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Dominick let out an irritated huff but didn’t protest further. “Yes, well, in that case. Caleb, this is Maxim Petrov. A new partner of mi—”

Maxim cut in. “Dominick, let’s be clear. I am not your partner. I am your new employer.” His attention moved from Dominick to Caleb, who was the picture of calm, minus the hand he had hidden. That one was white-knuckled against my thigh. “And since you are soon to be in alliance with Dominick here, that makes you my employee as well. No?” Maxim asked, his tone purposefully taunting.

The rest of the party faded away, choked out by the growing lethal tension at the head of the table as Caleb stared Maxim down.

“Yes, well, let’s get on with why we’re here tonight, and then we can discuss this over cigars in the lounge. And without ladies in the room. Or Scarletta,” Dominick commented.

An eyebrow hit my hairline at the underhanded comment. “Your daughter’s fiancé has been close to my pussy enough times to know I’m a lady,” I mumbled, earning a choked laugh from Kenji as I sipped from my water goblet. I shouldn’t have had those shots of vodka, because they had me feeling bold tonight.

Caleb’s hand tightened on my thigh, his knuckles practically white, but I swore I saw a hint of a smirk on his face.

Dominick stood, champagne flute and a butter knife clasped in his hands. “Before we get to tonight’s dinner, I have an announcement I’d like to make.” The faux smile he’d plastered on annoyed me. He looked out over his guests as if they were adoring fans, not a pack of hungry hyenas vying for whatever scraps he’d send their way.

None of them were loyal. They’d align themselves with whomever guaranteed them a piece of the pie.

Dominick peered at Caleb, his grin morphing into something sinister. But the Irishman seemed at ease. The tension from moments ago was gone. Or at least he played it off that way, lounging back in his chair like he owned the place, fingers pulling at the loose thread on the tablecloth. My eyes fluttered closed for a moment when he started caressing my thigh with his thumb.

He’s trying to kill me. Get me offed for being seduced by my cousin’s fiancé.

Fuck. He’s supposed to marry her.

Suddenly, the heat from his hand was gone as he stood. “I’ll take it from here, Dominick.” Confusion colored my uncle’s face. But he didn’t like to seem like he wasn’t in control, so he played it off as a planned exchange. Motioning for Caleb to take it away as he sat back in his seat and glared as if Caleb were shit on his shoe.

“Most of you here know me, but for those few who don’t, I’m Caleb Callahan,” he said, his deep voice easily carrying across the space.

Pompous ass would figure people knew who he was.

“My brothers and I have recently branched off and started our own…company.” He paused for the chorus of chuckles, giving the table a charming smile—a stark contrast to the man who’d had me pinned against a wall not twenty minutes ago. “And this dinner is to celebrate the joining of families.”

Soft clapping erupted from the table from everyone but the members of the Four.

Adriana was practically beaming, and she sat so straight I’d have sworn there was a stick shoved up her ass, preventing her from slouching. Anger at her reaction turned in my stomach, which pissed me off even more.

Why the hell would I be upset about her marrying this jackass?

In the next moment, I was yanked to my feet. An oomph fell from my lips as my body crashed into Caleb’s, my hand coming up to brace against his hard chest. Before I could remove it, he interlocked our fingers and pinned them in place. Panic swept through me when his arm banded around my back, coming to rest on my hip, the touch searing.

He continued to address the crowd as I stood there, intimately plastered to his side, while my family all shot daggers at me.

“My wife, Scarletta Romano, and I are so excited to finally announce our union.”

My heart beat so loud in my ears that I barely heard Enzo shush my cousins’ cries of outrage. Throwing a flashbang into the crowded room would have caused less disruption than his announcement.

What the actual fuck was going on?

Caleb’s lush lips slammed down on mine, his tongue demanding entry as it swiped along the seam. This wasn’t a kiss; it was a claiming. A warning to keep my fucking mouth shut.

You owe me a favor of my choice, with no questions asked when I come to collect. And you’ll follow through all the way. No fighting me.

His words from earlier tonight played on a loop in my head.

“I should’ve gone with option A and murdered you,” I whispered against him, feeling him give me a smug smile.

“Watch your tone, wife. I’ll bend you over this table and teach you a lesson in manners in front of our guests.”

I snapped my gaze to his. Chaos lurked in his eyes. It didn’t frighten me…it excited me.

“Please do. I’ll be sure and yell Niko and Kenji’s names real loud,” I snarled back, savoring how his nostrils flared. “You picked the wrong bitch if you wanted someone submissive, husband.”