Timur felt Ashe shiver and realized Fyodor had never pulled rank on her. She only saw him as Evangeline’s husband and his brother. Now, he looked every inch the predator he was. He was the big shark in the room, not Evangeline’s father. He pressed her hand down harder on his thigh and surrounded it with his fingers, caging it in. She had his protection. She’d committed to him and that made her family. Fyodor’s family as well. She needed to know that.
There was an awkward silence. Beau tapped his fingers on the table. He didn’t look at Fyodor, but kept his gaze fixed on his daughter’s face, as if he could will her to do whatever he wanted. Before she could speak, Fyodor leaned back in his chair and took Evangeline’s hand, raising her fingertips to his mouth.
“My wife is pregnant, Beau, with twins. You’re going to be a grandfather.” He looked from one brother to another. “You’re going to be uncles.”
Timur hadn’t taken his eyes from Beau. His heart sank at the ugly expression that flitted across that heavily lined face. Everyone thought him weak. Beau had been supposedly trapped by his father into a criminal business and then threatened so he was afraid to quit. Timur didn’t believe it for a moment. This man was evil. The way he looked at his sons, the way he looked at Evangeline, there was no love there. He was out for himself.
“That’s wonderful,” Beau murmured. He poured enough sincerity into his voice that it was believable to everyone but Timur. His gaze flicked over Ashe. There was speculation there, and something else Timur didn’t like. Temnyy slammed his body hard against the confines that held him. He really didn’t like the way Beau looked at Ashe.
Timur wasn’t certain if anyone else caught the expression on Evangeline’s father’s face. He shifted his gaze just enough to look at the man’s two sons. Ambroise stared into his coffee cup, carefully avoiding his father’s eyes. Christophe still looked angry, but he managed a quick smile in his sister’s direction.
“Twins? You don’t believe in doing anything the easy way, do you, belle soeur ? Are you feeling all right?”
Evangeline shook her head. “I’m pretty sick most of the time.”
“How are you getting the bakin’ done?”
“So far, I’ve managed, but Ashe is working with me now. I’m hoping if I run into trouble, she’ll be able to keep the bakery open.”
Beau beamed. “That’s good thinkin’ Evangeline. Always have a backup plan when it comes to business. Your friend can help you bake even when you expand the business.”
Now it had gone from her father suggesting she expand, to him acting as though it was a done deal. Timur still was uncertain about Christophe and Ambroise. Ambroise had sketched the entire layout of Fyodor’s house for his brother, and mentioned that the measurements of the rooms were off. Christophe had guessed correctly that there were secret passageways built into the mansion. He had also just gotten Evangeline to admit that Ashe helped her with the baking.
The entire family was suspect as far as he was concerned. He was getting regular updates on the uncle, who had abandoned his drunken persona and was walking around the house, probably looking for weak points in security. The leopards watched him, but stayed out of sight. He had to smell them, but he also had no way of knowing the last time the leopards had been present in the yard.
“It will be good to build our own family empire,” Beau said. “I’ve never liked working for Charisse and Armande.”
“I thought they were easy to work for,” Christophe said. “They have good benefits, the best in the region. They give out bonuses at the end of the year …”
“They make the money. Hand over fist, they make the money,” Beau corrected. “It isn’t about the work environment, it’s about the fact that we work from sunup until sundown for someone else. Evangeline knows what I mean, don’t you, girl? It’s better to have your own business and control the flow of the money.”
“Do you think having money is that important?” Ashe asked.
The older man turned his gaze on her. His leopard had to be acting up. All the males had to be. The pheromones coming off Ashe were potent. Her skin glowed. She looked absolutely beautiful sitting there. Timur had all he could do to keep his features blank when Beau looked at her so speculatively. It wasn’t all his leopard either. Beau didn’t like women. He clearly had the drive of the leopard, but he didn’t like it.
“Of course, it’s very important. You’ll learn that as you get older.”
“Are you worried about retirement?” Timur asked, mostly to get the man’s attention off of Ashe. That look made his skin crawl, and he couldn’t imagine what it made Ashe feel like. Threatened, most likely, because that was what it felt like to him.