Page 12 of Cruel Existence

My stomach rolled. I wasn’t naïve. I knew how family weddings worked whether they were Italian or Russian. They weren’t entered into over a candlelit dinner with a surprise proposal and a princess-cut diamond. They were crafted in the back rooms of hotels or cigar bars. They were broken down by family wealth and stock. By potential grandchildren. By property. By money. By greed.

My father was working on mine. I had maybe bought myself another night by attending the engagement party instead of him. But that’s all I could do. Steal afternoons, mornings, or nights for me. The inevitable would happen. I looked around the room, knowing one of the Italians here could be my future husband.

Mr. Novikov smiled at the guests. He lifted his champagne in the air. “First, Anna and I want to thank Inna and Vasha. What a wonderful evening. Beautiful. Thank you for throwing such a wonderful party. Andrey is lucky to have you as parents. You have raised a son to be proud of. A man who will one day be the head of his own family with Katya by his side. Having a son is a blessing. An only son a gift from God. Cheers to Inna and Vasha Petrov.”

I thought Luka’s fingers dug deeper into the fabric of my dress. I tried to pay attention to his father and not to him, but he was distracting. As distracting as any man I’d met had ever been. He’d walked into the pool house as if he lived there. As if everything around him was his to be used or enjoyed. The pieces were only coming together now. His father was Dmitry Novikov, the king of New Orleans. That meant Luka was the city’s prince.

I had heard bits and pieces outside of my father’s office doors. The Bratva was powerful in the city. I shivered, realizing it was a different and darker world than I knew.

“To our beautiful Katya. Princess, you have made us so proud.” I spotted Katya across the room from us on the other side of the stage. The awkward man next to her must have been Andrey. “Your mother and I are looking forward to your wedding day as anxiously as we waited for you to be born into this family. May you bless us with many grandchildren.” Dmitry grinned at his daughter. “And to Andrey, my soon-to-be son-in-law…”

The room echoed with jabs and jeers. I had to keep my smile in place. I hated this sexist bullshit. It happened at every engagement party. At every wedding reception.

He eyed the man. “You have been given a precious gift, my Katya. Be the man she deserves, and you will have a happy life together. You know how the saying goes. Happy wife. Happy life. Cheers.” It was short. Sweet. A masked warning—don’t fuck over my daughter.

“Cheers!” the crowd erupted, and the band started another song when Dmitry tapped the band leader on the shoulder. A horn belted out the beginning of a slow jazz number.

Luka’s hand flatted at my waist and drew me onto the dancefloor.

“We’re dancing?” I gasped.

He smiled wickedly. “Looks like it.”

“You didn’t ask.”

“Didn’t think I had to.” He winked.

He knew exactly what he was doing. It was the same move. The same calculated look he had given me the night on the balcony. A knowing that he could have me if he wanted. It made me want to put up shields and barricades all around my body and my heart.

He spun me until I was dizzy, and then suddenly my body was pressed to his, and I felt the burn of his palm against the small of my back. I was afraid to look in his eyes. Afraid that he might see how breathless I was after dancing for only two minutes.

Guys were always hotter in tuxes. That was just a fact. But when Luka first barged into the pool house, I would have thought he was equally as sexy if he had been dressed as the gardener. The lines of his jaw were sharp and definite. He seemed formidable. Self-assured. He had gorgeous eyes. I didn’t think I could swoon over a stranger a second time, but Luka Novikov was a sexy specimen of beautiful masculinity.

His lips lowered to my ear. The blood rushed to my cheeks. My pulse raced.

“Think we could ditch Ciro?” he asked.

“Don’t you need to stay a little longer?” I searched his eyes. Damn. Why were they so dark and deep? “Your motherseemed serious about the family obligations,” I reminded him. My instincts told me not to get on Anna Novikov’s bad side.

“She’s serious about everything,” he answered. Anna Novikov already scared the shit out of me.

“I don’t want to cause any problems. Really.” It was the first time I was allowed out since the pool table incident. It could be my last for a while if I screwed this up.

“I checked all the boxes tonight. I’m done with appearances.”

I nodded. “If you’re sure.”

“Positive.”

“Okay.”

His eyes lingered on my lips before tilting my chin upward. I held my breath. “You are exactly what I was looking for tonight, Amara.”

I smiled. “And what was that?”

“A way out.”

Ididn’t think it was possible to shake Ciro tonight. I didn’t fully believe it until I was sitting next to Luka in the front seat of his sports car, and there were no headlights in the rearview mirror. I continued to look behind us.

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