Page 8 of Hateful Vows
“Skin.”
My skin breaks out in hives. “Fuck. This is bad for business. If people disappear, the cops are gonna be all up in our asses.”
“There’s more.”
I wait with bated breath, ants crawling up my neck at the perspective of another disgusting revelation. Skin trade is not only bad for business, it’s the one thing even the darkest souls of this wretched life barely dare venture into.
“Out with it,cazzo.”
The collected Russian in front of me pulls at the lapels of his jacket before touching the scar at the corner of his mouth with his thumb. His armour breaks ever so slightly and dread sinks underneath my skin like a disease. If even that man, who I believe doesn’t even know what emotions are, is rattled, we’re all fucked.
“Petrov wants Irina. And he won’t stop there. He’ll come for all young women in the main families. A way to own us all. I’m pretty sure he has his eyes set on Lucie, too,” he says and my blood turns cold.
“Are you threatening my family?” I explode, grabbing his suit until our faces are so close our breaths mingle.
My cousin has lived in France with extended relatives since my aunt and uncle died. We’ve done everything we could to protect her and I’ll keep doing it even if that’s the last thing I fucking do. Fuck avenging my father, she’s my priority.
“The agreement with the Cosa Nostra kept us all safe, but I guarantee you, Misha Petrov doesn’t care about agreements and noble sentiment,” Dobrev continues. “She’s young, untouched, and sheltered. Misha’s favourite type. Previous deals made decades ago are about to be null and void if we don’t stop him.”
My voice drops low and menacing. “If you touch a single hair on her head…”
“I will have to when I marry her,” he simply declares.
That’s fucking it. I pull my fist and punch the bastard. People around us gasp, but they don’t intervene. Even on this neutral ground, people know not to get involved in each other’s private business.
To his credit, Dobrev simply grunts, his tongue darting out to lick the small bead of blood on his lip. I track the movement, knuckles clenching at my sides.
“I want you to marry Irina,” he says.
“The viper? Over my fucking dead body.”
“You just became kingpin. You need an heir. And Irina needs protection. Just like Lucie does. Fuck, I’ll vow to never touch her, give you half of our fucking territory and our income, but I can’t protect her by myself, Dante.”
His words come out fast, desperate. My name is both a plea and a wound on his lips. His eyes are hard; he’s not gonna let that go. I might be his first option but if I don’t take the deal he offers, I’m sure he’ll go to someone else. I don’t know what it is about seeing Aleksei Dobrev weak and pliant before me, but it has nothing to do with power and revenge.
I take a step back and he straightens up, the image of power and honour back in front of me. I’m taken aback by my reaction to him, and immediately mask it with a mocking smirk.
“You’d give me your sister on a silver platter, as well as half your business just to protect her?”
“Yes.”
No hesitation. No other questions asked. I regard him from head to toe. Under the harsh exterior, Aleksei Dobrev has a heart, after all. One I’m going to possess and add to my little oddities collection.
Out of nowhere, a laugh bubbles up my throat. And then it grows until I throw my head back, drawing the concerned gaze of onlookers.
“You’re not sound of mind,” Aleksei comments.
“You aren’t either, Dobrev. Our families have been at odds or at war for decades, yet you propose that I marry your sister and you marry my cousin, linking us forever. And in the process, giveme half your income? That’s just crazy. I doubt it’s gonna go well with your father.”
“I’m gonna kill my father.”
My laughter dies in my throat before blood lust takes over, spreading into my blood stream like a delicious hit of the smoothest whiskey. The smile that pulls at my lips is unhinged this time, reflected into Aleksei’s umber and green eyes.
“Now, we’re talking. Tell me all about it, pretty boy.”
FIVE
IRINA
