“When you’re a small canine in a world filled with big cats, wolves, and bears, you find other ways to fight. Trust me, if full-blood jackals had thumbs, they’d know how to take down lions with a .416 Remington, too.”

Ricky grinned. “Too?”

“Could you two flirt later?”

Toni growled at Rory. “I wasn’t flirt—”

“Y’all need to remember that these Russian bears are not to be trifled with,” Rory went on. “So if it looks like things are getting out of hand”—he looked directly at his brother—“let Toni do the talking.”

Toni blinked. “Me? Why me?”

“If you can calm down Novikov, then Lord, woman, you can calm down damn near anybody.”

“Thank you?”

Rory walked around the couch until he was right in front of Ricky. “Listen to me, little brother. Things explode out there, you let Vic do what he does best and you get yourself and our little Toni here out. Don’t try to be anyone’s dang hero.”

“That’s Reece’s weakness, Rory. Ain’t never been mine.”

“Keep it that way.”

The brothers stared at each other a few seconds longer, then they hugged.

And that’s when Toni finally yelled out, “Is anyone else concerned that we’re doing all this just to negotiate a contract for a goddamn sports team?” She threw her hands up in the air. “Anyone?”

The brothers pulled away and Ricky admonished, “You shouldn’t blaspheme.”

Toni’s eyes crossed. “Shut up.”

They walked right into the middle of a melee. It wasn’t pretty, either. Fists and legs flying, screams and snarls and yips filling the air.

But Ricky had to admit he was impressed. Because while the two oldest were trying to figure out what to do, Toni walked right into that pit of swinging arms and legs and began yanking pups apart and tossing them around the room until she got to Oriana, who was too old to toss anywhere.

“That is enough!” Toni bellowed over the continuing screams and threats while she held her fifteen-year-old sister in a nice little choke hold. “I mean it!”

That seemed to calm them all down, and she pushed her sister away before facing Cooper and Cherise. “Where’s Mom and Dad?”

“They went out with Aunt Irene.”

“When?”

Coop looked off, clearly embarrassed, and admitted, “Fifteen min—”

“Fifteen? You couldn’t keep them under control for fifteen minutes?”

“It’s not his fault,” Cherise chimed in from behind Coop.

“He was practicing and I told him I’d take care of the kids, but things spiraled so quickly . . .”

Toni folded her arms over her chest and gazed down at her feet.

“Hey,” Coopsaid, putting his hand on Toni’s shoulder. “It’s not a big deal. We’ll figure this out. We’ll make it work. Just give us a little more—”

“Time?” Toni asked, looking up at her brother. “We don’t have time. I’m going to Russia tonight. For work.”

“You’re deserting us?” Kyle scrambled to his feet and gawked at his sister. “You’re deserting us for that ridiculous job?”

In that second, Ricky saw Toni begin to waffle. She didn’t want to desert her family.

She began to speak, probably to change her mind, but Cherise came around Cooper and stood by Toni’s side. “Yes, she is going. Toni’s going to Russia. Without us.” Cherise smiled and it was a very pretty smile. She should do it more often so she didn’t always look so terrified. “And we’re going to be very proud of her when she goes.”

“But Kyle the idiot is right.” Oriana glared at her brother. “As much as I loathe to admit it.” She focused on the rest of them. “She can’t just go off and leave us! Nothing has been organized. Mom and Dad don’t know what they’re doing. Coop is busy preparing for his next concert, and his agent is constantly calling here about another record deal with the London Philharmonic, and Cherise is just goddamn hopeless.”

Cherise frowned. “Hey.”

“And you think you can just leave?” Oriana demanded of her eldest sister.

Toni looked over the faces of her siblings before replying, “Well—” she began, but that’s when Ricky grabbed her around the waist and walked out of the room.

“Excuse us, y’all.”

“Hey, country western fellow!” Kyle barked. “Where are you going with our sister?”

Ricky took Toni out into the hall and to the stairs. “Go upstairs. Pack.”

“But—”

“No, ‘but,’ woman. Just do it.”

Freddy walked around Ricky and took his sister’s hand. “Come on, Toni. I’ll help you pack.”

The little boy started up the stairs, glancing back at Ricky and winking at him.

At least one of her siblings thought about someone other than himself. It was a nice change.

Ricky returned to the large living room and faced the children. “Now, y’all,” he began, “I know it’s hard to let your sister go when you need her so badly. But you really have to let her do this. You have to grow up a little and show your sister what big boys and girls you are.” He gave them his best smile. “Right?”

After all the pups stared back at him, it was Kyle who dramatically threw his arms up in the air, rolled his eyes, and fell back on the couch behind him while Troy muttered, “And the common man speaks.”