Page 48 of Emperor of Wrath

The sniper who shot at us hasn’t been identified. But it’s clear that he was a hired professional. The gun and the ammo were untraceable, the guy had his fingerprints chemically burned off, and even had all his real teeth replaced with implants.

In our world, those are all very clear signs of a professional hitman. A seriously expensive one, too. Him choosing suicide over being caught underscores that even further.

But honestly, Sota has plenty of enemies who could’ve wanted him—or any of us—dead. Kir probably has twice as many. So with the shooter dead, there’s sort of no other option but to go on with our lives.

That’s just the Bratva world we live in. Danger is always just…there, lurking around the corner. You just have to learn to be quick enough to see it coming before it gets you.

I haven’t told Taylor about the shooting and the subsequent lockdown, because, like I said, I want to separate my messy world from her organized one. She does, however, know I’m marrying Kenzo.

We’ve had some chats about it, and as Drazen’s wife she gets it, even if she’s not thrilled that her sister is marrying into the Yakuza to stop a war.

After the lockdown, though, and as the wedding looms closer, Taylor tells me that she’s taking me out for a bachelorette dinner.

Not “asks if I want her to”. Tells.

Gotta love her.

The night of my reluctant bachelorette party for a wedding I don’t want actually ends up being pretty great. Taylor, as managing name partner of Crown and Black, carries some weight around this city.

She somehow gets us reservations at an incredible two Michelin star restaurant. When we enter, we’re escorted to a private VIP dining room adjacent to the kitchen itself, with a window so we can watch the chefs prepare everything in the pristine, gorgeous kitchen.

As an extra surprise, as soon as we sit down, Fumi, Kenzo’s half-sister and Taylor’s best friend, sashays in and gives me a big hug.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I blurt incredulously. I mean, she’s become a friend, but the wife of the Governor showing up to a bachelorette dinner for a mob wedding seems…iffy…in terms of optics.

Fumi snorts a laugh. “Uh, celebrating you?”

My face darkens. “Sorry, that came out wrong. I just mean…should you be here? Like, being the governor’s wife and all?”

“Oh.” Fumi wrinkles her nose and waves me off. “Yeah, fuck that. I can definitely be here.”

“I am here for First Ladies who say ‘fuck that’!” Freya laughs as the champagne that Taylor ordered arrives.

After it’s poured, Freya makes a quite eloquent toast to me, surprisingly almost devoid of any vulgarity and swears. Fumi makes another one, which is extremely well worded, touching on finding feelings where you don’t expect to find them, discovering your other half where you least expect to…

Blah blah blah.

I mean it’s a beautiful toast, and I walk around the table to give her a hug after she finishes it. But…c’mon.

I’m not “finding feelings where I don’t expect them” with her grumpy, power-hungry dick-bag of a half-brother. Sorry, not sorry.

After the second toast, I glance at my sister, expecting one from her. She just eyes me with one of her “looks”.

“Okay, say it,” I sigh.

She shakes her head. “You know what I’m going to say.”

“That you don’t want me to marry a Yakuza asshole to stop a war?” I glance at Fumi. “No offense.”

Fumi laughs. “None taken. Kenzo is”…she clears her throat delicately…“an interesting character. We’re getting to know each other. But I mean…” She waggles her brows. “I get it, lady. He’s intense.”

“Yeah, spelled d-i-c-k-h-e-a-d,” I mutter, turning back to Taylor. “So, was that the gist of it?”

She rolls her eyes. “Words to that effect, yes.”

“Says the lady who is herself married to a mobster. I mean, pot…kettle.”

Fumi and Freya laugh as my twin gives me another look before smiling and reaching over to take my hand. “Just… Please don’t think you only have one parachute. I’ve got you, always. You know that, right?”

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