Page 72 of Dark Desires
We both pull back, my eyes wide.
He runs his hand through his hair. “That was a mistake.”
“Yeah. Big mistake.”
“I should go before I make another one.”
“Probably a good idea.”
“Goodbye, Isa.”
He leaves, and I stare blankly ahead as he opens the door to the den and steps out, shutting the door softly behind him.
When he’s gone, I sink onto the nearest chair, my heart pounding. My fingers brush over my lips, still tingling from the kiss. What the hell am I doing?
The flowers sit in my lap. I glance down at my stomach, the reality of the baby hitting me all over again. It’s crazy—this little life isn’t even here yet, and I already know I’d do anything to protect it.
But what doesanythingmean? Would I destroy this marriage, this alliance, this fragile balance between families? Would I put everyone I care about in danger?
I’m terrified to realize that my answer might just be yes.
CHAPTER 24
ALEXEI
“Alexei.”
Lev’s voice cuts through my haze.
“You with us?”
Luk leans in, a grin on his lips. “You there, brother? Or is your mind still at the Mancini estate?”
The crackle of the fireplace fills the quiet in the den as I shift in the leather armchair where I’m seated, a tumbler of whiskey in hand.
Luk and Lev are seated in the other chairs, glasses of whiskey in their own hands, their eyes on the fire. Grigori is with us, leaning against the mantel. He scans the room, the man always in bodyguard mode.
Elena is there, too, in her usual position, lying back on the couch, her dark hair splayed over the pillow under her head, her laptop propped up on her legs.
I blink, dragging myself out of my thoughts, and smirk to cover the distraction.
“Just thinking matters over. Any choice we make has risks, it seems. No easy way out.”
Luk snorts, swirling the whiskey. “Risk is part of our lives. The Bratva wouldn’t ever have gotten to this point if we hadn’t taken risks, and we won’t survive if we don’t take risks. Some risks, however, like making unexpected drop-ins at the Mancinis when we’re in the middle of sorting out a very fragile alliance, are less necessary than others.”
My smirk drops, my jaw tightening, but I don’t respond. Luk, always the smart-ass, grins at my silence.
“Enough.” Elena doesn’t even look up from her screen. “We’ve got bigger problems than Alexei’s social calendar.”
“Like the fact that Christian de la Rosa is actively trying to undermine our alliance with the Mancinis,” Grigori says. “If Domenico cracks under pressure, we’ll be fighting a war on two fronts.”
“And losing,” Lev adds. “The Colombians have been rallying support from smaller families. We’ve got the Irish on our side, but that’s not enough. We need the Mancinis.”
The mention of the wedding hangs in the air, unspoken but heavy. I take a slow sip of my whiskey, staring into the fire. The thought of Isabella being tied to all of this, of her being caught in the crossfire, sets my teeth on edge.
“Have the Mancinis shown any signs of wavering?” Elena asks, finally looking up. Her sharp green eyes dart between us.
“Not yet,” Grigori replies. “But Christian’s visit to their estate wasn’t a social call. He’s pushing Domenico hard.”
