“Your uncle will have a tight hold over them. It will take time but it’s not impossible.”
“What if he marries them off in the meantime? They’ll belong to someone else then.”
He sighs, running his hand over my stomach. “I know I failed you, Natalya, and I’m sorry for that. I don’t say sorry often, just so you should know.”
Slowly, I place my hand over his. “Keep me informed on what you’re doing. If you have to sneak out in the middle of the night to deal with business, let me know.”
“My job is to take your worry away. I don’t want to add to it.”
“And if I wake up and realize you’re gone? And you never come home? What then? What will I do then? I would never know what happened to you. I don’t want to be kept in the dark the rest of my life. I need to know these things.”
“This goes against everything I wanted for you. I wanted to keep you in ignorant bliss.”
“You can’t anymore. Not when you come home covered in blood. You tortured a man tonight. Did he deserve it?”
“He was working for Nico,” he says dismissively.
“Mikhail. Did he deserve it?”
“You can’t think that way in my life, baby. Then you’ll start doubting every decision you have to make. I have to do hard things to keep the things I’ve worked hard for. Did I have to punch and kick him until he died? No. I could have shot him andbeen done with it. But sometimes I need this release. I need to let my anger out and I never want to let it out on you.”
I shiver. “I don’t want that either.”
“I will do the things I have to do. And if you want to know, then fine, I’ll tell you. But you have to accept all these parts of me. I don’t want you fearing me. Can you do that?”
“I can try,” I answer honestly. “I grew up knowing my father did things not everyone’s father did. I knew he did bad things. I’m not fully naïve to this world, Mikhail. My dad died because of this world. My sisters are being kept prisoner by my uncle because of this world. If you ever get the chance to kill Denis, then I won’t judge you for it. I’ll cheer you on because I want my sisters safe and I will be willing to do what I have to, to make that happen.”
He cups my face and stares deeply into my eyes for a long time that I end up blushing. It astounds me that I can still blush after everything we’ve done together.
“You were made for me,” he says right before he kisses me. I sink right into it because what else can I do?
Mikhail
I need allies outside of the Bratva if I’m going to take Nico down. The fact that he has able to turn one of my men has me worried. I can’t stand for that.
The Bratva has always been at war with the Italians. It’s nothing new. But we’ve also been at war with the Irish. The Irish have also been at war with the Italians.
And right now, I’m hoping that the Irish hate the Italians a little bit more than they hate the Bratva.
I enter the dive bar that’s own by the Irish mobster, Cillian Kennedy. He’s the current head of the mob and an upstart, always looking to gain more power. I can offer him more power.
I’m overdressed in a place like this in my day suit. The men in this bar are dressed in dirty, ratty jeans and smelly t-shirts. The Irish mob doesn’t have the same dress standards that I have for myself.
“What are you doing here?” the bartender asks. One look at me and it’s clear I don’t belong in a place like this.
“Where is Cillian Kennedy?”
“Who?”
I sigh and give the man a pointed look. “Cillian Kenndey. Head of the Irish mob.”
“I don’t deal in that kind of shit around here.”
“Tell him Mikhail Novikoff is here to see him and I want to talk. Business opportunities.”
The bartender’s eyes widen when he hears my name. “Listen, bud, why don’t you just go?”
“You know my name. You recognized it. I’m not here to gun this place down. I’m here to talk business with your boss. Tell me where he is? I know he frequents this place. Is he here right now?”
