Page 27 of Savage Beauty

It occurs to me that a man in Tosca’s position ought to have people he can trust around him, but then again, this is a problem at the heart of his family.

“What’s his name?” I ask.

“Larry. That’s all you need to know,” Tosca says. “I can get him onto your turf, but you’ll have to take him out fast. Giulia will think her idiot lover met with some misadventure, and my brother-in-law will be none the wiser. Andyou, Sasha Kislev,” he gives me a nod, “will be off the hook.”

This seems too easy.

I glance at the sleeping Claudia. “Okay, done,” I say. “But you gotta keep Claudia on the leash and away from me and Josie. Your daughter has already caused me a world of fucking problems, and I don’t need her coming around with more to hand out.”

“Fair enough.” Tosca gets to his feet, signaling that our parlay is coming to an end. “I’ll let the dust settle and see if I can’t negotiate another match for her.”

“Not just her, Sal. This has to be the end of it. I’m having a second wedding soon, and after that, I want you to meet with Igor and me and tell him this debt is settled.”

“Fine.” Tosca extends his arm to me. “Do this for me, keep it to yourself, and we’ll call it quits.”

I stand and shake his hand. It’s clammy, and I resist the urge to wipe my palm on my pants' leg. “You’ll let me know when to make my move?”

“Absolutely.Grazie,Alexandr Sergeyev Kislev.”

I nod. “Prego. Buonasera, Don Tosca.”

18

One hour earlier…

Josie

Iturn away from the window, hot tears burning my skin as my eyes spill over.

Sasha told me Claudia was crazy. Obsessed with him. But he never mentioned that they’d been together. Why would he keep that part to himself?

Because she’s telling the truth. The thought comes unbidden but insistent, and I can’t shake it loose. Did Sasha say all the same things to Claudia? Did he let her believe she mattered so he could manipulate her into loving him? She seemed unhinged, throwing things and screaming, but love is savage sometimes.

Maybe she wasn’t crazy untilhecame along and messed her up. I sure as hell can empathize if so.

Another knock at the door makes me jump, but it’s just Morgana.

“Hey. I saw what happened. Are you alright?”

“What did you see?” I sniff. “The part where my husband ran off to rescue his ex? Or when she fell into his arms, and he valiantly carried her off to his car?” My voice rises as I lose my composure. “He’s fucking with me, isn’t he? Where did he go?”

“Shhh.” Morgana sits on the bed and pats the coverlet. “Sasha is crazy about you. He’ll be back soon with an explanation. Come and sit down. Get yourself together.”

I sit beside her and drop my head onto her shoulder. “Why do men only ever want to own me? Vlad treats you like the most precious thing on Earth, but Sasha says whatever he has to say to get what he wants.”

“You sure?” Morgana puts her arm around me and gives me a squeeze. “If Vladi can learn to love, so can Sasha.”

“Yeah. But he has towantto. And why would he change? A man like him will not abandon his carefree lifestyle to commit to someone like me.”

“And why not?”

I sit up straight. “He wants to keep me like a pet. Something to spoil and show off, but that’s all.”

Morgana frowns. “That’s what Marc would have done. And you were willing to settle for that. So what’s different now?”

The difference is I’m falling for Sasha like I’ve been kicked out of a plane at thirty thousand feet: too fast, too far, and with nothing to look forward to but a grim and sudden end.

Even if I can hold his attention for a while, it won’t be long before his true nature wins out, and I’ll be forced to sit by like a good bratva wife and pretend not to notice his affairs. But if I’m dumb enough to love him? It’ll beagony.

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