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“No war,” Oleg says, offering his still bloodstained hand.
I take it, and we shake. “No war.”
“We have to appear strong,” Oleg says a moment later, still holding onto my hand.
“You’re going to be the Pakhan of your organization, Oleg. It doesn’t get much stronger than that.”
“Butwehave to appear strong,” he goes on. “We’re sacrificing a lot.”
As part of Mikhail’s backroom dealings with Oleg, Oleg agreed to cut his trafficking operations in exchange for an allegiance with the Sokolovs.
“We need to honor the agreement,” Oleg says, still shaking my hand like he’s trying to big-brother me or something. I grip his a little harder. I can do this all damn day. “The marriage.”
“What?” I snap, and he finally lets me go. “The marriage wouldn’t mean anything. Your Bratva will be a new lineage.”
Oleg shakes his head. “I want peace. I want money. The best way is for Anatoly to become the Pakhan and for me and the others to help him.”
“Anatoly?”
“The Petrov heir,” Oleg says.
“Nikolai’s ten-year-old son, you mean,” Mikhail says.
Oleg shrugs. “Men in our line of work respect names above all. Think of the big picture.” Oleg turns as though to approach Nikolai, but then Mikhail cuts in.
“No, you’re leaving him here for me.”
Oleg narrows his eyes at me.
“Don’t look at me,” I snap.
“He’s mine,” Mikhail says, sounding savage, sounding wild. What’s gotten into him? All this because Nikolai was the reason he tortured a man?
“It looks like you’re going to have some time with my brother,” I call over to the bloody Nikolai.
“Do we have a deal on the marriage?” Oleg goes on, clearly uninterested in Nikolai beyond just wanting him out of the way. “No trafficking, more money, but we need a sign. You and Mila. You can still have your woman, like you said.”
But that was all an act. I could never call someone else my wife, even if it were just for show. I wouldn’t be able to.
“We will give you three weeks, yes? That’s fair?” Oleg says.
“No, Oleg,” I snap. “I’m telling you upfront. I’m not marrying her.”
“I hope you change your mind,” he says, and then he and his men leave the room.
Denis glances at me, silently asking what to do. Nikolai cringes against the wall as my brother approaches him. Mikhail is a fun, happy person, but this life gets its dark hooks into everyone.
We leave the room, and I close the door behind me, sealing my brother and the scumbag in together.
CHAPTER 26
DAHLIA
Dimitri strides across the dance floor, his men at his side, people clearing a path for him. The other Russians came out a minute ago, talked briefly, then left. My man walks right up to me as the other two men approach Mila and Ania as though they’re going to escort them from the building.
“What’s going on?” I ask, standing up and taking his hands.
He stares down at me with so much intensity, then leans down and kisses me with so much heat I start burning up. He wraps his arms around me, the kiss getting deeper, then breaks it off, breathing hard. “We need to leave,” he tells me. “The party’s over. I need… you.” He shudders. “I need you so bad.”
