. Anders and Phoenix look doubtful. Based on their frowns, the women clearly don’t like it.
“What if you just told her?” Lili asks.
“Yeah. You’re not the enemy. She should know that,” Zoe says.
“I can’t. If her dad didn’t tell her, it’s because he needs this to look real, or he doesn’t trust her not to go running back to Brash Rostov.”
“True,” Leo says. “You think she’s in love with him?”
I shrug, keeping my face blank of the spike of irritation that notion causes. If she’s in love with him, she’ll be even harder to protect and in even more danger than her dad suspects.
Thank fuck, Adrian’s gut told him to get her away from him as quickly as possible.
“I need to find out. Anya, if I give you her phone tonight, can you set something up, so I can track her and all her calls and messages?”
Lili makes a sputtering noise. “You can’t do that. It’s an invasion of her privacy.”
“I’ve been charged with keeping her safe. I will do whatever’s necessary.”
It’s not that there’s now an ugly jealousy twining its way around my throat at the idea of my lovely bride being in love with another man.
Not at all.
“I just need her phone for twenty minutes,” Anya promises.
“Perfect. I’ll bring it to you after she goes to sleep.” I look at my sister. “Lili, I need you to corroborate the story. Dad arranged my marriage years ago. We both have known it all along.”
Lili rolls her eyes and blows out her breath, but nods. “When is the wedding? Seems like I should come since I am your sister. Shouldn’t I be a bridesmaid or something?”
“I want to be a bridesmaid!” Zoe perks up. Anya snorts.
“It’s just a trip to the courthouse after classes.” I glance at Anya. “Speaking of which–”
“Here’s the class schedule.” Anya hands me a printout with Lara’s classes. I take a quick scan of them. They are mostly in the linguistics department. It seems my bride is a modern languages major. I guess that explains why she attended college in Paris.
I take a photo of the schedule and text it to everyone. “Keep an eye out for her. Let me know if you see her with anyone who looks like trouble. I’ll find a photo of Brash and send it to you.”
Alex clears his throat like he wants to say something. I raise my brows.
“I don’t know if this is the right time, but…”
My control issues snap into place. If there’s a leak in my systems, our security, our enterprises, I need to know about it. “Tell me.”
“I overheard some of the guys on the team talking before practice. They didn’t know Feliks and I were there.”
Blyad’. “What’d they say?”
“I didn’t catch it all, but I definitely heard, take Baranov House down this year.”
