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My gaze drifted across each one of them before Sergei cleared his throat, the first to break the silence.
“The Orlovs made contact again. They’re not just threatening us now; they’ve declared a blood feud over Gregor’s death. Mikhail Orlov wants reparation,” he said, his voice low but laced with a palpable anger.
“You have to be kidding me,” I growled.
“They want Riley,” he continued. “They blame her for Gregor’s death. They’re calling for her blood.”
I clenched my fists by my sides, the thought of them touching her making me see red.
I didn’t say a word at first. Instead, I just sat down at my own table looking back at the four of them. Nikolai stood up and grabbed a bottle of vodka from behind the bar and five glasses. The silence stretched between us as he poured us all a drink.
“Here, we do our best thinking with the taste of good Russian vodka on our tongues,” Nikolai offered and the rest of us nodded in agreement.
“I won’t allow it,” I said, my voice hoarse with my possessiveness over the girl.
“We won’t let that happen, Maxim. It goes against everything we stand for. We protect the innocent, especially those under our care,” Ivan assured, leaning forward in his chair.
Nikolai nodded thoughtfully, his usually calm demeanor hardening. “What are our options? We need to be ready for anything they throw at us.”
“Why don’t we strike first? Show them that no one threatens our family or those under our protection,” Aleksei spat as he slammed his fist on the table. My youngest brother was often the most volatile, and the first to choose violence when the option was on the table.
Honestly, when it came to Riley, I was in full agreement, but I would need to be smart.
For her.
I raised my hand, signaling him to temper his aggression, at least for now. He glared at me, but nodded once with understanding and sat back.
“We need to be smart, Aleksei. This isn’t just about retaliation; it’s about ensuring Riley’s safety and preventing an all-out war. We strike thoughtfully, not rashly,” I explained.
Sergei looked at each of us in turn. “Maxim’s right. We need a plan that safeguards Riley and deters the Orlovs from pursuing this further. Perhaps a demonstration of our own strength, a reminder that the cost of pursuing war with our family would be too great for them.”
Ivan adjusted his glasses, thinking it over. “We could bolster our defenses, make it clear that taking Riley is more trouble than it’s worth. Simultaneously, we can reach out to our allies, including the Murphys, show a united front that even Mikhail Orlov would hesitate to challenge.”
“We could move Riley out of town, somewhere remote and secure until this blows over,” Sergei suggested thoughtfully.
I felt a spike of annoyance at the thought, the idea of sending her away grating against every possessive instinct in me.
“No,” I snapped, far more harshly than I intended. “Moving her away is a temporary solution. It doesn’t address the root of the problem. We’re just delaying the inevitable.”
“We could also consider negotiating with the Orlovs directly, perhaps offer them something else in exchange for dropping their claim,” Ivan chimed in.
I shook my head, dismissing the idea as quickly as it was proposed. “We don’t negotiate with threats, and we certainly don’t trade lives. It’s out of the question.”
“What about showing that Riley is under the protection of the Morozov family publicly? It would make it harder for the Orlovs to make a move without repercussions,” Aleksei said as he leaned forward, his eyes narrowed in thought.
“It’s not enough,” I countered, feeling my frustration build.
The room grew quiet as the suggested options began to dwindle.
Finally, an idea came to mind that was more tempting than any other.
“There is one sure way to protect her completely from the Orlovs,” I proposed.
All eyes turned to me, waiting.
“I could marry her.”
The suggestion hung in the air, thick with implications. Sergei was the first to respond, his tone cautious. “Maxim, are you sure? Marriage is… a big step.”
