We swallow our respective glasses and sit in the aftermath of his metaphorical bomb of intel.
If there is a man to be feared more than Constantine than it’s Kirill.
The menacing brute Pakhan who kills first and asks questions later. One of blood thirst who thrives in violence and chaos. Even his people have spread the inane rumor of him bathing in his enemies blood. But knowing of Kirill I wouldn’t put it past him.
Tao, the leader of the Triads, had been in his right mind to fake his sister’s death in order for her to escape the arranged marriage to the man. She wouldn’t have survived him.
“Well then,” I say mildly, “we are cooked.”
Pietro laughs. “Precisely. Unless that sharp mind of yours can whip up a plan quickly.”
I rest back against the sofa, my legs outstretched and with what feels like an impossible weight on my shoulders.
“I’ll figure out something,” I sigh.
With this new alliance of the Irish Mob and the Bratva they are looking to not only retrieve Imogen, but to eradicate us and everything we’ve built.
And I can’t let either of that happen.
Under no circumstances will I ever let her go. Even if Constantine demands it. I should have told her that. But it’s hard. . .it’s hard to articulate what I mean to say.
“I have an idea.”
Pietro perks up. “I’m all ears.”
“We get married.”
He feigns to be flustered, mumbling shyly, “I don’t see how you and I getting married fixes anything.”
My lips twitch even with my flare of annoyance. “No, you cheeky bastard. Imogen and I. We wed.”
“You really are out of your goddamned mind,” he balks. “We’re talking about marriage, Rico.”
“Si, I know.”
“Are you even sure she wants to marry you?” After leaving her I can’t be one-hundred percent certain. But I do know she chose me. She chose me over everything. Why wouldn’t she accept my hand in marriage?
“I don’t think she would be opposed.”
“Probably because she thinks she wouldn’t be having a choice. You’re forcing her hand.”
My jaw tightens. “I would never force upon her anything.”
“Easy there, tiger. Didn’t mean it like that. I saw how she was with you. It was undeniable then the chemistry you two have. I just didn’t know how serious it was.”
I confess in a hardened voice, “I can’t lose her.”
“Yeah,” he says easily, “I see that.” Scratching his jaw he asks, “Why marriage?”
“I can’t imagine my life without her,” I tell him candidly. I look past him to where she’s waiting for me in our bed. AndI physically ache to not be near her. “She’s a part of me now. And marriage is sacred in our Famiglia. She’ll be protected. With Kirill now involved just you and I can’t protect her.”
There’s no pride to be swallowed. Kirill and his men are ruthless. Pietro and I will never be able to kill them all without one of us being a casualty. Possibly us both.
“We still have a problem.”
I raise a cool brow. “That is?”
“You need a Catholic priest. Because of Famiglia tradition it won’t be recognized as a sacred bonding if you don’t.”
