29

When the married couple is informed that their order has arrived, their good mood rubs off on me. A sweet couple where you can feel the love and trust between them. Even through the phone, while I was talking to both of them at once, I could feel the warmth in the way they treated each other, and it filled me with good energy too.

So, on that positive note, I step out of the office planning to go to the warehouse and give instructions about delivering the two new steel stallions to the address provided. But I nearly trip over my own feet when I see Kirill outside, wearing a cap with some Japanese writing on it, heading toward my showroom—and Ann trying to catch up with him!

Fuck! Fuck! Fuuuuuck!

What the hell is he doing here?! They’re only supposed to come back in three days! And what the hell is Ann doing here?!

This is bad. Very bad!

I quickly duck behind the corner of the building and peek out in horror, watching what’s happening and praying to every god there is that Kirill will play along with me. We’ve covered each other’s asses plenty of times before. Just don’t go ballistic and don’t blow my cover.

“Oh, hi, Nazar,” Ann deftly kisses the man on the cheek, though she immediately gets embarrassed by her own impulse and lowers her eyes.

“Hi. I’m not—”

“Listen,” the brunette interrupts my brother, as if gathering her thoughts to say everything honestly. “I don’t want to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong… but maybe I can help you,” the longer she looks at Kirill, the faster her confidence fades. “I just want to help you, because you’re such a wonderful father to the kids,” my brother’s eyebrows shoot up expressively, and at that moment our eyes meet. My twin’s face darkens like a storm cloud, while I gesture frantically for him to play along. I’ll deal with him somehow later, but I can’t lose Ann right now! “I found an interesting article online from a book that describes a problem very similar to yours,” even from this distance I can hear the nervousness in my beloved’s voice. “I know it’s very hard to replace the attention of a mother who abandoned them, but according to the reviews this book has many tips that really help parents get closer to their kids when the other parent left the family.”

I can practically feel the rage radiating from my twin, and I see his jaw tightening as he stares at me. He’s never been stupid and immediately understood what’s going on.

“You’ll learn a lot about your little troublemakers if you use the methods and practices described there. It’s especially important for you and Soli, because girls aren’t always open about their problems with their dad,” Ann tries sincerely to help, and once again I fall in love with my bright angel. God, she’s incredible and so kind!

“Alright, thanks,” Kirill grinds out through clenched teeth, but then he slips into the role and softens slightly. “Sorry, but I urgently need to get to the office. A lot of urgent and killer business just came up,” the brown-haired man mutters, looking straight at me, promising me nothing good.

Well, that’s it. I’m totally screwed when it comes to my brother.