Page 68 of Trapping His Darling

A pang of guilt and regret washed over me. My thirst for revenge had blinded me to the complexities of the man sitting before me.

“Ivan,” I began, my voice softening, “we've both made mistakes, but perhaps it’s time for us to put our differences aside. Viktor and I are ready to take on more responsibility within the Bratva. We can work together to ensure its future. It’s time for us to start a family.”

Ivan nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “You're right, Tiffany. It’s time for me to step back and let the next generation lead. I see I’ve met my match with you. While I hesitated in giving the reins over to that boy, I know that you will keep him in line.”

I covered my mouth, my lips pulling into a thin line. My husband was going to be a great leader, no thanks to his piece of shit father. I swallowed down my bitterness and stuck a smile on my face. The old man was going to die sooner or later, I was just playing the long game.

As we continued our chess match, a newfound understanding seemed to grow between us. I sank back with a small playful smile he misconstrued as happiness. The reality was that I’d just dominated my way to the top of the food chain, and these men didn’t even realize it's happened.

Check fucking mate.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Viktor

My father got sicker.Tensions with the Italians ramped up, and Tiffany learned more about the family.

“If I’m pregnant, our children will never know they’re cousins,” she said one night as we lay in bed together.

“I told you, I hate that motherfucker. We aren’t going to sit down and have a, what do the Americans call it? A Kumbaya moment?”

She groaned, “yes, some people would call it that. But you need your brother, do you not?”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t need him.”

“You do, baby. You just don’t know it.” She looked into my eyes before she hit me in the gut with her words. “Family is everything.”

I sighed, “will you let this go if I give him a call?”

She nodded. “That’s a start.”

I grabbed my phone off the nightstand, uncaring what time it was over in the states. I dialed his number and waited for him to pick up.

“What,” he growled.

“Good to hear from you too, big brother,” I drawled.

“What do you want?”

An awkward pause settled between us. Tiffany hit me in the shoulder. “Invite him out here.”

I shook my head no, but Alexie heard her voice in the background. “That your woman?”

It didn’t sit well with me that he could even hear her voice. Wanting to get back at him, I snarled into the receiver. “So I heard that you have a problem with some local bikers. How’s that going? Did they steal your woman back from you?”

“Who told you about that?”

Rookie mistake. “I’ve got my sources.”

“Roger,” he growled.

“Well, he is my soldier,” I taunted.

“He was our godfather first,” Alexie reminded me.

I sat up in bed, waving a hand in front of my face. “Semantics. Do you want help with your little problem or not?”

He paused as if thinking it over. “What do I have to do in order to receive this help?”

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