Page 5 of Bound By Revenge

“Are you enjoying yourself?” I ask.

“Sure. Can’t complain, can I? Beautiful night, beautiful women. What more could a man want? I mean, besides not having to look at Patrick McGuire’s unsightly face, of course. It’s the damnedest thing—even after all this time, I can’t shake the feeling he’d look so much better if someone were to fire a few dozen shots between his eyes.”

The Irish family’s boss must sense our gazes on him because he grins at us, raising his glass in a mock toast. He doesn’t break eye contact with Maxim—as a matter of fact, he doesn’t even blink.

With his longtime rival a few yards away, it’s easy to see Maxim as the rest of the world sees him. In this instant, he’s every inch theavtoritet—the authority, the cold-blooded enforcer of thebratva. Even within our circles, Maxim’s name is feared.

“Maxim—” I say in warning, barely suppressing a sigh.

“I know, Nik. Trust me. I’ll play nice with the man. Don’t worry about it. I’ll do it for you.”

I study him with concern. A welcome breeze blows his thick brown hair over his eyes, but he doesn’t flinch as McGuire stares him down.

A particularly ominous feeling grows inside me, and I struggle to hide my frustration. “Listen, Maxim. It’s not like I love McGuire any more than you do. But going to war with the Irish family won’t make our lives any easier.”

“I know. You’re right—as usual. That’s why you are thepakhanwhile I’m… well, I guess I’m the guy who got sent to fucking Russia for thinking with the wrong head.” He laughs humorlessly before taking a healthy swig of his drink.

“Maxim—”

“Hey, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. I fucked up, and you did the best you could. I owe my life to you. And believe me, after my long exile in that godforsaken place, I can’t wait to get back to living the rest of it. I’ve got so much left to do. I sure have a lot to make up for, and I’ve already wasted so much time. So I’m glad to be back. Really, I am. And I missed you, Nikki.” He slaps my shoulder.

“It’s good to have you back. Things just weren’t the same without you here.”

“Well, I don’t know about that. I mean, look at you. You seem to have managed pretty well in my absence. When I left, you were still making a name for yourself within the Seven Families. Now, none of these fuckers can touch you. You sure seem to have more money now. I bet there are more women, too.”

His striking blue eyes shine with humor, and, for a brief moment, everything between us is just as it’s always been. Before I can remind him he’s in no position to give anyone a hard time about women, I spotherfrom the corner of my eye. The woman. Instantly, I lose my train of thought.

She’s strolling about the garden, drinking from a glass of champagne. Her full lips are stretched into a pleasant, casual smile.

Maxim disrupts my reverie with a low whistle. “Damn. Who’s that?” he asks.

I reluctantly tear my eyes from her to glance at him. To my utter dismay, he’s unabashedly studyingmywoman from head to toe. Like me, he seems to like what he sees—a lot.

“As far as you and any other men at this party are concerned, she is out of bounds.”

Still shamelessly eyeing her, he shoots me a wide-eyed look, not bothering to hide his shock.

I tried to play it cool, but I might’ve come off as a little too possessive about someone who is, after all, a stranger. No wonder my childhood friend is surprised to see me act so territorial about a woman when I’ve never done so before in my life. Not in all our many years of friendship.

I can’t say I fully understand this perplexing behavior of mine any better than he does. But somehow, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I couldn’t handle seeing her in another man’s arms.

Mine.For all intents and purposes, she’smine.

Luckily, few men on this earth would dare stand between me and what I want. And none would have the audacity to try to take what’s rightfully mine.

And sheismine. I won’t tolerate anything else.

“Uh-huh. Okay, then,” Maxim says slowly in a peculiar tone, staring at me as if I’ve grown a second head. “Listen, if you want her so bad, then what are you still doing here with me? Why don’t you go get her?”

“Oh, I will. In a moment. She’s leaving with me tonight. It’s as good as done.”

Soon, I’ll inform her of the same.

“Now, that’s more like it.That’s the Nik I know and love. Well, that settles it then. I guess we’re drinking to your good health, after all. Godspeed and God bless you, my friend.Vashe zdorov’ye!” Winking at me, he cheerfully drains his glass at once.

I finish my drink, too, before setting the empty crystal tumbler down on a nearby table.

Thewoman walks among the guests, skirting around the edge of the dance floor while making her way to the back of the gardens.Perhaps for an illicit encounter with a lucky bastard who managed to get to her before me? If so, I feel sorry for the man. He stands no chance. I’ll happily destroy him if that’s what it’ll take to get this beauty all to myself.

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