They both storm past me and Alek and leave the house, slamming the door behind them.
“That didn’t go well,” Alek grumbles, slumping onto the couch.
I remain standing, twisting my hands together. “Did you really mean that?”
“Mean what?”
“That you would choose me over them? The girls you helped raise?”
He stands back up and cups my face – it’s something he loves to do I’ve noticed. “You’re my wife now, Katya. I made a vow when I married you. I will always choose you. You’re not going anywhere. You are mine.”
I can’t help but feel happy at his words while at the same time feeling like I’m in over my head.
Chapter Thirteen
Alek
Ineed a new ally, especially after I killed so many of my coworkers for trying to hurt Katya. Sam cleaned up the problem for me and I just have to hope word doesn’t get out that I’m the one who did it.
But word will get out and I’m going to need help. With Dimitri breathing down my neck, I know it won’t be long before he finds me. So, for now, I have to make myself so powerful, no one will think to cross me.
And what’s more powerful than the Italian mafia?
I settle into the booth across from Luca Moretti, a high ranking mafia boss. He’s close in age to me. Handsome in a classic way.Luxury brand suit that speaks to his money. Sits like he owns the entire world.
“Alek Morozov,” Luca says. “What can I do for you today?”
“You’ve never worked with the Bratva before, have you?”
“I’m an Italian man. I don’t usually work with Russians.”
“I’m here to offer you a deal. An alliance.”
He stares at me for a long moment before he huffs. “An alliance? Why would I take you up on that?”
“Because I have money. Power of my own. And I’m looking to grow my empire. I know you’re as well. If we worked together, we could gain a lot more power. No one would ever come for us. No one would ever expect an Italian and a Russian were working together. It would be the perfect cover. We could feed each other intel. Make even more money than we do now.”
He runs his finger along his lip. “That is an interesting proposition. But how do I know that you don’t want to make a deal just to fuck me over?”
“Trust me. I don’t want to do that. I have enemies of my own I need to deal with.”
“So, you’re desperate.”
I hate how fucking smug he sounds. It takes everything inside of me to temper down my annoyance but I have to. If I want this to work, I have to.
“What can I do to prove to you that I won’t fuck you over?” I ask.
“Usually a marriage contract is the perfect idea.”
“A marriage to who?”
“Don’t you have daughters?”
I go still. “Yes. But they’re seventeen and sixteen. Too young to be married.”
“Not in a few years.”
I stifle the urge to punch Luca in the fucking face. I need this deal with him. “So, if I offer you the hand of one of my daughters– and I should remind you that technically speaking they’re not really my daughters – you’ll make a deal with me? Today? Even though you won’t get to marry one of them for a few years?”
