“Apparently, they did.” Kervyn places his hand on the small of my back. That little sign that he’s feeling protective of me.

I get to sit at the main table, and Asher and Luka pass me gifts.

These aren’t your average baby gifts. We’re talking Versace booties, Gucci baby grows and Dior bibs. This stuff is expensive, and I’m a bit embarrassed because people spent so much money on our baby.

I turn to show Kervyn the gifts, but I notice he’s distracted, and I’m worried something bad has happened. I try not to let it show, though and thank everyone for the gifts.

Chapter 23 - Kervyn

“Why would you show such a weakness like that?” Danil demands to know once we’re outside the club.

“I kissed my fiancé. That isn’t showing a weakness,” I say calmly because I know he’s in a mood. “I’m no less dangerous than I was before I met Penny. In fact, because of her, I’m probably more dangerous.”

“I disagree. I think you’re making a big mistake. Firstly, you’re painting a target on her. What do you think our enemies will do when they hear about your little romance?” Daniel runs a hand over his hair in frustration.

I sigh. “Haven’t they heard already? We’re almost to seven months now.”

“Don’t make this a joke, Kervyn,” he says.

“You could use a joke, Danil,” I say, pointing a finger at him. “Don’t forget who I am in the grand scheme of things, even if you’re my brother. That gives you no right to disrespect me, and I will deal with you the same way I have dealt with others.”

“Now you’re threatening your own brother? Do you not see how this girl has changed you?” Danil snaps at me.

I grab his shirt. “And so what? What if I have found something that entices me and gives me happiness? Who would dare stand against a Milov and touch something or someone that belongs to me? If someone thinks they can do that, they’re not scared enough, and my brothers have failed me.”

Danil pushes back against me. “Why should they when you wear your heart on your sleeve.”

I shake Danil a little. “Is that what you’re scared of? That I have a heart? That I’ll go soft.” I throw him to the ground. “You should be more afraid of how hard this has made me. How ruthless I’m becoming because I would burn the world for her.”

“What about our family?” Danil hisses, climbing to his feet and brushing himself off. “Everything we’ve worked for.”

“She is my family now, too,” I snap. “And you best get used to that fact. You can both be my family. I can take care of my own affairs. I think it’s best you leave. You clearly don’t want to be here.”

He walks off, and I rejoin the party.

I decide to drive us home, and as we’re joining the main flow of traffic, Penny’s hand rests on my leg. “You were distracted toward the end there. Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine,” I say quietly. I don’t want her to stress, not while she’s pregnant.

“You can tell me, you know. I assume you fought with Danil again? It can’t just be that he’s moody, Kervyn. He clearly doesn’t like me.”

I clench my jaw. “He’s a worrier, that’s all. Danil is all about image and how the family looks, and he feels that you make me look soft and weak.”

“But you’re not soft and weak when I’m around? If anything, you’re quite businesslike,” she says.

“Except when I found out we’re having our son. I dared to kiss you in front of people,” I point out, smiling sadly.

“And that makes you weak?” she asks curiously.

“People will mistake it for weakness. They’ll think they can get to me through you,” I explain. “They may try to hurt you to get to me.”

She looks out the window, and I leave her to her thoughts as I pull up to the house.

“What if Danil is the one who had your men killed?” she asks, looking at me. “What if this is all just his way of taking over.”

“You watch too many crime shows. My brother is not trying to have me killed.” I smile and take her hand, kissing it. “But it’s cute that you think so.”

She blushes, and I smile. “I do love it when you blush.”

I climb out of the car, and as I do, I turn to see the last person I’m expecting walking into my garage from the driveway.

Zakhar.

“Kervyn. Please hear me out.”

He raises his hands as I stride toward him and punch him in the face. “How dare you think you can speak to me? Or even consider showing your face here again!”

“I came to apologize to you and Penny.” He holds his jaw where I punched him. “I wasn’t myself. I’m begging your forgiveness.”

“I told you what would happen if you came here again,” I say as Leon comes in with two of the new guards.

“Please. Kervyn.”

“Take him down to the club. Have Arseny deal with him.”

“I’m your cousin. I’m your cousin. You can’t do this.” He pulls away from the guards and manages to break free, launching himself toward Penny with outstretched hands.

I pull a gun out and shoot him in the leg. He collapses in a heap on the floor. “You threaten her? Again?”

Penny steps back, shaking like a leaf. “Leon. Take Penny upstairs. I’ll take care of this scumbag myself.”

“Kervyn, please,” Zakhar groans. “I wasn’t trying to hurt her. I’m sorry.”

“Take him,” I say to the guards. “Tell Arseny to sort him out.”

I walk into the house as Zakhar screams behind me to spare him, but I shut the door and enter the kitchen. Penny stands there with Leon.

Leon bows his head in respect. “She wouldn’t go any further until she spoke to you.”

“Nothing’s going to happen to him, right?” Penny asks, her voice shaking.

“I would think you would want him dealt with, considering he just lunged at you.” I look at her before I go over and take her hand. “Let me run you a bath so you can relax.”

“Kervyn, is something going to happen to him? What did you mean, take care of him? Is he going to be killed?”

I sigh. “Penny, you don’t want the details of what my family does, okay? And I don’t know yet if I can trust you with that level of work. I warned Zakhar. I warned his father.”

“His father? But his father isn’t here causing trouble,” Penny pleads with me, squeezing my hand. “Why would you want to hurt your own family?”