Page 28 of Final Installment
“Like making a deal for millions of dollars of product from the Russians?”Besian speared him with a furious glare.“Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?”
“I don’t care if you find out!It’s my decision!I’m the boss!”
Besian snorted in the most aggravating way.“You have the title, but have you earned it?”
“I’m trying, but you and Zec keep undermining me.”
“Saving your ass is undermining?”Besian lifted both hands from the wheel in a wild gesture.“You know what?Fine.I’ll stop giving you advice.I won’t even mention that you could have gotten a premium deal if you’d come to me first, used my connections to the cartel.Even Zec could have gotten you a better rate.”
“This was my deal.On my terms.”Even as he insisted he had it under control, Luka felt more and more out of control.
They drove in silence for a few blocks.Finally, Besian said, “You know what they’ll do to you if you don’t pay.”
Luka gulped down the urge to dry heave as he considered exactly what they would do.“I know.”
“Then you also know that I’ll cut your fucking throat myself if it keeps Marley safe,” Besian warned.
Luka stared straight ahead, refusing to look at his uncle.It wasn’t an empty threat.No matter how badly it hurt to hear his own flesh and blood say it, Luka understood it.“I know you will.”
“The way you’re trying to solve this problem on your own, without asking for help or guidance, is going to get us all killed.If you fuck up this marriage?If it doesn’t happen?We are—”
“I know,” he interrupted.“I know.”
“Then act like it.”
That was the last thing Besian said for the remainder of the ride.When they arrived at his uncle’s home, Rina was waiting for him in the kitchen, looking more pissed off than he had ever seen her.Marley stood behind her, pouring a cup of herbal tea.She offered him an encouraging smile before scurrying away with her steaming mug.
“You’re disgusting,” Rina hissed.
“Can we not do this right now?”Luka’s head throbbed.
“There are videos of you doingstuffwith those two dancers.”
“What?”he asked in alarm.“What do you mean?Videos where?”
“They came to my phone and Marley’s and Besian’s.No idea who you pissed off for that kind of treatment, but you’re lucky Marley was able to calm our uncle down.He was ready to kill you when he saw them.”
He grimaced.“I’m sorry you had to see that.”
“You’re sorry?You’re getting married in, like, six weeks!You just broke up with your girlfriend!The girlfriend you stole from Kristo, by the way.You couldn’t even keep your dick in your pants for a couple of days?You couldn’t wait until your honeymoon?”
“I’m not talking about this with you!”It was one thing to be scolded and shamed by Besian, but he wasn’t going to listen to it from his sanctimonious little sister.
“You can talk to me about it, or you can talk to Dafina.You’ll be lucky if she even shows up to marry you once she finds out how disgusting you are!”
“Like she has a choice?”He scoffed at the very idea of her refusing to marry him.“Her family needs this marriage as much as we do.She’ll show up because it’s her duty.Somethingyouneed to remember,” he snapped, tired of judgement.“I’m doing this to protect you and everyone else in our family.”
“Oh, poor little Luka,” she mocked with a fake pout.“Having to marry a gorgeous woman to keep the peace and get his hands on millions of dollars.How are you going to survive such a horrific hardship?”
“Her beauty is not the issue—and you know it.”Letting his irritation override his sense, he said, “Maybe I should cancel the wedding and substitute you in my place.How would you like to marry Skender Dushku?Rina Dushku.Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Fucking try me, Rina!”
“I hate you!”She flung a fucking apple at him, striking him right in the chest before she stormed off in a fury.
“Like I’ve never heard that before!”He shouted after her, no longer caring that he sounded like a petulant child.Besian, who had witnessed the entire screaming match, threw up his hands in disgust and strode out of the kitchen, probably to find his wife and complain about what a prick he had for a nephew.
