Page 137 of Deceitful Vows

“If Zakhar dies, you will hurt Zoya.”

Hepfftsme. “She’s never met the kid, so I doubt she’ll care.”

“She will when she discovers they’re related.”

Maksim’s steps to his car slow. “Related how?”

It is the fight of my life to not fold in two. “How doesn’t matter. DNA doesn’t lie. She is his blood relation, and as such, she will be devastated if she learns that you didnothingto help him.” I only have him partially over the fence, so I give him a tug. “Another senseless death of the innocent children your wife is endeavoring to save.”

“Leave her out of this!” His roar rumbles through my chest. “Or the only heart your son will receive will be yours.”

I laugh like I haven’t already sought advice on an adult donor’s heart being placed into the chest of an almost five-year-old. It was the first thing I researched after picking out the shards of glass that embedded in my cheek when I fired at my reflection.

That’s how fucking sick I felt when I couldn’t discount the honesty in my father’s eyes.

“I will never mention her name again, and it won’t be uttered by anyone on my team. But I need more time. My son needs more time.”

I don’t know if it is the pure angst that gets me over the line or the promise to rid the world of anyone who speaks his wife’s name in vain, but I am grateful no matter the premise.

“You have a month. After that, it won’t be just Myasnikov Private’s gizzards being dissected. This entire fucking rort will be torn down.”

Since that is all I’ve ever wanted, I dip my chin in understanding.

53

ZOYA

When I spot a familiar face in the crowd, I tell Aleena that I will catch up with her in a minute. Maksim hired a stretch limousine filled with security guards to take us to our concert, so it isn’t like our transport will leave without me.

“Do you want me to wait?” Nikita asks when she realizes who has caught my eye.

It isn’t the man I’ve been trying to rile into making contact all day.

It is his younger brother.

“No. It’s fine. I’ll only be a minute.”

“Okay,” she murmurs before begrudgingly walking away.

We talked today, so she is aware of some of what I’m going through. She knows Andrik is married or getting married and that I had Maksim return the bribe I accepted from his father. I was just a little light on the reason I can’t assist Andrik with his ruse, and how it could have dire consequences on his son if he were to call it off.

I’d never get off her shrink couch if I gave her all the details in one sitting.

“Hey,” I greet when Mikhail spots me gawking at him at the end of the bar.

His glum expression switches to glee. “Hot damn, Sunshine. The masseuse didn’t force him to pull his head out of his ass, but that dress sure as fuck will.”

I curtsy like I didn’t purposely wear this dress to coerce Andrik out of hiding before joining him at his side of the bar.

“Does your brother know that you’re drinking at a rival’s bar?”

I don’t know much about mafia men except they wear exceptionally tailored suits, so my assumption that Andrik and Maksim are rivals is pure speculation. Maksim’s arrogance after his meeting with Andrik adds to my theory.

“He would if he’d answer any of my calls. He cut me off.” His laugh stabs my chest with pain. “Emotionallyandfinancially.”

I dump my purse on the sticky counter like I have nowhere else to be before plonking my backside on the barstool next to him. “Why? What happened?”

“I have no fucking clue. It finally felt like he was letting me in, thenbam!I’m out in the cold again.”

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