Chapter 0198

“Come on, Daniel,” I say, my voice derisive. “Your dad is not that funny.”

“No, he’s not,” Daniel murmurs, seeing it himself. “Oh weird,” he adds, turning back to me. “My fiancé and my auntie, both

competing for my dad.” He scowls and snatches the drink out of my hand now, draining it. “And no one going for me.”

“What,” I ask, laughing at him now. “Do you want Natalia to go for you?”

“What?” Daniel gasps. “Ew, no, Fay —*

“Because,” I continue, laughing now, “you're not technically related, and with how messed up this family tree already is, it could

work —*

“Gross!” Daniel exclaims, standing up and pulling me with him, both of us laughing now. “Come on, we need a refill,” he says,

guiding me back over to the bar. We're both still giggling at the idea of Daniel getting together with Natalia, and I’m egging him

on by imitating her Italian accent and thinking of things she’d say to him on their wedding night — how she’d boss him around,

and the things she’d complain about - when someone comes up behind us at the bar.

“What's so funny,” Kent asks, surprising us, and Daniel and I turn as one, bursting into laughter when we see him standing there.

Kent frowns at us, but not in a mean or angry way. Honestly, he looks a little pleased to see us having fun, but just...displeased

to be left out?

Or maybe frowning is his default expression. I don’t really know, and I’m laughing too hard to care.

“Nothing,” I say, wiping my eyes free of a few tears of mirth as the bartender delivers my glass of red wine. “Just...a stupid joke,”

I continue, my giggles fading. Daniel nods, smiling at his dad and taking a sip of his second Manhattan.

“Red wine?” Kent asks, frowning at my choice as I take the glass off of the bar.

“Oh god,” I moan, slumping my shoulders and looking up at him. “Not you too. Can’t anyone just let me drink what I want to

drink?”

“Do what you want, Fay,” Kent shrugs, his frown deepening. “I just thought on a summer night that something like a glass of

prosecco —*

Daniel and I lose it again and Kent just rolls his eyes, deciding to ignore us. He pushes past us to the bar to get a drink. Daniel

loops his arm through mine. “Come on,” he says, “let me introduce you to some of my actual aunts and uncles —*

“Ones you don’t plan to marry?” I prod, grinning.

“Oh, I didn’t say that,” he replies, giving me a dirty little smirk and leading me over to a group.

Before we can arrive, though, there’s a disturbance at the door — raised voices that ring wrong against the laughter and happy

chatter that fills the party. Daniel and I stop in our tracks, turning to see what’s happening, and for the second time that night I

feel my blood go cold.

Because standing at the door to Kent’s family party is a large group of people who I’m sure were not invited.

And at the head of the group, in a grey Gucci suit, is my father.

And standing a step behind him in black Armani, his crisp white shirt already unbuttoned and his eyes already on me, is Ivan.

“Well, Lippert?” my father calls to

Kent, who has turned away Tops fire

bar and is glaring anthelgoup

standin at the door. “Are you going

to turn us away from this happy

affair?” Please read the original

content at .

Everyone is absolutely silent as Kent

pauses for a second and then sl ,

with perfect delieration beds to

crossanie tor: He stops about

halfway, leaving about twenty feet

between him, and my father, and

my... Please read the original content

at .

My what? My maybe-boyfriend? The lion tamer I make out with sometimes at taco stands and my dad’s mountain house?

“Of course,” Kent replies to my

father’s question, his voice at once

even and dangerous. “ ame hava al

eof Aero sue ie to be family

s60n enough as it is. Bring

your...friends with you,” Kent

concludes, slowly raising his glass of

whiskey to his lips and taking a

casual sip. Please read the original

content at .

Every line of Kent in this moment is a graceful warning that they can enter...

But they’re on his turf now, and playing by his rules.