Page 6 of Beautiful Enemy

Viktor’s hand is strong and warm. It’s nice, actually.

The priest continues to speak but all I can hear is the beat of my heart. It’s surprisingly steady. I can do this. I can be happy with this man. I can make it work.

And then the priest’s words come back to me. “If anyone objects to this marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

The chapel is silent. No one would dare object to our marriage.

And then the doors burst open and a man enters. “I object.”

People gasp and turn to look at the man. I recognize him instantly. He’s the man who terrorized Erik’s life four years ago.

Dante Moretti.

And he’s here, at my wedding.

Chapter Two

Dante

I’ve been waiting four years for this.

It’s finally time to get my revenge on Erik Koslov and all the men who helped him take me down, including Sergei Belov and Ivan Romanov. They all tried to kill me and they all failed.

I fucking hate Bratva men. I was once a king in the Italian Mafia. Now, I’m reduced to hiding in the shadows.

After I was seriously injured four years ago, I had no choice but to go into hiding to heal. I could have sent my men after Erik much sooner but I wanted to be in peak health to do it. It took me months to get back to my normal health and by then, other mafia members took control. Men who felt no need to go after Erik and his followers.

I lost power and it fucking crushed me.

I only had my second in command, Matteo, with me, and the two Irish hitmen I had hired.

My plan was to sit and wait and regrow in strength in the shadows where Erik couldn’t see. So, that way, when the time was right, I could really get my revenge.

And the best way to get revenge on men in the world of the mafia is to go after their women. Men in our world will fight to the death to make sure they’re safe. It will also wound them to their core.

But I have no desire to go after Erik’s wife, Anya. She’s pretty and all and I know it would fuck Erik in the head if I stole her but I don’t want used goods. I want a woman I can make my own. One untouched and pure. One that will hurt just as much as if I had stolen Anya myself.

Her sister, Nadia.

She’s just as important to Erik. I’ve observed them over the years from the darkness. I know Erik has a soft spot for his new sister. I know taking her will hurt both him and Anya. That bitch. Anya tried to kill me all those years ago too. Stabbed me right in the fucking back. Literally.

If anyone deserves to hurt just as much as Erik, she does. And so does her father. He kidnapped Elio Romano’s daughter, Aria. She was always like a daughter to me and Sergei thought he could use her as a pawn in his fucking game. She was only twelve at the time. Fortunately, Aria was returned safely. Unharmed. But that doesn’t mean I’m not still angry over it. The fact that Sergei Belov thought he could even steal Aria out from under me pissed me off back then and pisses me off still.

I’m ready for my revenge.

I’m ready to make all of these people hurt.

And I’m ready to make myself known.

“Are you ready to do this?” Matteo asks me from the car we’re stationed in. The sight of the chapel is a tiny speck in the distance. We’re parked by the side of the road, near the woods. This entire place is surrounded by trees. Forest for miles. That’s just perfect for me.

“The wedding has already started.” I saw Nadia go inside the chapel in her wedding dress, Erik by her side. This is going to be so much fun.

“I know. But I just want to make sure you’re prepared for anything to happen.”

“Matteo, I have spent the past four years planning this. I have waited until Nadia was old enough to take as my own. She’s twenty-one now. The perfect age. And I won’t have that Viktor guy take her before I can. I want her to hurt so Erik and Anya and Sergei hurt. I want to break them from the inside out. I want to make them regret ever going after me. They’ve lowered their guard. They expected me to attack years ago and now they won’t beexpecting it at all. That’s what makes this so perfect. So, yes, I am prepared that anything can happen today. But I also plan on taking Nadia from her family. And I will do anything to get my revenge.”

“I understand that. I just want to go over the plan one more time.”

---