Page 33 of Forced Marriage Vows

“I’ll take care of her,” I start. “Anastasia will never have to worry about anything so long as she’s with me. I’ll keep her protected and safe. You know me, you know the lengths I would go to protect the people I care about.”

“And you care about her?” he asks stiffly.

“Yeah, I do,” I reply, the words leaving my lips easily.

I’ve known Anastasia for more than a decade. I would have done anything to protect her when she was nothing more than my best friend’s little sister. And now she’s going to my wife so there is even more reason to protect her.

“I’m still not okay with this,” Anthony states. “But I won’t be going around punching you anymore.”

I smirk. “Good because that was a really weak punch. And where the hell did the gun come from, man?”

He grins and suddenly it feels like a weight has been let off my shoulders. I hadn’t realized how much I needed us to be okay until this moment.

“I got lessons. I might be a mafia prince in exile but I figured I didn’t have to be a defenseless one,” he informs me. “My trainer told me I was a natural. The best marksman he’s seen in a while. So if I change my mind and decide to kill you, I should be able to take you out quickly.”

“I’m sure he was just furthering your already huge ego,” I say dryly.

Anthony rolls his eyes at that.

I pause for a second knowing he may have meant that bit about killing me but there’s not turning back now so if he really doesn’t want this union to happen, he may have to.

I start to prepare breakfast and while it takes some wrangling, I get him to help me out with it as well.

“What are we going to do about Igor?” Anthony asks when we’re almost done with the meal.

“Nothing unless I can find him. Do you perhaps have the location to his safe house?”

He snorts. “You think he would trust me with that information? I’d give him up in a heartbeat. I would never protect him, Mikhail.”

“I know. But we need to find him as soon as possible. There’s a lot riding on this.”

My deal with the Italians, for one. Igor really fucked up by pissing off Adrian Rossi. They want his blood and I’m going to have to make sure I deliver it to them. Anthony has no idea about that, though.

I wonder how he would feel if something really did happen to Igor. Would he grieve the death of a father he supposedly hates?

When I look up, Anastasia’s standing at the doorway into the kitchen. The expression on her face makes it clear she heard our conversation. Anthony’s oblivious to her presence until she steps inside. When she does, she plasters on a fake smile and starts talking to her brother.

We sit down to eat breakfast and it’s almost cordial enough to make me forget everything that’s gone on in the past couple of days. Anthony gets up to leave when he’s done eating. I’m about to stand as well when Anastasia places a hand on my arm, stopping me.

Her touch sears my skin.

“Promise me you won’t kill my father,” she says, a twinge of desperation in her voice.

“You don’t have to worry,solnyshko. There’s a long list of people who want to kill your father, but I’m not on that list,” I tell her.

She looks confused by the statement but I don’t explain. The doorbell rings, and I throw her a smile over my shoulder.

“Your reward is here,” I inform her, gesturing toward the door.

She rises to her feet and opens it, immediately letting out a short squeal of excitement.

“Leah,” she says, hugging her best friend.

I walk away, leaving the two women to it.

One day, Anastasia will finally come to realize who her father really is. And the knowledge will break her heart. But that day isn’t today.

CHAPTER 11

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