Page 118 of Beautiful Deception

Mrs. Green won’t stop asking me what happened when I return home.

“Where’s Inessa?” she asks.

“Inessa is not going to live with us anymore. We’re going to get a divorce.”

“A divorce? You’ve only been married for three days.”

“Mrs. Green, I don’t need your judgment right now. I have to call my sister. She needs to return home.”

“But I thought you sent her away for her safety.”

“I did. But I’m going to make peace with Erik. I was fighting him because he made me look like a fool but somehow, my own wife one-upped him. I see no point in fighting any longer. I’m going to take him up on his deal to marry a mafia girl.”

Mrs. Green gasps. “What?”

“So, my sister can return home. It will be safe now.”

“Mr. Smirnov. Should we talk about this?”

“What’s there to talk about? Inessa is no longer welcome here.”

She grabs my arm. It’s the first time Mrs. Green has ever touched me. “But what happened?”

“She lied to me. About who she really was.” I pull away from her. “I have work to attend to.”

I can feel Mrs. Green’s eyes on me as I walk away.

Knowing I need to make it safe for Julia, I seek out Erik and Dante. We meet up at a junkyard. Aiden is with them.

I don’t bother bringing Finn with me. He’ll only find a way to make things worse. And right now, I want to make peace, not get into another fight.

Since I’ve lost the woman I loved, I might as well bring my sister home so I can have someone in my life who I love. Julia won’t lie to me. Julia won’t betray me.

“You wanted to talk?” Erik asks. Him, Dante, and Aiden stand in a line across from me. A united front.

“I’m ready to make peace.”

“After I got shot?” Erik nods to his shoulder. I can’t see his wound through his shirt but from the way he’s holding his arm, he’s in pain.

“That was Finn. Not me. I’m ready to end this. You wanted me to be an ally again. I’m willing to do that. I’ll marry Aria.”

Dante sucks in a sharp breath. “I never fully agreed to giving you Aria.”

“She’s not yours to give,” I growl. “She’s not your daughter. What does her father think?”

“We can get Elio on board,” Erik promises.

“We should discuss this more in private,” Dante hisses to Erik. “What if Elio doesn’t agree? Viktor will get pissed off again.”

“You will make him agree to marry his daughter to me,” I say. “I will do my duty. I will make peace.” A marriage without love is the way to go. I can’t get hurt that way.

What was I thinking marrying Inessa? Falling in love? I was a fucking fool.

I am a fool.

Erik narrows his eyes. “Why? Why do you want peace all of a sudden?”

“My wife betrayed me. She’s not who I thought she was. I’m willing to divorce her and marry Aria.”

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