Serpent King's Bride: A Dark Mafia Romance Trilogy

Not if I wanted to survive. Not if I wanted Nathan to survive.

“Look, Diane, I’m really sorry, but I have guests arriving any second,” I said. “This really isn’t a good time, I’m…”

“Another time, then,” she acquiesced, though her eyes told me she knew something was amiss. She leaned in slightly, as if drawn by some invisible thread. “What’s that smell?”

Panic clawed up my throat. Could she detect the deathly odor I’d been dreading? But no—that was the scent of something burning.

Shit.

“Ah, my dinner’s burning!” I exclaimed, grateful for the excuse. “I’ve got to go handle it.”

“Of course,” Diane repeated, stepping back with a nod. She paused before turning away, her voice low but clear. “Congratulations on your engagement, by the way.”

My hand flew to my throat, the sudden sense of danger making me forget about the ruined sauce on the stove. How did she know? I hadn’t told anyone.

There should be no way for the fucking FBI to know that Nathan and I were getting married.

“Uh…thanks,” I rushed out. “But I need to be going. I’ll be in touch, Diane.”

I closed the door before she had a chance to interrupt again, telling myself that she must have seen the ring as I locked the door behind me. I rushed back to the kitchen, my heart still pounding with an intensity that threatened to overwhelm me. The saucepan sat on the stove, its contents blackened and smoking. I snatched it from the heat, cursing under my breath. The interruption had thrown me off, and now dinner was ruined.

How had she known about our engagement? Maybe she really just saw the ring when I reached for the door. But deep down, a trickle of fear seeped into my thoughts.

How much did Diane really know?

Before I could spiral further into paranoia, another knock at the door jolted me from my musings. I took a deep breath, plastering on a smile as I moved to answer it. This time, it was Justin and Lily—Nathan’s siblings, our expected guests—who greeted me with wrinkled noses.

“Ugh, what’s that smell?” Lily asked, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity.

“Dinner mishap,” I admitted with a sheepish grin, moving aside so they could walk in. “I burned it. Had to start over. But trust me, I’m a good cook. Usually.”

Justin chuckled, shaking his head. “No worries, Abby. Happens to the best of us.”

I ushered them inside, still trying to set myself at ease. The tension from earlier began to ebb away as I returned to the task at hand, determined to salvage the evening.

“Make yourselves comfortable,” I said, gesturing toward the bar stools lining the kitchen island.

Justin and Lily obliged, hopping onto the stools and taking in their surroundings. They looked around with wide eyes. I thought they would be used to this kind of opulence, but they really did seem to appreciate it more than I was expecting them to.

“Where’s Nathan?” Justin asked, his gaze darting towards the hallway as if expecting his brother to emerge at any moment.

“He’s running a little late,” I explained as I turned off the stove and dumped my curdled sauce into the trash. “Had some last-minute business to take care of.”

“Sounds like him,” Justin replied with a knowing nod. But there was no judgment there, only understanding—a brother’s acceptance of another’s burdens.

“Feel free to explore if you want,” I offered, returning to the task of cooking. With precise movements, I began chopping vegetables anew, the rhythm soothing.

“Thanks, Abby,” Lily said, her voice tinged with awe. “This place is amazing.”

“Did he make any changes since the last time you were here?” I asked, slicing through an onion. “Like, did he redecorate or something?”

“No,” Lily said. “He’s never invited us over before.”

I paused mid-slice, frowning back at them.

“Wait, really?”

Lily shrugged. “He always said we could meet back at our parents’ if we had something to discuss,” she replied. “So I guess you must be really special if he wants to entertain.”