Infini (Aerial Ethereal #2)(93)

“They’re good books,” Thora says confidently. “I mean, solid stuff.” She shakes her head at herself. She was doing really well there.

“Very solid,” Camila quips. “I loved the one about the twelve-inch vampire cock.”

I watch Luka pause by the door, more interested than he’s letting on. People-watching is a serious form of entertainment of mine, so I understand the lingering.

“The Forgotten Night,” Thora names the title. “It’s in my top ten favorites, but not just because of the vampire dick. Though that’s…”

“Hot,” Camila finishes.

Thora looks grateful when Camila finds the words that are tangled in her head.

Luka nods to Camila and jokes, “Have you met Dimitri? Guy’s massive.”

Of course Luka puts a good word in for Dimitri. That’s the opposite kind of relationship I have with his cousin.

“He’s not that massive,” I assure Camila. “He’s tiny.” I squish my fingers together to a microscopic size.

Luka laughs at me. “He’s fucking huge.”

I squish my fingers even closer.

“Which one of you has actually seen his dick?” Camila asks.

We both raise our hands.

“No you haven’t,” Luka laughs again, and we’ve somehow unconsciously stepped towards one another. We’re only a few feet apart.

“I did. I swear.” I can’t stop smiling. Are we seriously bonding over Dimitri’s dick? We’re so bizarre. Weird. And I really love every second.

“He just whipped it out on you?” Luka questions, disbelieving and a little peeved, I think.

“He unabashedly let his towel drop in the locker room showers. I caught a glimpse in my peripheral.” I motion to my eyes.

Luka grins, shaking his head. “That doesn’t count.”

I think about this. “It counts somewhat.”

“Somewhat,” he agrees.

To Camila, I say, “Trust me, you don’t want to compliment Dimitri’s penis. He’ll think you’re into him, and since you have a guy…”

“Good to know,” she nods and then shouts again, “DIMITRI HAS A LITTLE WIENER!”

All the Kotova guys yell in unison, “LUKA!!”

Camila winces at him. “Sorry.”

Luka looks the furthest from bothered. “I don’t mind. I can keep your name a secret from my cousins; you never told me it anyway. No sweat.” His gaze sweeps me head-to-toe, the once-over heating every inch of me, and then he returns to the door.

Katya splays her dress on the chair. “We’ll be out soon.”

Luka checks his watch and then casts one last glance back at me, as though cataloging my emotional state. My lips inch up, but I wish he could stay longer.

Luka nods to me like we’ll be together soon.

At The Red Death.

He’s the only thing I’m looking forward to tonight. Otherwise, I’d probably just curl up in bed.





Act Thirty-Two

Luka Kotova




After I leave Kat’s bedroom and enter the living area, I’m swarmed and hounded by my cousins. All for answers about a girl who I’m pretty sure is Camila Ruiz.

Dimitri’s many brothers zealously push my arms, pat my shoulders, and ask, “Who was she?! Who said that?!”

Bay was right about me being disloyal and loyal. I choose my sides wisely, and I’m not snitching on those girls.

I pop a piece of gum in my mouth with a grin full of mischief. “Who?”

They all groan and hook their arms around my shoulder, rubbing my head roughly. I laugh and shove them off, and not long after, I slide past all their bodies and they start hollering at Anton who fiddles with the music.

The suite is crammed. Shot glasses, whiskey and vodka bottles scatter every surface, and Erik plus his little brother Abram and seven other cousins carry a poorly wrapped present through the suite door. It looks heavy and about five-feet tall.

I have no clue what they bought for Kat, but she’s going to hate it. Like every year, they’re all looking forward to her huff and eye-roll.

I pick up a fallen trashcan, and as I pass Nik by the bar counter, I slap his ass. No reaction. He downs a shot of liquor and refills another.

He’s more uptight than usual. And that’s saying something.

Thing is, I know what’s on his mind. Thora. The pregnancy. (Corporate being complete dicks.) I keep an eye on Nik and spit out my gum. I weave through bodies in the small kitchen space and find a bag of bite-sized pretzels.

Returning to my brother’s side, I offer some, and after a reluctant pause, he fits his hand in the bag and eats.

“You okay?” I ask.

He fills another shot while he pops a pretzel in his mouth. “I’ve been better.”

I don’t want to pile more onto his shoulders, but if I don’t warn him, he may upset Katya. “One of the girls did Kat’s makeup,” I say.

He slides me his shot and then fills another.

“She looks like she’s in her twenties, and you know you can’t tell her to wash it off. She’s seventeen.”

Nikolai is rigid, but then he nods, accepting this before his shocked-self says something he’ll come to regret. Like go wash your face, Katya. “Most of us will keep an eye on her tonight.”