Page 8 of Devil's Bride

My brother shakes his head. “Just give the order and I’ll wipe out the Volkov’s tonight.”

Mikhail is my second brother, five years younger than me. Despite only sharing a father, he looks just like me. Tall, dark-brown eyes and dark hair. He’s loyal to the core and strong, but his temper is something he needs to work on. It’s the only way he will ever see the bigger picture.

“Matteo Volkov is not the problem, he’s just a lapdog,” I say, rubbing my chin. “Killing him won’t work in our favor.”

Mikhail stops pacing and looks at me. “And marrying his daughter will?”

I steeple my fingers in front of me and spare a moment to think of Irina. She’ll be my wife six days from now. Hating her ass of a father is one thing, but something about her makes her irresistible. Maybe it’s her beauty, or her sass. The way she carries herself makes me want to have her more than I’ve wanted any other woman.

“You already know my answer,” I tell him. “She’ll be your sister-in-law soon. I suggest you use your time to do something valuable, like tracing the source of that video.”

I glance to where Nikolai, my youngest brother, is seated on the couch across from my desk. He’s admiring a dagger he just added to his list of prized possessions. He’s not paying any attention to us, he never does. He just waits for orders on who to find or kill, and he’s damn good at it.

“Nikolai!”

He lifts his head when I call his name.

“Have some of the men watch Matteo until my wedding with his daughter, I want them to report on everything he does,” I say.

A twisted smile curves his lips. “Including when he fucks?”

My lips turn down to match the frown I feel crease my forehead. “I don’t care about that, you know what I mean. His guard will be down during the wedding, have a look at his place.”

“How much digging do you want us to do?” Mikhail asks.

“Not you. It’ll be suspicious if my brothers are not at my own wedding.” I rub my temple. “Have our men do the job. Let them look through every computer and document. We may get a lead on something.”

“How about we install our own cameras?” Nikolai asks.

“That fucker will probably find them. He’s not as stupid as you think he is,” I reply. “Just have the men do as I said.”

Nikolai’s smile widens. “Is this meeting over? I have things to take care of.”

I open my mouth to answer when I hear voices come from outside my office. I twist my head to the door at the sound of approaching footsteps, heels clinking on tiles, then the door swings open and the most beautiful woman on the planet storms into my office.

My secretary glances between me and her. “I’m sorry, Sir. I told her she couldn’t come in.”

My eyes meet Irina’s. She’s seething, glaring at me as if she’d shoot me if she had a gun. Something tells me she would.

I dismiss my secretary with a wave, refusing to take my eyes off Irina. “I suppose you’ve found out?”

She doesn’t respond to my teasing. “I need to speak to you. Alone!”

I nod at my brothers, signaling them to leave.

The second they’re out of the office and the door slams shut, Irina walks to my desk and leans over it, leveling her face with mine. “What is all of this about?”

I lean back in my seat. “What?”

“The marriage,” she says, her tone angry. “What do you have on him to make him think it’s a good idea for us to get married.”

I shrug. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t fucking lie to me, Alexei. My father would never let me get married to you if you weren’t holding something over him,” she barks. “Tell me what it is.”

A chuckle rumbles in my chest. She thinks I threatened her father into agreeing to our marriage. Interesting. What’s even more interesting is that she thinks so highly of her father and has the audacity to storm into my office and create a scene. I’m impressed.

“If what you’re asking is if I suggested this marriage to him, then no. I didn’t.” I run a hand over my hair. “As much as I’d like to make you moan my name, I have more important things to do than threaten your father so I can have you.”

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