Page 56 of Twisted Cage

“I won’t let the Petrovs have you.” His sharp words vibrate with harbored rage. I love him even more for it.

I can’t let him in, but I will secretly covet the little tells in his voice, his mannerisms, proving his love for me. “You can’t stop it.”

“You underestimate me.”

“No, big brother, you underestimate them.” His eyes flash in warning, but I ignore it, knowing he will never act on it with me. He may take a hard line, but he isn’t cruel like Vlad. “They’re driven by their pride and arrogance, and you don’t have a stronghold on the family power yet. They’ll come for me. And even if you manage to protect me the first time, they’ll come for me again. At least if they manage to get me, they’ll get far more than they anticipated. I’ll carve into them just as much as they carve me.”

He hides it well, but I spot the slight wince. The thought of them hurting me, hurts him, whereas Vlad would only find excitement in the prospect.

“What if I have a solution?”

“And what would that be? Marry someone they’re afraid of?”

The corner of his mouth twitches. “Actually, yes.”

I throw up my hands and huff out a breath of sheer frustration. “How did I know the solution still involved a man in the family pawning me off in marriage? So who are you hoping to tempt with my magic pussy now?”

He jerks back, like he’s just taken a bullet to the chest. “The fuck?”

“Which part of my question did you take exception to? Me comparing you to the other men in our family or my magic pussy?”

“I take exception to all of it, but the magic pussy is what’s going to haunt my nightmares for years to come,” he says as he pinches the bridge of his nose.

“Good. If I have to suffer, so do you.”

“So what if it was up to you?”

“What’s that?”

“Who you marry.” Intertwining his hands, he steeples his index fingers and taps them against his chin. “Look, there’s no getting around the fact that marrying the right man, one with enough power and influence to instill fear, will protect you. It’s not like we can decide the rules are different, send out a decree, and expect everyone to fall in line. If we can’t change the rules, let’s use them to our advantage. You pick.”

“How do you suppose I do that? The minute the Petrovs know I’m here, the clock is ticking. That doesn’t exactly leave a lot of time for dating.”

“No, but you’re not marrying for love, are you? There are plenty of influential people looking for a mutually beneficial arrangement, instead of love.” He leans forward and props his elbows on his knees, a confident smile spreading on his lips. “As a matter of fact, there’s a party tonight.”

I’d rather chew my tongue clean off than admit his idea has merit so I tamp down the thread of excitement making my heart pump just a little faster with hope.

Drawing up my legs under me, I pick at the frayed edges of my favorite jeans. “Sure, I’ll just put on clean jeans, no problem. Get real, Nikolaj. I have a half-filled duffel bag of casual clothes and split ends. And it takes an army to move me around the city right now. How am I supposed to shop, find a salon at the last minute, and be ready to go by tonight?”

“Leave it to me and I’ll bring the shopping and the salon to you. You don’t have to go anywhere. All you have to do is say yes. So what’ll it be?”

Marriage of necessity, but on my terms. And a chance to distance myself from Konstantin. I swallow the lump in my throat that tells me I’m not as happy with the prospect of that last part as I should be.

No more heated stares. No more stolen kisses. No more impossibly close proximity to someone I want with every fiber of my being yet can’t have.

Maybe I’ll find some peace and these memories will finally fade, taking the worst of the pain with them.

And before I go, Konstantin will have no choice but to watch me. Watch me flirt and watch men make moves, relegating him to a distant bystander as I forge a path without him.

Out of his reach for good.

“Who exactly is going to be at this party of yours?”

“It’s the society… friends, allies, politicians, old money, new money—basically every power player on the East Coast.”

“No mafia?”

“Some, but no one I wouldn’t approve of.” His eyes lock on mine and a bit of my brother slips away before my eyes only to be replaced by the formidable man he’s become. “The Ophidian Society will always overrule the mafia, Nikoletta.”

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