05

CORBIN'S POV

I SPENT MOST OF THE NIGHT SITTING ACROSS FROM HER WATCHING HER EYES ROLL OVER HER PHONE screen while she twisted the ring on her fingers. God knows where the rest of them were but for people who were so pressed about having her back at their sides, they seemed to be over it already.

The clambering of clinking glasses and chattering filled the large room. I always wondered how many of them actually wanted to be here and how many were here for the looks. The chandeliers hung emitted a bright light bouncing off the crystals and onto the walls onto the million-dollar diamond necklaces worn by the trophy wives around here.

It's a bold assumption to name all of them trophy wives but when you've been observing and studying them all, you can tell the difference between the two.

Roman was out mingling with business partners that Lana said no to and threatened to off anyone and everyone if she was forced to converse with them, so I was sitting here with her while everyone was off in their own world.

Her dark hair falls freely over her shoulders and down her back. The dark red silk dress complimented her tanned skin, hugging her body at her curves, making the dark-inked tattoos stand out on her skin.

I learnt a little about them. She got most of them after she turned eighteen. Gradually over time she got more obsessed with the ink on her skin and seeing it every day she continued to get them.

There weren't many, a total of nine scatters all over her body. Four sat on each arm.

One behind her right ear.

Another on her collarbone and one on her back.

And two more, one on the thigh and the rib.

Each held a meaning, and each held a story she was reluctant on telling. I wasn't eager to know as much as I was to see them.

Growing up I always mistook her and Roman for being twins. They shared the same dark hair and brown eyes that bore through everyone's facades. But over the last couple of weeks of them being back in Cambridge, I never understood how I did as a child.

They were so different from each other. Lana's eyes were always a shade dark than Roman's. they were almost black. They scared everyone that looked into them because they thought she was a monster.

I never knew how people say that, but I guess I was so blinded as a child that all I could see her as was the girl I knew behind the doors of her home. But, again, I was blinded because of my feelings for her even at a young age. I saw her as a girl, not a monster.

"You wanna tell me what you're staring at Laurie, or do I need to tease it out of you?" a playful smirk twisted onto her lips as she peered at me over her phone.

"Can't one admire a good-looking person when they see one?"

She let out a snort, "you flatter me too much, Laurie. You set my standards way too high to find anyone deemed worthy in this world for these standards."

I felt a tear in my heart. The thought of her finding someone else…seeing someone else that way and it not being me tore me. I knew I couldn't force her to have feelings for me and I damn knew she'd hate it if I dared to do so.

I just needed her to drop the whole "You're a brother." gaze with me. I needed her to see me as something more, but I don't even know how that was possible with her. Over the course of the last few weeks of her return, the more time I spent watching her and being around her, I had come to realise I didn't know this new Lana.

She wasn't the same girl that I grew up knowing. She had the same face and voice, but it wasn't her.

She wasn't my Lana anymore. She was someone knew I had to discover, and I don't know if she would let me discover this new side of her.

"Do I have something on my face, Laurie? you want to wipe it off for me?"

I rolled my eyes, "just your arrogance but we all know you can't wipe that away."

"I've missed this."

I raised a brow, leaning forward onto the table, "Care to share?"

"I'm not expecting things to bounce back Laurie…I really don't but I didn't really think about how much I missed out on over the last two years. I didn't really think about how I would feel being back here with everyone. I feel like a stranger with everyone here. It seems like everyone is moved on with life and I'm still stuck here. So far you're the only one who has been indifferent to me."

Lana was a person who was big on emotions. She rarely cried growing up and if she did she was always tucked away under her father's arm so seeing her like this…so vulnerable. So raw.

"You have to consider the fact, I had contact with you for two years while they didn't as well Lana. You spent two years away from them. Not me so of course things will be awkward at the start but you four have been glued at each other's side for years…you'll work it out and get back to where you used to be."

"I hope so…soon enough I have to start paying Ford for therapy lessons."

I chuckled, "you'll have to back pay him for the last ten years then."

She reached over smacking my arm, "not too loud, he'll hear you and make me pay it."

I shook my head leaning back into my seat, "You'll get through it, Lana. You just need to give it some time."

"There he is! Go on ask him!"

I let out a heavy breath, feeling a migraine coming along. I turned my head to the two idiots I agreed to house for their college years…I mostly agreed with Ronan because he needed it while Isaiah just chose to tag along with him.

What a bothersome duo.

"He's busy, you idiot. He doesn't need to know about this yet."

"What? You're scared of saying it in front of Lana? The girl has no filter."

A scowl etched on her face before she spat out a few profanities in a foreign language catching Isaiah's attention, "say that again and I'll drag you to your mother for another ass whooping you pest."

Her eyes bounced back at Ronan for a minute before turning her gaze off to the crowd.

"Yeah, yeah whatever…back to the point, Ronan here thinks that he doe-" Ronan cut him off smacking a hand over his mouth. His eyes were wide in fear and embarrassment

"Don't say that shit so loudly and in public? I don't need people knowing about my sex life." He kept his eyes on his surroundings making sure no one was listening in on them. My eyes bounced back to Lana seeing the hint of amusement in her eyes as she kept her eyes out on the mingling people.

"You picked a great pair, Laurie…nice going there."

"At least they don't have sudden urges to burn down a building"

She rolled her eyes, leaning back into her seat, "Are you two done fighting? you're making a scene." I turned to the boys.

"Sorry…we'll leave now." Grabbing onto Isaiah's jacket, he whisked him away to the other side of the room, angrily whispering in his ear.

Ronan wasn't one to get angry and if he did, he wasn't as intense. He was softer than the rest of us. He turned out a lot like his mother as well. The dark jet hair and bright hazel eyes. They had the same sharp features on their face.

Quite frankly I thought his mother was his sister when I first meet her out in public. He was always quiet and well-put together. He mainly kept to himself at home but that was solely because he grew up being told he was a nuisance. Isaiah was there to force him out into the world a little more than each day.

He was a bright kid who needed someone like Isaiah to give him the push he needed…I wasn't ever able to give him that push. I'd end up putting him down the same rabbit hole I'm going through right now, and it wasn't pretty, to say the least.

He was only a year younger than me but over the years, there had been an overwhelming feeling to protect him. God knows he doesn't have anyone else but me and Isaiah in his life.

He's a bright kid…a bit dumb in the head but he was a bright kid with a lot that's going on for him.

"Who is that other one? The dark-haired kid?"

I raised a brow, "who? Ronan?"

Her eyes turned back in their direction, "Dimitri Volkov's kid? I've heard stories about his father's work, I wanted to ask his old man about them."

"He doesn't talk to his father much so I doubt he would know if he was showing up tonight."

She pursed her lips before sinking back into her seat, "bummer. I was looking forward to meeting his parents. You know the last time I saw him he was the same height as me."

Lana taking an interest in the Volkov's wasn't a good sign. Anyone who had an interest in that family didn't flash a good sign. But I knew better than to question her and her plans. Lana had a reason for her piquing interest in certain people and hobbies.

She never approached someone unless she was getting something out of it. She was always like this. It was how Khadir raised her. So, she wouldn't be used as easily so people wouldn't believe she was weak and naive to this world.

One thing that was known about the Azad family is they always got their way. Everyone knew they were dirty. Everyone but their kids. Khadir and his brothers weren't shy of doing whatever they had to in order to get what they want.

They held the most influence over people in all of England. whether it be politics or business choices, everyone followed them and listened. it was their power that got them elected whomever they wanted to do their bidding and get away with it.

It paints a name for Lana and Roman. A bad one but one that every still look for in every business deal and political vote which lead to the way Edmund McKinney was bound to win a seat as Senator.

With the definite vote of Lana and Roman, everyone was bound to follow them. They dictated how this election would go and who would end up on top whether anyone liked it or not. They were government. They ruled them and owned them.

"I thought you'd be hiding in some dark corner but never guessed you'd have company."

Charlie McKinney.

Cambridge's definition of a pretty boy. Tall, lean, clean brown hair and doe light brown eyes that made everyone fall for his charms in an instant. He was the oldest of three kids. He had a younger brother, Owen who skipped out on these events almost every time just to avoid having to talk about his father's election and then they had Hadley who was forced here whether she liked it or not.

"I like my corner, Charlie…how's the missus? Heard she was finally discharged from the hospital."

His grin stretched to his eyes at the thought of his wife and his little girl.

"She's doing great. Still sore and all but she's recovering well from the comfort of our bed with her mother at her side."

"Let me know when you're ready for visitors, I would love to come and meet the little one when your wife is up for it."

"I'll make sure you're the first to know, Lani." as she smiles, I watched it instantly drop and be replaced with a sick smile. Her eyes focused on the upcoming shadow, Edmund McKinney. A man nearing his late fifties. His hair gelled back with the sight of his grey hairs peeking all the way around. His three-piece suit was ironed to a crisp without a single wrinkle in sight unlike most people, Edmund liked to keep his facade of being a man in power.

Even for a man of his age, he didn't have what people considered a dad body people would like he should have. he was well-active, hitting the gym almost all the same times I do in the morning and evening.

Her face twisted in annoyance as he drew closer standing beside his son, "Lana, it's good to see you well my dear."

"Wish I could return the nice words but that would require me to mean them and quite frankly I won't…if you're here to see if you have my vote in your election, you have it so do us both a favour and walk away and stop wasting our time here, will you Eddie?"

I watched a nerve twitch in Edmund's jaw as he took a step closer. whatever look he had on his face had seemed to beckon Ford to step forward, "I see you're still the family lap dog Larsen. If you ever need a new job, just let me know. I'd be more than happy to take you on."

I shot to my feet, following Lana before her eyes narrowed down at him. A sinister look burned her eyes as if she was ready to commit murder right here in front of everyone. I don't think I had ever seen that look in her before.

I've seen it once.

In her father.

It was like a wild animal whose been challenged in a brawl. the look carried a need for hunger. For blood thirst. A need to have their blood dripping down from them and watch their mere bodies squirm and hold on for life.

It was a vicious look. One I never thought someone like Lana was able to "I'd watch my mouth if I were you, Edmund."

"If you want to keep what votes you have right now, I'd talk the hell away and go back to whatever dirty little conversation you were having before you wake up tomorrow without any. I don't take insults towards my employees lightly and neither does my brother."

"If you pulled those votes, you'd have eyes on you for the next four months…Roman wouldn't do such a thing that put you in the limelight."

A smirk etched on her face.

It was almost sinister. Cruel even.

"Who said anything about Roman being the instigator of your loss in votes? Roman may not have the heart to do such a thing but I sure damn do, and I'd do it in a heartbeat if you put Ford's name in your mouth again like that."

Edmund simply tucked, touching his hand into his trousers, "you are your father's daughter. I saw that look in your father's eyes when I offered you to my youngest son. Your father was about ready to rip my head off right then and there."

"What a pity that he didn't."

Her hands curled into a fist at her sides while her eyes continued you blaze through Edmund. Ready to rip him apart at any given moment.