“I bet he crochets in the evenings,” I continued, undeterred. “Can you imagine sticking to one pussy for the rest of your life? Horrifying.”
Maxim crossed his arms but stayed where he was. “Marriage means children. More heirs.”
I put the whiskey down, sliding it towards Roman. He needed it more than I did. “We all know you don’t need a ring and a fancy bit of paper to have children,” I scoffed.
“One problem at a time,” Roman grunted, ignoring the whiskey to knock back another swig of milk. The guy was Bratva royalty, and he was chugging full-fat like a toddler before nap time.
I smirked. “Did you want some cookies with that?”
Roman replied with his middle finger.
“There’s a simple answer to your problem,” I commented, my eyes sliding to Maxim.
“He’s fine,”Roman reassured me. “You can speak freely in front of him.”
I raised a brow, but Maxim barely acknowledged my existence. Rude.
“You could just… not get married,” I finished, earning a glare sharp enough to cut glass. “Come on, Rome. Think about it. What do you do better than anyone else? Lie. You’ve got the dishevelled charm and the roguish smile. You could sell ice to an Eskimo, and I remember once you even convinced that woman that you’d found her long lost granddaughter because you were bored. Just trick your father into thinking you’re married, or at least engaged. Run the con. It’s practically your love language.”
Roman snorted. “Says the man whose love language is to fuck off the wrong people.”
I raised my empty glass in salute.“Yeah, well, at least mine’s consistent. Yours just depends on how good the lie is,” I said with a shrug.
Roman thought about it a moment, his green eyes darkening. “And where exactly am I supposed to find this fake wife?”
“Oh no, that’s as far as my generosity goes,” I chuckled. “I’ll take payment in the form of your help figuring out who the hell this annoyingly vague Mr C is.”
“You’re an arsehole.”
I grinned, shameless. “And that’s exactly why we’re best friends.”
Chapter 25
Violet
I forced myself to stay still, every muscle locked tight with the effort. My fingers laced together in my lap, knuckles whitening as if I could pin them there by sheer will.
I’ve never had to concentrate so hardnotto move before. I grew up being told I was difficult, a distraction in class because I had a low attention span. But even then, I’ve never been so conscious of my body.
“Yeah, it’s definitely her,” Cedric said as he cut at the neckline of my T-shirt until it revealed the skin of my shoulder. “I want a bonus if she’s to remain unharmed.”
A chill coiled in my gut, sharp and merciless, spreading with every word spoken.
“I’m dealing with the other problem as we speak,” he continued, his gaze harsh on my face. “I’ll call once it’s done.” He clicked a button on his phone before putting it back in his pocket.
It must be a new one considering the phone Ryder had stolen was still in his office.
“How long until Ryder returns?” he asked with a touch of impatience, my eyes darting to the knife in his hand.
I swallowed, my reply barely a whisper. “I don’t know.”
Cedric closed the distance between us, his knife precariously close. “That’s not good enough,” he murmured, almost casual as he kneeled. “If we wait much longer, I might get bored.” The cold edge touched my cheek, pressing without cutting. “So… what should we do while we wait?”
I couldn’t help but recoil, Cedric chuckling at my reaction.
“Why do you do this?” I croaked, anything to keep him talking. He was so close I could see the uneven scars, and rough texture of his skin.
“Money,” he said with a shrug. “And because I like it.”
