Page 67 of Dance with Death

Chapter 17

Nikolai

“Anya’s been quitethe little rebel in recent months, hasn’t she?” Renata notes unnecessarily. “First letting Nikolai’s boy into her bed and now this. Perhaps she should be sold outside of the families to a client.”

“Selling her would only be offloading the problem to a customer,” Cordelia O’Shea says. “I would never sell a rebellious commodity to one of our loyals—unless they requested it, of course, which in my experience, is rare. It might be best to decommission her and be done with it. Or let her do it herself if she’s so desperate for death.”

My head snaps toward Delia sitting on my left. “No. Her transgression doesn’t warrant decommissioning.”

“Agreed,” Vigo adds. “Why should we give her exactly what she wants? Regardless, I’m not done with her yet.”

“Then what do you propose?” Renata asks.

Vigo straightens in his seat, spreading a sadistic grin across his face. He opens his mouth to speak, but I don’t give him a chance.

“Give her to me tonight,” I say.

“Are you serious?” Renata chuckles.

“Yes. She needs to be put in her place. Clearly, Vigo has pushed her too far.” I give him an admonishing look. “I can put her right again.”

Vigo leans forward, pressing his elbows to the table and steepling his fingers beneath his chin. “And what makes you think that?”

I lean back in my seat, feigning a disinterested sigh. “Because I know her better than you do, Vigo. And let’s not fool ourselves. She never once tried to end her life in my care. You’ve broken her to pieces, and someone needs to put them back together if you intend to keep her.”

“What makes you think—”

I lean forward with a snap. “You signed a contract with me, and I expect you to honor the agreement. You’ve already breached several clauses you agreed to for her welfare, so I suggest you stop pretending that I’maskingfor a night with her. Your lack of decorum necessitates it.”

Renata tilts her head at Vigo, her dark eyes narrowed. “Is that true? Have you neglected to abide by your contract?”

Vigo’s lips twist into a slow, wide smile as he leans back from the table. “It depends on how you look at it.”

“Bullshit.” Murphy, the O’Shea family Head of House, sits back, crossing his tattooed arms across his broad chest.

“Aye,” Delia agrees, and her words drip with sarcasm, “I’d be happy to review the contract with you if you’re having trouble interpreting it, Vigo. I’m sure Nikolai has laid out clear terms for you in his sale.” Vigo’s smile fades as Delia speaks. “What are the consequences set forth for breach of contract, or has that not been laid out? I assure you that the board would lay out an appropriate consequence if Nikolai neglected to write one into the contract.”

Vigo has always had a bit of a soft spot for Delia. She had successfully seduced him once—more than a decade ago when they were in their twenties—to gain a favorable trade deal through Lisbon. If anyone could shut him up, it would certainly be Cordelia O’Shea. And she seems to have done just that.

Vigo’s eyes don’t leave her as she tosses her soft, strawberry blonde hair over one shoulder. She plays him like a fiddle with her intentional flirtation. It’s a skill the women of the four families develop carefully from the time they begin to blossom in their teens. Our business decisions are made by men and men alone, though that doesn’t mean we haven’t all suffered the influence of one of the powerful women in our ranks. They’re as ruthless as the men, though they have the finesse of womanhood.

“Fine,” Vigo finally says to me, though he looks at Delia. “Have her for the night. Straighten her out and set her right.”

“And?” Delia tilts her head.

Vigo leans forward, licking his lips before he responds, “I’ll sit with you to review the contract. Let you straighten me out and set me right.”

She smiles. “My pleasure.”

Vigo leans back slowly in his seat, placing his arms on the rests and smoldering at the woman.

I refuse to let relief touch the features of my face that I’ll have a night with Anya. I don’t need to feel relief for it. Fuck, I don’t even know why I suggested it.

You know why.

“Very well,” Renata says, jumping in to take the lead like she always does. “Nikolai will have Anya tonight and return her to Vigo in the morning. Leo, why don’t you move us along to the next agenda item?”

Leo Leblanc may be the Head of House for his family, but he was never meant to be. Since the four fathers began their cooperation generations ago, the American family has always been the Campbells.

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