A Very Russian Christmas by Roxie Rivera Read Free Book Online

and he crossed them off hist. The other three seemed receptive so he made sure to hand out his business cards and encouraged them to stop by the new offices or drop him a line via email.
    On the prowl for his next mark, Ty spotted his baby sister Caitlin stuck in a corner with the football player their mother had arranged as a date. Poor Cait had that nervous smile on her face, the one that told him that she was about to have a freaking panic attack. Her sensitive ears hated loud music like this, and she struggled so badly in social situations. The protective streak within him ignited. Wanting to save her from yet another terrible setup, he weaved his way through the crowd.
    “Don’t even think about it, Tyrone.” His mother’s hissed voice dinged his ear as her icy hand gripped his wrist.
    He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth rather than shake off her hold. Fully aware they were surrounded by the eyes and ears of the society press, he affected a smile and embraced his mother in a way that seemed loving. Sliding his arm around her shoulders, he murmured, “She’s miserable. She needs to be rescued.”
    “She’s never going to learn how to be normal if you’re always running interference for her.”
    His lips twitched as he smothered a snarled reply. Normal? What the fuck was normal anyway? “She’s doing the best she can.”
    “She could do better.”
    Deftly untangling himself from the woman who had given birth to him but who had shown him so little love, he ignored her order and continued his trek across the hotel ballroom. Issuing commands might work in D.C. where his mother was one of the most powerful U.S. senators, but it didn’t fly here. Her power over him had ended many years ago. Now if he could only free Cait…
    “Sugar,” he swept in and pecked her cheek. “I don’t think I’ve met your friend.” He knew the football player by sight and reputation but wanted to be polite.
    “His name is Quade Dykstra.” She relaxed into his brotherly hug. “He’s a line receiver on the football team.”
    Quade frowned. “Wide receiver.”
    “Oh. Right.” She looked mortified at her gaffe. “He’s a wide receiver.”
    “It’s nice to meet you, Quade.” To his credit, Quade didn’t hesitate to shake hands with him. Considering the photographers milling around the place, it said a lot about the football player to know that he wasn’t reticent about being photographed getting chummy with an openly gay man.
    “Nice to meet you, too.”
    “So what have you two been chatting about all night?”
    “Your sister was telling me all about her telescopes and the research she’s been doing at Rice for the last three years.”
    Ty inwardly winced. Once Cait started talking about her work, she had such a hard time turning off the spout of knowledge that wanted to keep pouring from her mouth. Smiling at Quade, he playfully asked, “Did we learn anything interesting?”
    “She told about that asteroid she discovered.”
    “Comet,” Ty corrected carefully. “She discovered a comet.”
    “Right,” Quade said with embarrassment. He glanced at Cait. “Sorry.”
    “It’s fine.” Her clipped reply convinced Ty she was anything but fine.
    An uncomfortably tight silence settled around their trio. Ty wasn’t at all surprised when Quade’s gaze flicked to a small group of nearby women. Wanting to make the transition easy for everyone, he tapped Quade’s arm and said, “Well, I hope you don’t mind but I need to borrow my sister for the rest of the night. Is that okay?”
    “Oh. Um…sure.” Quade couldn’t hide the relief on his handsome, clean-cut face. The popular athlete bent down to give Cait a quick hug and smiled down at her. “I had a nice time, Caitlin.”
    “As did I.” She parroted the expected reply, but Ty sensed she hadn’t enjoyed herself at all.
    The football player didn’t ask to see her again or stick around a moment longer than necessary. He had the decency to head for the