Page 5 of Mafia Christmas Vows

My mom is the most important thing in the world to me. I’d do anything to keep her safe.

I tuck the phone against my chin and sigh. “It’s going to be okay, mom. I love you. I have to go.”

“Love you too, sweetie,” she murmurs.

The phone call ends, and I look out into the darkness.

Telling her that everything is going to be okay is just reassurance. It’s something I’ve done a dozen times, especially since agreeing to this plan.

I only wish I believed it was true.

ALEXEI

My phone has been buzzing through the entire meeting.

It’s beginning to be annoying.

On the computer screen in front of me, my cousin Boris Novikov drones on. He’s trying to propose something to do with a trade deal between the Irish and our collective network, but I’m barely paying attention.

One, Boris is an idiot. I have very little faith that he will actually make this happen, especially because he only recently came into his seat. His father, a distant uncle of mine, was killed in an explosion in Amsterdam, and Boris is simply not ready for this level of responsibility.

Two, my cousin Anastasia already has some inroads with the Irish. Stassi is another Novikov, although also a cousin to Boris. With the amount of Novikov’s in our family tree, it’s often impossible to tell how they’re related. However, there’s no doubt that the Orlov and Novikov families are connected.

And anyone who doesn’t know will find out the hard way not to mess with either of us.

Which, I suppose, is why my phone is buzzing.

The Kozlov girl should have landed.

Your future wife.

The thought makes my lip curl.

I do not wish to marry a Kozlov. Even in my world, they’re viewed as shady. Immoral. Difficult to make deals with, because they have been known to go back on their word. There was the whole thing in Belarus many months ago, and I’m still not happy with the fact that the Irish managed to kidnap my cousin. I hired a couple of Kozlov’s as security, and they were supposed to be guarding her, but they failed. I killed them immediately, and buried them deep in the North Sea after their failure.

However, Igor Kozlov made a very compelling case to marry his daughter and form an alliance between our families.

He is a different Kozlov, only distantly related to the ones that I sent to sleep amongst the darkness of the sea. He has lived in America for quite some time. Made a very powerful enemy, one that I also count among my enemies.

He owes me, for the failures of his kin.

In addition, with the consolidation of the Rossi and De Luca families, and the fact that Benicio Souza is looking for a powerful heir to take over his empire…

Globalization is a bitch.

And I find myself in a position where I too must consolidate all resources that I can.

Plus, if I can remain married for one year, and produce a child to continue my bloodline, then I will have something that I deeply want.

An estate. One that has been in my family for a great deal of time. One currently sitting in trust, because for the first time in centuries, there is no Orlov guaranteed to inherit after me.

For the first time in centuries, it is at risk of being absorbed by the state.

Orlov House will not become property of the state.

I grit my teeth.

It did not survive multiple uprisings, simply to be absorbed into the government because I am unable to produce a family line.

---