Satin Princess(67)

I look up at him. “I wish I could be the kind of person who doesn’t care.”

“But you do.” It’s a statement, not a question. “Your parents will come around.”

“Margaret and Thomas said the same thing,” I tell him.

“They’re right. And as for Chris, there might be another reason he’s against our situation.”

“Which is?”

“He’s in love with you.”

I frown. “Freya—I mean, Marina—said the same thing to me once.”

“This might be the one and only time she is right.”

“I just… I don’t know. Chris and I have been friends for so long.” He raises his eyebrows at me, and I give a defeated little sigh. “Shit, I don’t know. I can’t think about that right now. For the record, I think you’re both wrong. We’re just friends.”

He shrugs, as though it doesn’t matter to him either way. I search for some hint of jealousy on his face, but I can’t find any. I wonder if that’s a good sign or a bad one.

“Time to pack your bags,” Anton tells me. “We’re going home.”

“Back to the mansion? That’s home?”

He turns to me, forehead creased. “Of course, it is. It’s your home as much as it’s mine.”

A smile I can’t contain spreads across my face. “Okay. I’ll pack up.”





23





ANTON





On any other day, Yulian would be getting the flight attendant’s name and laying the groundwork for a mid-flight hookup. But today, he doesn’t even look at her as she hands him his cocktail with a flirty smile on her face.

“What’s his problem?” I ask Lev.

Lev glances towards Yulian and shrugs. “Probably still got his panties in a wad because you refuse to absolve him.”

I roll my eyes. “Like he needs my absolution.”

“You underestimate how much that little shit idolizes you.”

Jessa sits to my right, opposite Lev. She’s wearing one of my sweatshirts. I asked the flight crew to turn down the internal air conditioning, but she was still cold. My sweatshirt practically swallows her whole, and fuck did my cock jump at the sight.

“What’s going on with you and Yulian?” Jessa asks.

“Nothing is going on. We’re brothers.”

“Right, ‘cause that explains everything,” Jessa snarks. “He’s a good guy, you know?”

I frown. “I like to think I know him pretty well, thanks.”

“Then why are you being so hard on him?”

I turn to her, actually tuning into this conversation for the first time. “What makes you think I’m being hard on him?”

She narrows her eyes at me. “Because the Earth is turning and the sky is blue. It’s who you are.”

Lev snorts with laughter, and Yulian looks up from his seat on the other side of the airplane.

“I’m just saying,” Jessa continues quickly. “He has a massive inferiority complex where you’re concerned.”

“How do you know?”

She raises her eyebrows like she’s happy she’s got a secret that I don’t know about. “We talk.”

“You and my brother?”

“Don’t act so surprised,” she says. “I’m a likable person. And you may not want to hear this right now, but so is he.”

“Yeah well, historically, you’re not the best judge of character, are you?”

She glares at me. “Ass.”

“I second that,” Lev says, raising his hand like a damn schoolboy. “You’re a huge ass.”

He and Jessa start laughing. I pretend to scowl, but in reality, I’m basking in the general harmony in the jet. Apart from my sour-faced brother, of course.

“Do you know how many times I prayed for a baby brother or sister growing up?” Jessa asks.

“You want mine?”

She smiles. “You’d miss him if he was gone.”

“Let’s find out, shall we?”

“Men and their egos. Honestly, you’re all a bunch of babies.” She rolls her eyes and stands up. “Yulian, you okay over there?”

He looks up. “Um, sure?”

“Wanna join us? It looks kinda lonely on your end of the plane.”

“Uh, okay. Sure.”

She sits back down and gives me a cheesy smile. “See? Wasn’t that easy?”

“Everyone was fine with the previous seating arrangements.”

“I wasn’t.” She gives me another smile and reaches for the gingersnap cookie the flight attendant gave her.

“Be nice,” she warns me as Yulian slips into the vacant seat next to Lev.

“So how’d you enjoy London, Yulian?” Jessa asks.

“Loved it.” He gives her an amused grin. “I mean, it had everything. Intrigue, mystery… romance.”

That last one is definitely aimed at Jessa and me. His smile turns mischievous. I wonder if my brother has an off button when it comes to beautiful women.

“Romance, huh?” Jessa asks, taking it in stride. “Is there something you want to tell us, Yulian? Did you meet a special lady in London?”