Page 101 of Beautiful Deception

“Enough. My aim isn’t for us to kill each other. If we do that, then I’ll have no allies left.”

“You’re saving my life for selfish reasons?” Dante asks. “Pretty typical.”

“It is typical,” I say. “Erik always has his own priorities first and center. He only ever does things for himself.”

Erik roughly shakes his head. “Enough.”

I notice Aiden keeps his gun trained on me and Finn.

“You tried to ruin my wedding day,” I growl. “That can’t stand.”

“Viktor, I apologize for that. But I still want us to be allies again. There has to be a way for us to work together. I don’t want us all to kill each other.”

Finn scoffs. “Mostly because you don’t want to die in the process.”

Erik gives Finn a flat look. “No shit. Of course I don’t want to die. Anya and I have a baby girl. I want to be here for her when she grows up. I am doing what I can to keep the peace.”

“Coming to my wedding was a fucking mistake.”

“You can’t honestly care about her,” Dante says, still standing behind his gate, I notice. “She’s just a maid. She’s not even a Bratva woman. I thought a man like you would only marry a woman with Mafia ties.”

“Don’t talk about Inessa.”

Erik raises his hands. “Enough. Tensions are high. But I thought of a solution that could help. Viktor, I know you got fucked over when Dante married Nadia.”

“And when that fucker married Elena,” Finn says, pointing at his brother.

“I’m a fucker now, Finn?” Aiden asks. Hurt is in his voice.

“You are when you chose some girl over your own brother.”

“Stop,” I snap at Finn, who only glares back at me.

“I propose a new deal,” Erik says. “One that could unite us. One that could make us all happy.”

“What?” I ask, skeptical.

“I know you just got married, Viktor. But you married a maid with no connections, no money. You and Dante hate each other but I have an idea. You could marry his friend’s daughter, Aria.”

“What?” Dante snaps.

“Aria is eighteen now. Old enough to be married. It could ensure peace between you and Dante and you’d be gaining more power by marrying an Italian Mafia girl.”

“I will not give Aria to that asshole,” Dante growls.

I huff. “I have to agree with Dante. I am not divorcing my wife just to marry some mafia girl I’ve never met before.”

“You can’t honestly love your wife,” Erik says. “I know you, Viktor. You’ve always made plans with logic. With your mind. You were willing to marry Nadia, then Elena, because you knew it was the logical thing. It would gain you power and wealth and prestige. It would make us all allies. Marrying Aria Romano would do that. It would ensure peace between you and Dante. It would make you an ally again and we would have no reason to go after you.”

“You meanDantewould have no reason to go after me,” I say through tight lips.

“Yes. But me as well, since Dante and I are allied. It’s a good deal, Viktor, and you know it.”

I raise my hands. “Let me get this straight. You want me to divorce the womanI loveto marry some Mafia girl just to make peace with the men who routinely fucked me over? Why the ever living fuck would I do that?”

“You really love her?” Erik asks.

“Why else would I marry some maid with no money and no connections? I learned that not everything in this life is for sale. Not everything is made out of alliances and marriage contracts. You make a good point. Marrying Aria would unite us. But I am not going to do that.”

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