Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 68192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“So Remington was right about that.”
“Yes, Nikolai is engaged to Alina. He’s being used as a fucking pawn, and so is she.” I considered saying more, but I was afraid we wouldn’t stop Rafe from killing Dimitri if I did.
Dante shook his head. “We cannot get involved in their family business.”
“I think he’s already involved,” Rafe said.
Dante glared at him. “Could you be serious for one fucking second?”
I held up my hand before Rafe could say anything else. “I fucked up tonight. I was tempted. I was angry. I wanted something, and I took it.”
“We should go get Nikolai,” Rafe said.
“No!” My harsh answer had my brother taking a step back. “That’s not an option. I will not put you at risk. You two are my priority.”
“We’re grown men, and that night wasn’t your fault,” Dante said. “I wish you’d get that through your fucking stubborn head.”
“Our cousin died, and he wouldn’t have been there if it wasn’t for me. How is that not my fault.”
“You’ve already done time, thanks to the trap that was set for you,” Rafe said. “Isn’t that punishment enough?”
“For a mistake that cost a life? There will never be enough punishment.”
“Renzo, it wasn’t your—”
I held up my hand. “I’m not going to argue about this. Nikolai and I had fun. I told him to find a way to get out of there if he could. I’m going to work with Remington to stop this marriage. That’s all I can do.”
“But that’s not how you wanted it to end, is it?” Dante asked. “You said you did it out of anger and temptation, but you like Nikolai.”
How did he know that? I shook my head. “He’s just a hot piece of ass. That’s all.” A hot piece of virgin ass that I would do anything to touch again.
No. That’s not an option.
“I don’t fucking understand you,” Rafe said.
“Do you understand that if word got out about me and Nikolai, it could cause a war? It’s not even just the two of you I have to protect. I could drag the whole extended family into this.”
Rafe huffed. “Dimitri’s a fucking evil bastard.”
“And what are we?” I asked.
“We’re not like him,” Rafe said. “We have standards and lines we don’t cross.”
We don’t sell our fucking family members into slavery just to get money. The memory of Dimitri suggesting I give him Tessa instead of money had me fisting my hands. That fucking son of a bitch.
“What else is going on?” Dante asked.
Rafe spoke before I could. “Just tell us all of it so he’ll shut up.”
“When I was negotiating with Dimitri, he told me he’d give us everything we wanted in exchange for Teresa Anne.”
Rafe jumped up. “What the fuck? I’m going over there right now. I’m going to blow him the fuck away.”
Dante grabbed Rafe’s arm and shoved him against the wall. “Don’t you dare walk out of this house. Your hotheaded ass is not starting anything.”
I snarled at Rafe. “You better not fuck this up. I’ve managed to keep peace for our family ever since I got out of prison. That’s not going to change now.”
“But he—”
“He insulted our family by suggesting such a thing, and I am going to make sure he is paid back for that insult, but now is not the time. We need his weapons, and we’re going to get them. Then we’re going to let him work himself into a corner. He’s running out of money. His business is on shaky ground. That’s another reason for this marriage.”
“So Ivanov is paying for Nikolai to marry Alina?” Rafe asked.
“Yes, but it’s worse than that.” They figured the truth out eventually. They knew Ivanov’s secrets too. “Dimitri is giving him to Ivanov. They’re using Alina because she has fought her father on everything he’s tried to force her into and tried to escape from home at least twice. She’s being forced to marry Nikolai, but Ivanov is the one who’ll fuck him.”
“Jesus, that’s disgusting. Hasn’t Ivanov killed more than one young lover?” Dante asked.
“Yes, and they were all still in high school.”
Rafe shook his head. “That’s fucking sick.”
“Everything about this goddamn business is sick,” Dante said. “That’s why we should all have gotten out of it long ago.”
“It’s not an option. I have people to protect and no other way to do it.”
“This isn’t like you,” Dante said.
Rafe frowned. “This is exactly like him. He always gives a speech about how he’s responsible, blah, blah, blah.”
“Don’t push me,” I said.
“That’s not what I meant. It’s not like Renzo to give in to anything he wants. He’s been punishing himself to work nonstop and basically living like an ascetic since he got out of prison.”
“What’s an ascetic? Do you mean like aesthetic, like making the place look good?” Rafe asked.
Dante sighed. “Ascetic means abstaining from pleasure. He’s not let himself have any fun.”