Page 50 of Bound to the Mafia King

“I don’t think so.”

Andres and Savina jumped out of their seats and looked at the scene before them but, unlike me, they were cool, calm, and collected. I caught Savina’s eyes. She saw the fear in mine, and as if in understanding, she nodded. She stood from her seat with her head held high like the Mafia Queen she was, and stared Sergei down with a cool gaze.

“My children are in this house taking their nap.” Savina stepped forward. “I don’t take kindly to anyone who disrupts my children’s sleep schedule. So, unless both of you want me to castrate you for waking my two-year-old, I suggest you put your guns down.Now.”

The assertiveness in her voice was that of a mother. She was speaking to two grown men who headed powerful Mafia Syndicates. They bowed to no one, yet they began to lower their guns.

Savina held her ground, looking between the two men. Andres watched his brother with curiosity and what I figured was respect. I would think that his little brother actively starting an all-out Mafia war would concern the older Valdez. Instead, he looked at him with pride in his eyes.

“Anastasia, come,” Sergei ordered, but I remained rooted where I stood. His eyes pinned me like daggers. “Anastasia, don't make me repeat myself.”

There was a part of me that wanted to concede. I wanted to bow my head and do as I was told, like I had done for years. I wanted to protect my brother and preserve our family name. But then I thought of the woman I wanted to be. The woman who wanted freedom.

“I’m not leaving with you, Sergei. I won't." I jutted my chin and looked him dead in the eye. His white glaciers raged with red-hot lightning.

“I paid for you.” He raised his voice, and I would be lying if I said that it didn't scare me a little, but I held my ground. “I own you.”

“You paid for a virgin; I no longer am one. I haven't been a virgin for almost three years, now.”

It was out there now. The secret I had kept close to my chest was now out there in the open, for everyone to know. The one clause that he had been explicit on when it came to marrying me. I had broken the clause and thus made whatever agreement he had with my brother null and void.

“Whore!” He shifted his gun to point at me, but Andres pulled out his own weapon and pointed it at him. “You are a fucking whore!”

“Call her whore one more time.” Valerio clicked his gun. “I dare you.”

“Sergei, I think it's time for you to leave. You are no longer welcome in my home.” Savina spoke up looking between the three men. “You have ten seconds, and then I will have my men take you off with force.”

The fury tinted the tips of his ears red as he stared between the four of us. He was a prideful man, and I was sure that he did not take what was happening lightly.

My heart still raged in the middle of my chest.

“This will cost you your life.” He bored his iron gaze into my own. It was not a threat but a promise. “And the life of your brother.”

Sergei lowered his weapon and turned on his heel, leaving the room with a looming dark cloud behind him. When the door slammed shut, I released the breath I had been holding and doubled over in shock.

What had just happened?

I lifted my head and looked at Andres and Savina. They looked equal parts annoyed and equal parts impressed. Valerio,on the other hand, had fury rolling off him in waves. I could feel the anger bouncing off every corner of the room.

“Fucking hell, Valerio.” Andres was the first to break the thick tension. “Are you dumb or are you just reckless?”

Valerio ignored his brother and turned to me with concern painted on his face. “Are you okay?”

“Nothing about this is fucking okay, Valerio.” This time it was Savina who spoke up. “Do you have any idea what you have just done? War. You brought war to my doorstep.”

Valerio ignored them both and cupped my face. “Anastasia, are you okay?”

I blinked and looked into his eyes. All I could manage was a curt nod. My mind was racing at a million miles a minute. The shock riddled my body, locking me in place.

He patted my hair down, the concern etched on his features. “You look pale.”

“Of course, she's fucking pale. You just walked in here and ruined her fucking life!” Savina’s voice was the next one I heard. “Well done, Valerio. Wellfuckingdone!”

“Will you both stop? I didn't just do this without reason or a plan.” Valerio helped me down into the armchair I had been seated on. When he was sure that I was fine in my position, he stood to his full height and addressed his sister-in-law and brother.

“I know you both think I have gone mad, but I can assure you that I am of sane mind, here. My mind has never been clearer, actually. I sent you a file with everything you need to know about why I did what I did. But right now, I don't have time to sit down and explain, because I need to get her out of the country. Shit is about to getveryreal, and I need her as far away from the blast zone as possible.”

I didn’t hear the response back to his words. I just sat on the couch, my mind going back to my brother and the fact that he was now in the firing line.

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