Page 74 of Forbidden Vows

Shit.

My brother and I stand on the other side of the street watching the terrifying blaze. Our entire building is engulfed in roaring flames, black smoke billows from the shattered roof to the sky. Dozens of firefighters struggle to stop the inferno from spreading as explosions boom throughout the brewery, orange tongues lashing out as rescuers guide the last of our employees to safety.

A triage point has been set up at a safe distance. Three more ambulances arrive, while multiple police officers do everything they can to keep the bystanders safe. Paramedics treat those suffering from smoke inhalation, providing oxygen masks and checking vitals. In the meantime, I’m trying to process how the fire could have started as I watch the horrifying aftermath.

“Two people are dead,” Andrei mumbles. “According to Officer Friendly over there, six people are still missing. I haven’t seen anyone else come out.”

“The arson investigation unit will come in once they have it under control and the fire is completely out,” I reply.

“Sergei is going to pay for this.”

“He’s getting more brazen.”

“It’s fucking war, Anton. We need to start responding accordingly. Insurance will cover the loss, but it still puts this location out of business for at least six months. This was our top producer, too, dammit.”

I give him a long, tired look. “He knows where to apply pressure, but he’s not invincible, Andrei.” I take a deep breath. “We’ll double security at all other business points. And you’ll have all the support you need to follow that line on Rattner. Let’s uncover some useful dirt on this fucker before he burns something else down.”

“Or worse, before Ciara gets served a steaming mug of polonium tea. I wouldn’t put anything past Sergei right now.”

I thought we had it in the bag. Perhaps I was naive, or perhaps I had too much faith in the other families. They weren’t raised like we were. They bought Sergei’s act, right down to the last number. But it’s still just an act.

I need to find big enough cracks in his mask so I can drive a mallet through them. You don’t threaten the woman I love and expect to live a long, fruitful life.

“Rally the other families,” I tell Andrei. “We need a sit-down with them immediately, before the next council meeting. I’ll reach out to the Benedettos and every other ally we can muster. The Bratva’s turmoil will reverberate across the board. The Camorras should know.”

My brother gives me a cold grin. “Oh, that’s dirty. I like it.”

“The Italians don’t like Sergei. Might as well take advantage of that.”

“The others won’t take kindly to outside support, though.”

“Then they shouldn’t have allowed Sergei to drag the Donovans into this, fiduciary powers or not,” I reply.

If there’s one thing I learned and will forever uphold from all the teachings from our father, it’s that if the enemy goes low, we meet them there and destroy them with everything in the Karpov arsenal. Going high when someone goes low only leads to humiliation and early death.

We’re Russians. Slavic fucking warriors.

We might as well act like it.

Chapter 27

Eileen

“How is everything coming along?” Anton asks as we sit in the backseat of his town car on our way to my café, Ian behind the wheel. It’s touching to see him trying to be upbeat and focused on me when I know he’s got so much on his mind. The recent string of fires and sabotage attempts against his businesses have left a deep furrow between his brows.

“We’re almost done, actually,” I reply with a warm smile. “The furniture arrived earlier this week. I’ve got the interior decorator popping by in a couple of hours to help me with the layout before I order the appliances and have the rest of the kitchen equipment delivered.”

“And it only took you, what, two weeks?”

I nod excitedly. “Yeah. Granted, Laura and Ian have been incredibly helpful every step of the way. I thought we’d have to wait another week for the light fixtures to be delivered, but Laura managed to pull some strings, and in less than forty-eight hours, we’ll have light. A godsend, that woman. But most importantly, I have you to thank. You provided all the fundingwe needed, allowing us to make sure we could accomplish everything in the shortest timeframe possible.”

Anton gently squeezes my knee. “Anything for my bride, you know that.”

“I’m so grateful. Had I not had your support, Anton, I would’ve had to scrounge for pennies and think twice about the smallest details. I would’ve prioritized the coffee stock before anything else, but the place probably would’ve looked like a semi-posh café wannabe spot for Gold Coast commuters.”

“I’m so proud of you, Eileen. I know this is a dream come true for you, and, given the double buns you’re carrying and the toll it’s taking on you, both physically and emotionally, I am genuinely impressed that you were able to pull this whole thing off in such a short period of time.”

“It was a team effort.”

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