Page 67 of Forbidden Vows

Once I hear the front door close and Ian’s footsteps echoing throughout the hallway, I allow myself a deep sigh. “Well, shit.”

“Anton, did she seem scared to you?” Eileen asks me. “I didn’t want to ask her outright. She’s as stubborn as Dad in that sense; she’d never admit it.”

“If she’s not scared, she’s definitely worried,” I reply. “I think there’s a part of her that is finally beginning to see the kind of man she’s about to marry.”

“Then why is she still willing to go ahead with it?”

“After the embarrassment we caused her? She’s probably trying to save face, grateful that she’s still able to marry someone within the Bratva,” I reply. “Your stepsister is a highly desirable woman and could marry whomever she chooses, but Sergei does have power and influence within the organization. He also has several key businesses behind him. Otherwise, I would’ve taken him out of the picture a long time ago.”

“Do you think this is a power play on her part?”

That’s a good question, but Eileen might not like my answer. I promised her complete honesty and full transparency, though, so I’m telling her exactly what I think.

“I think she’s riding the fence, waiting to see if the Karpovs stay at the helm or if Sergei has an actual shot at taking over. If he gets his way, and she turns out to be a Karpov supporter, it could cost her and the Donovan businesses in the long run. If I maintain leadership, then at least she’s at peace, because she warned us, and so cannot be deemed a traitor or a liability.”

“Dad was right. For all her flaws, Ciara is a good strategist.”

I can’t do much other than speak to the Bratva families again, if only to reassure their loyalty.

Hopefully, I still hold the majority.

Chapter 24

Eileen

That was quite the news that Ciara delivered. I’m just not sure where it will land her in the long run.

In the meantime, I can only focus on the things I can control. My stepsister isn’t one of them.

“My God, this place oozes potential!” Laura exclaims as she walks into the café.

For now, it’s still an empty space, rife with possibilities. Laura shines like a diamond in the middle of it, with her peach pantsuit and cream-colored heels.

“I didn’t expect you,” I say, giving her a warm smile. “What are you doing here?”

“You don’t sound happy to see me,” she replies, pasting on a fake pout.

“On the contrary, I’m very happy to see you! I could use the extra pair of eyes!”

“I figured as much when Andrei told me he had to swallow his gargantuan ego to help Alex close this deal,” she laughs. “So, firstand foremost, congratulations! This is long overdue. Second, what are we thinking?”

I look around once again, wishing she could see the image I have in my head. “Ian is helping me out with the measurements. The interior decorator has already been here, and we agreed on a preliminary game plan.”

“Okay. Talk to me. What’s the game plan?”

Ian gives Laura a warm smile before he goes back to his notes, carefully measuring every wall and angle until the page looks like something out of a mathematician’s wet dream. The man is definitely detail-oriented and multifaceted, I’ll give him that.

“Well, I’m thinking cozy, but nottoocozy. Warm and welcoming, but not a replica of the coffee shop down the street.”

“Obviously not, this is Gold Coast,” Laura replies. “You need warm but snazzy as hell. People in this area are as uppity as they come.”

“I’m close to finalizing a deal with several countries for their single-origin beans, courtesy of the Fairtrade Foundation.”

“Yeah, that’s great and all, but I’m interested in the café itself and the décor. Are we doing café tables and chairs, or cozy booths and sofas with mellow jazz music?”

“It would be somewhere in between,” I reply. “I’m thinking of a lounge section over there,” I point to the eastern quarter of the room. “Tables and chairs over by the western windows, close to the kitchen and easier for the waitstaff. The coffee bar is going to be right here, smack in the middle, a big, circular centerpiece,” I finish, twirling around in the center of the room.

Laura’s eyes widen with excitement. “Oh, that sounds marvelous.”

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