Page 63 of Emperor of Havoc

Hana findsme in the study later. She doesn’t knock—she never does—just strides in like she owns the place, her sharp eyes scanning me in the way only she can.

“What is it?” I ask without looking up from where I'm perched on the edge of the desk with a glass of whiskey in hand.

“Something’s…wrong,” she says, crossing her arms.

“I’m not sure if you heard,dear sister,” I growl, taking a sip of my drink, “but I was actually poisoned at my own wedding.”

She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, I was there. In fact, I was one of the ones who helped drag your heavy ass into the side room. Remember?”

“Nope. See my earlier comment aboutbeing poisoned.”

Hana snorts, and then nods at the drink in my hand. “Is that an indication of how married life is going?”

“Mymarried life is just fine, thanks,” I mutter. “How’s yours?”

Immediately, she grins.

I love that for her.

I have to say, although I had my doubts about Damian when we first met, I like him for my sister. He might be almost as batshit crazy as me, but…I mean… She spent most of her life tied tomyhip. I can’t imagine her with a normal dude.

“Great,” she says with another grin. “Although Damian’s been traveling a lot for Kir.”

Damian’s uncle, Kir Nikolayev, is the head of the Nikolayev Bratva, which is one of the five families of the Iron Table.

In other words, he’s seriously powerful. And Damian is his heir.

“So…now that you’ve successfully turned the questions on me…” My sister smirks, plucks the glass out of my hand and sips as she crosses to the window and sinks into a chair.

“I was drinking that.”

Hana ignores me. “Are you going to answer the question?”

“Like I said, my married life is just fine.”

“I know you well enough to smell your bullshit a mile away.”

Thereisa scent of bullshit to what I’m saying. But it’s not about Katarina.

“What?” I shrug. “Katarina’s full of surprises.” I slide off the desk and walk over to the bar cart to grab myself a replacement drink. “She’s not what I expected, and that makes her… interesting.”

Hana’s lips press to a thin line. “What are youreallydoing, Takeshi?”

I lean back against the desk with my glass, letting a slow smile spread across my face. “Following the plan, sister. Marry the princess…secure the alliance…and keep the peace.”

“Bullshit,” Hana says, stepping closer. “I know you. This isn’t just about peace or alliances. There’s something else driving you that you’re not telling even me.”

I hold her gaze for a moment before looking away. “You’re imagining things.”

She steps back, clearly unconvinced, her expression softening slightly. “Just be careful, Takeshi. Don’t let…whatever this is…consume you.”

“I’m always careful,” I say, lifting my glass in a mock toast.

Hana just shakes her head and walks out, leaving me alone with the ghosts she’s stirred up.

When she’s gone, I end up wandering down into the basement of the compound and to my “ladies”.

AKA, my bikes.

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