“I was just with him. In his bed.”
Shock ripples through me. It’s worse since there’s not even any guilt on her face. She loves me, but she can’t stop giving in to him.
“You wanted to?” I ask her, needing to be sure that Gavriil didn’t manipulate her.
Alina nods, a frown tugging at her lips. “It wasn’t to try and coerce him. I just…I can’t explain it.”
Jesus.
I should be furious with her, but I’m not. How can I be when it’s her decision? I told her that I would love her no matter what, even if she feels something for my brother. And I plan to keep that promise.
Losing her would be the worst pain in the world.
“You were justwithhim?” I ask her as I take her hand and lead her over to the large bed so that we can sit down on it and talk.
Alina nods. “He asked me to sleep in his bed with him last night until he had to go this morning.”
I blink at her in shock. “You only slept beside him?”
Alina winces. “Mostly. We did other things but I’m not going to go into details or apologize for it. He’s been struggling. Gavriil needed…someone.”
That comment makes me scoff.
“We both knew a physical relationship was the unspoken part of the deal I made with him,” she adds. “And you’re the one who told me to dig my nails in deeper, remember?”
She finishes defending herself, then waits for my reaction.
Eventually I make a sound of reluctant, begrudging agreement and Alina lets out the deep breath that she was holding. “He’s been taking my advice, talking to me about the conflict. And he’s opened up to me a little more…”
Tension wraps around my chest and tightens.
My men were right. Gavriil must have feelings for her.
“Go on,” I encourage her through my gritted teeth.
Alina gives my hand a squeeze. “I sat in on another meeting yesterday.”
“What’s going on?” I ask her as I rub her arm, my heart racing in anticipation.
“The Irish, the Armenians, and an unknown group have joined together, and they’re planning a coordinated attack on Gavriil’s strongholds,” Alina tells me.
My stomach drops. “Three different groups?”
“His lieutenants think they want cuts of the territory,” Alina replies, her worried eyes flickering to mine. “And they want a mutual enemy removed.”
My ears ring for a second as I process what she just told me. If they’re going after strongholds, we’re looking at total war soon. Dozens dead. Gallons of blood spilled.
The Bratva might be run out of the territory if we fail. If any of us survive.
“I told Gavriil he should apologize to you and ask for your help,” she says quietly.
“He’s not going to do either of those things, is he?” I ask and she shakes her head.
“There’s something else. I wasn’t at the meeting, but he told me about it,” Alina says. “Gavriil met with the Italians, someone named Luciani, to try and form an alliance with them. He thought they could help in the war.”
I nod. “That’s a decent idea. The Italians are strong. We could stand a chance with Maximo Luciani by our side.”
Her frown deepens. “It didn’t work out. Gavriil said he blew up the deal.”
